First it was Socks the Cat. Now, it's Bernie Sanders, as a new game called Bernie's Journey brings a new look at a presidential campaign as gigantic metaphor. You'll play the man some may describe as an elderly demagogue as he pursues a slate of missions in a bid to do what we now generally know to be impossible: seize the Democratic Party nomination for 2016.

In the game, you'll be called upon to take on a set of debates, fight off biased media outlets, and take on both of the presumptive party nominees--Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and Donald Trump for the Republicans--backed up by a handful of allies familiar to Bernie buffs like Jill Stein and Killa Mike.

Interestingly, reports note this is Bernie's second time as a game star; back in 2006 he released Bernie Arcade, which had him flying a hydrogen-fueled plane in a bid to snag fact sheets and fend off "fat cats", various mudslingers, and emissaries of the right wing.

Available on Kickstarter currently--it sought $500 for development costs and has as of this writing beat that several times over--the game is expected to be released in 2017, which would be too late to influence the outcome of the election even if Bernie weren't already pretty much out of the fray. If the game proves profitable, reports note, its creator intends to donate a portion of the proceeds directly to Sanders.

Some might call this a moot point, or even an outright lie; even if Bernie Sanders managed to win in the game, it's pretty much impossible right now for that win to be mirrored in real life. Others might call it a curiosity in the making; a Bernie Sanders video game, or any presidential candidate for that matter, isn't exactly common. Some might even call it a harmless bit of fun reflecting one of the strangest primary seasons the United States has seen in decades.

It's an interesting idea, and if Bernie had had this game out a year or two ago, we might be looking at a whole different campaign right now. Getting the word out about a candidate's stance on the issues is tough, and getting people to sit through a debate even more so. But if a candidate can relate his or her platform through a video game, that might get--and keep--more attention. That's a worthwhile goal, and one that future candidates may want to keep in mind ahead of a run.