![]() ![]() For one, it reinforces that idea that the player is a mob leader who’s literally calling the shots by instructing each of their underlings. The familiar system works on two distinct levels. Each recruit gets two actions per turn, which can be spent moving, shooting, using an item, or executing a special ability. Combat takes a tactics game approach à la XCOM, putting mob members on a grid in turn-based shootouts. The management aspect is only one piece of the game’s DNA. Moments like that are usually reserved for grand strategy games that deal with giant wars, like publisher Paradox Interactive’s 2020 hit Crusader Kings III, but that style of gameplay translates perfectly to the seedy intimacy of back-alley brawls and personal vendettas. I felt like a true mob mastermind anytime a rival gang would show up at a high-value casino, only to be wiped out by the increased security I’d invested in. The game does a superb job of rewarding efficient planning and money management. That constant balancing act makes building an empire into an engaging set of decisions that have a real impact on each playthrough. I always knew exactly how to set up a trade between gangs, bribe the Chicago Police Department, or change what liquor my bars are serving. That’s a godsend for a complex game of this nature, which could easily overwhelm players with options. It’s surprisingly easy to keep track of everything that’s happening thanks to straightforward menus. Increasing a brothel’s word of mouth might bring in more cash, but it can just as easily invite a police raid. Players set up different rackets like speakeasies and casinos and need to carefully oversee them. At its core, the game is the world’s most licentious city-management game. ![]() While the 1920s do present gameplay challenges for a flashy action game, Empire of Sin uses the slower pace of the period to its advantage. The historical setting isn’t just for aesthetic showmanship. In a time where video game worlds keep getting bigger and more outlandish, there’s something refreshing about strolling through Chicago’s modest streets. ![]() It’s not shy about offering a romanticized portrait of the era, but it doesn’t sacrifice its commitment to historical detail to do that. Bars are alive with dancing patrons, jazz music blares during scuffles, and there’s enough cigar smoke to choke a horse. That setting is rarely used in the video game world, and it’s immediately delightful to soak in here. The goal of each playthrough is to be the last gangster standing when the gun smoke clears by executing each rival.Įmpire of Sin | Game Pillars | Management for jazz-era nerds as familiar faces like Al Capone and Stephanie St. The roaring ’20sĮmpire of Sin is set in an alternate version 1920s Chicago where the biggest real-world gangsters of the time have convened in one place to vie for dominance. The game is as carefully planned out as its boozy crime operations.ĭespite its rough edges and a desperate need for combat speed options, Empire of Sin is a confident prohibition-era history lesson that pulls together some of the best elements of RPGs and strategy and tactics games to create a memorable mob-management experience. According to Doom creator John Romero, game director Brenda Romero kicked around the idea for over 20 years, and those two decades of plotting are apparent in the final result. The creative strategy game is something of a wild passion project for Romero Games, an indie studio run by the married duo of John and Brenda Romero. ![]()
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