Pro Philosopher 2: Governments & Grievances will let you shout at Confucius next year
Pro Philosopher 1 is still excellent and free
It's been ten years since Intelligible Games graced us with Socrates Jones: Pro Philosopher, an Ace Attorny style argue 'em up where you confront a cavalcade of philosophers in an attempt to uncover the ultimate nature of morality. Also you're dead, and there are lots of silly jokes.
I loved it, so I'm very pleased that the devs have just announced that Pro Philosopher 2: Governments and Grievances will be out at some point in 2024. It's nearly time to get down and dirty with political philosophy, baby.
Playing Pro Philosopher the first is a fab little way to get the Cliff Notes on some of the major moral theories that have cropped up across history. You're on the hunt for contradictions and missteps, engaging with arguments that can seem stuffy in contexts where you don't get to yell "Objection!!!" in big cartoony fonts. Last time the focus was on morality, but the sequel steps into the more specific realm of political philosophy. You play Ariadne Jones, daughter of Socrates Jones, i.e the unfortunate accountant who got dragged into philosophy hell last game thanks to a name mixup.
Intelligible Games haven't said which philosophers we'll be debating, though you can spot Machiavellii in the teaser trailer and Confuscious on the Steam page.
I also have a hot scoop thanks to developer Connor Fallon appearing in my DMs last night, who told me my personal fave Bertrand Russell isn't in the lineup. They do "definitely cover some of the things he talks about", though, which I'll take. I'd have probably found arguing against him too difficult anyway.
The Steam page promises "a revamped, expressive art style", "a greatly expanded cast" and dialogue options outside of the debates. It sounds bigger, better, and philosophicaler. I am hype.
If you haven't played Socrates Jones: Pro Philosopher, you can and should do so for free on Steam. That's three hours of elucidatin', endearingly highfalutin fun.
You could also spend ten minutes reading Russell's essay In Praise Of Idleness, which I'll leave here why not.
