Developer duo of Brenda and John Romero took to the stage during Microsoft’s Inside Xbox at Gamescom to share the first gameplay trailer for upcoming isometric mobster strategy title, Empire of Sin.
Following on from a reveal trailer at E3 in June this year, the gameplay footage dips heavily into the unique aesthetic of 1920’s Chicago when prohibition was at its peak and mobs of unruly gangs roamed the streets.
Empire of Sin channels that notorious period as players must start as a lowly gangster new to town and make their way up the food chain to build an empire. There’s protection racketeering, Tommy Gun fights, doublecrossing, sinister commerce, seduction, police bribery and everything in-between as players gallivant from speakeasy to casino cementing their dominance over the city’s seedy underbelly.
Smoky offices, dim lighting, and that familiar Chicago twang permeate the trailer as we get a glimpse of Empire of Sin’s tactical turn-based combat. Players amass a team of gangsters with unique skills and traits, and wage war against other factions in a variety of environments while simultaneously managing businesses across town.
Each contact has quirks such as the boozy Tammy who appears in the trailer. She’s the best shot in town, but you’ve got to keep her sober if she’s to be of any help. Managing your team should form a central facet of the title, adding an extra layer to what’s already looking like an exciting addition to the turn-based strategy genre.
The map doesn’t look exceptionally vast suggesting Empire of Sin concentrates gameplay to a few key locations in a condensed version of the windy city.
Published by Paradox, Empire of Sin is arriving on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in Spring 2020. When pushed for an exact date, the Romero’s remained guarded. More news should surface in the months leading up to release.