I first saw The Cat and the Coup in action at this year's IndieCade festival, and its art-style (based on Persian Miniatures), immediately stood out as one of the more visually arresting titles on display. On top of that, the game's deft handling of its atypical subject matter helped Brinson and ValaNejad snag the festival's Documentary Game award.

The Cat and the Coup tells the story of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran. More specifically, the game presents events from Mossadegh's life in reverse-chronological order, beginning on his death bed following the CIA-sponsored coup d'etat in 1953. The coup was brought about by Mossadegh's decision to nationalize Iran's oil fields - an event I wasn't aware of until playing the game. The game's historical events play out in a way that takes the player back in time to the moment he was elected Prime Minister.

You can the full review of The Cat and the Coup at Shacknews sister-site Indie Games Channel.