This is a game where all the players can be co-developers in the design process because the game is always in a state of flux. Critical Collapse is a game that all the players, a few, one or even no one can win at. One will find many similarities to other strategy board games, computer sim games, role-playing games and even real life games, so in this respect Critical Collapse is not unique, and yet each gaming session is quite unique. Each player assumes the role of the entire government of a nation, setting the direction and attitude of the nation they are creating. Game play elements include; Sponsored and Independent Foreign Aid, Intelligence and Counter Intelligence Operations, Technical, Economic and Military Research, Economic System dynamics, World Market, Open and Private Markets, Ecological and Global Disasters and Solutions, Strategic Warfare, Politics, Thievery and Diplomacy.
The players have Record Sheets that facilitate keeping track of the vast amounts of data that is accumulated during play.