The upcoming tactical role-playing game Empire of Sin will be giving players an extra layer of control over their playthroughs by letting them choose the size of their game. The new title from Romero Games and Paradox Interactive was initially set for release earlier this year, but the studio, run by Brenda and John Romero (of Doom fame), decided to delay the game’s launch to December 1. On that date, it will be available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Empire of Sin is set in Chicago during the Prohibition Era, which spanned from 1920 to 1933, and players take on the role of a mob boss trying to gain control of Chicago’s criminal underworld. The game combines tactical RPG elements with resource management mechanics, similar to that of the XCOM series, so players will have to juggle between creating a strong gang of mobsters and making sure they have enough resources to sustain the organization. Based on the demo shown off during last year’s PDXCON 2019, the game shows a lot of promise for strategy game fans.
Screen Rant was able to speak to Romero Games about Empire of Sin recently, and when asked about the game’s average playthrough length, senior game designer Chris King revealed that players will be able to choose the game's length for themselves. King explained, "You can actually choose the size and scope of your game," by selecting the number and size of the neighborhoods in Chicago, as well as the number of additional bosses that they may encounter during the playthrough. According to King, players will be able to make a campaign of 3 to 10 neighborhoods with between 6 and 13 bosses.
King says that the default game settings will feature around 10 bosses and 10 neighborhoods, which will lead to a playthrough time of about 15 to 20 hours at minimum. King adds that the length of a playthrough will also depend on someone’s playstyle and skill, as those who are able to min-max their gangsters and employ effective tactics will be able to take out bosses and safe houses much quicker - something that he admits he can't even do without a bit of cheating.
Giving players the ability to significantly change the way a playthrough is set up is pretty interesting. And with the studio’s plans to create DLC that will cover crime across America, such as the five families of New York, it’ll be exciting to see how Romero Games is able to implement this same system with those situations and stories.
Empire of Sin is a decidedly different type of game from what one might expect from the creator of Doom. With Empire of Sin, Romero Games is not only taking on a different genre and setting, but also encouraging a different style of play. With the freedom to set the limits of their own campaigns, players from tactical veterans to newcomers should be able to find a way of playing Empire of Sin to suit them.
Empire of Sin is scheduled for release on December 1, 2020, for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.