From JRPGs to FMV titles, 2020 is a year in which I’ve branched out significantly in terms of the types of video games that I play. This has extended to the tactical strategy genre - one that I never gravitate towards due to its demanding real-time nature and the fact that I’m absolutely terrible at those types of games in general. However, Empire of Sin - from developer Romero Games - appealed greatly to me as a fan of classic gangster movies like The Godfather, as well as more modern takes such as Peaky Blinders. Although I went in with cautiously optimistic expectations, I am pleasantly surprised by Empire of Sin’s welcoming and incredibly deep tutorial system, allowing hardened veterans and newcomers alike to play the game at their own pace. With its colorful characters, rich environments that ooze the sign of the times, and enjoyable combat, Empire of Sin can consider itself made within the tactical strategy genre.

It’s 1920 Chicago. You’re the leader of one of the 14 different families who are looking to build their empire through any means necessary, be it by negotiations or way of the gun. We’ve heard this story before, but that’s what makes Empire of Sin so enjoyable. While mobsters shouldn’t necessarily be celebrated, the narrative of evolving from a low-level crook to a kingpin who’s eventually in control of a city is an especially entertaining one, so long as it's properly executed.

Empire of Sin is a great alternative to Fire Emblem
via Paradox Interactive

Empire of Sin hits all the marks in that regard. The narrative may be all too familiar, but it is brought to life through its colorful cast of characters - both playable and NPC - made all the more effective thanks to the game’s detailed streets, buildings, and overall aesthetics of the city’s various boroughs.

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There’s no one true way to play Empire of Sin, allowing you to make your playthrough experience unique to your playstyle. Do you let your fists do the talking, or do you play a more political game by keeping your friends close and your enemies closer through shady negotiations? The choice is yours, offering up customized gameplay as well as tons of potential for replayability.

via Paradox Interactive

Not everyone will see eye-to-eye with every decision you make, though. In true rags-to-riches fashion, your influence around town will gain steam as you take over rival gangs’ hideouts and turn them into your own places of operation, which can range in everything from breweries to casinos to brothels. Doing so will, of course, be frowned upon by the Chicago Police Department and the rival families that you're doing dirty. This results in your rep decreasing from those factions, often also resulting in getting caught up in ambush shootouts that can take place in the middle of Chicago’s bustling city streets before eventually escalating into full-blown boss battles with the family leaders themselves.

Empire of Sin’s combat is what you might expect from a tactical strategy game. Combat is turn-based, allowing you to move your players around the area of play and choosing from a variety of actions, such as attack, reload, preparing for your next move, or fleeing the fight. Movement is pretty simple, letting you take a second action depending on how far you move. It’s in your best interest to get your party members into cover whenever possible, especially when going up against multiple enemies at once. That said, cover can sometimes be a bit inconsistent. For instance, selecting an attack on an enemy will usually result in my character moving out from cover, shooting at their target, and then moving back into cover automatically. There have, however, been moments when my character decided not to move back into their covered position, which negatively impacted my strategy for that encounter, leaving me scrambling to adapt. By no means is this a major issue, and in fact can actually add to the immersive nature of the game (not everything goes according to plan in the movies, after all). The inconsistency is just frustrating. A day-one patch for the PC version of the game will be available at launch (console patches will arrive during the launch week), so it’s likely that this issue will be fixed at some point.

via Paradox Interactive

When not in combat, you’ll be using a deeply robust management system to run the day-to-day operations of your empire. Everything from your hooch production to skills and ability upgrades to crew assignments take place in these menus, all of which can be overwhelming, especially if you’re relatively new to this sort of management-based game. Thankfully, Empire of Sin’s optional tutorials are refreshingly concise and easy to follow without being patronizing. I admittedly never have much patience for complicated menus and expanded tutorials in general - a big reason why I generally avoid these types of games - but Empire of Sin does well to keep me interested and invested as I’m learning the ropes of building up my crime organization.

Although I’m familiar with the tactical strategy genre from a high-level, I can really only speak to my experience with Empire of Sin from the perspective of a newbie. That’s what makes the game so great, though. Empire of Sin is one of the most accessible strategy titles I’ve ever played. It allows me to play the game in a way that’s in line with my playstyle - sometimes even when I only have a few minutes to play - while offering up rich and in-depth gameplay for those with more experience in this genre. I have yet to truly claim that “the world is mine” in the game, but you can bet that I’ll be continuing to build my empire (of sin) for a long time.

A PC copy of Empire of Sin was provided to TheGamer for this review. Empire of Sin will be available on December 1 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

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Empire of Sin

Empire of Sin is a strategy game that puts the player in Prohibition-era Chicago, with the aim of conquering the city within 13 years. Created by Romero Games and published by strategy specialists Paradox, it takes inspiration from the likes of Wizardry.

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