Empire of Sin PlayStation 4 Review

Empire of Sin takes place in the 1920s in the city of Chicago between the scenes of deadly clashes among criminal clans fighting to overpower each other. From Al Capone to John Dillinger to the Genna Brothers, Chicagooit has been one of the most memorable feuds in history, and development studio Romero Games is taking us back to writing our own time. But instead of open-world action, Empire of Sin proposes a turn-based strategy with a bit of control and some role-playing, and your story at the Empire of Sin as a gangster is written with blood, alcohol, and bullets. Empire of Sin offers an interesting part of the story from which it is clear how much care has been taken in showing a context so far removed from us in time. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of all this is the fact that all the great gangsters, regardless of our protagonist or rivals, really existed. Theoretically, it is a game of great potential, but it does not go beyond the real dangers of Chicago's underworld.

 

Empire of Sin lets you choose one from 14 gangsters, some based on actual identities and some explicitly real, as is Al Capone. Each of these characters is special and has a particular war, business, and diplomatic expertise with other gangs. Obviously, they look different, and their voices with accents that reflect their origins are also different. With a bit of strategic management and a bit of role-playing, the game allows you to choose the path of a character and how he manages the different situations that arise in front. Nothing to surprise RPG veterans, but the fact that the characters spend the most time at the focus of a game that focuses on building a crime empire and shooting is evident. Besides the main character that you control, there are two other important aspects to consider: subordinates and sit-downs. A crime is not committed by itself it needs individuals to succeed. In contrast, these subordinates are not simply finger-puppets to the role assigned. They have their own side missions that create both opportunities and obstacles to your rise to power. Sit-downs, on the other hand, is the most influential period in the game. This is where the negotiating phases of role-playing in which you sit with another gangster and make your roles very clear by way of a sequence of active interactions. This is where you rely on the strengths and vulnerabilities of the opponents to find a potential compromise or even place it on the spot.
 

 

Micromanagement is the other part of the game that is frankly the major part of the game. This is where you control the people and rackets/businesses that are under your command and everything related to them. Although efforts have been made to offer different solutions for the growth of various activities, it boils down to continual renewal, a vicious circle where the money is never enough. You feel like in a never-ending circle of creating an empire from scratch and meeting new bosses, but at the end of the day it turns out to be the same story over and over again. As your empire grows and the number of your properties increases, you will be increasingly attacked by rivals and pushed into battles in which you must defend your colonies from invaders while controlling your security. It can only take an hour to get from one end of the street to the other, as you are constantly surrounded by unnecessary and tedious fights in arenas that always seem the same. The problem is that as soon as you get a hold of the combat system, you’re always going to prefer to capture more and more business to generate more money. And this is when the micromanagement goes out of context and Empire of Sin turns mostly into a turn-based action. Even at the highest difficulty level you hardly need to manage your empire while you are constantly conquering new places. It's not at all difficult for in-game combat, so it makes this part of the game unforgettable at best.

 

In war, each character has his tree of skills, characteristics that alter or manifest following his way of life, slots for weapons or gear. These can be obtained from the black market, plundered, or awarded after tasks. All that is required to build a small army can lead to repetitive and complicated warfare, once again. The battles on our behalf are so badly balanced that with the right artificial intelligence they do not even offer the right level of challenge, they can be judged in the blink of an eye for skill, resulting in the achievement of unique tools that bury any right to challenge. Nominated characters have particularly strong abilities, throwing all common battles out of balance, where a simple stick of dynamite can mock all your tactical plans. Sadly, combat tactics are thrown out the window, and you may even resort to a self-resolve command. Regardless of which difficulty level you choose, however, the outcome of the fight is always determined entirely by three elements: Whichever team has the most explosives, the most sniper rifles, and a handful of superpowers. Your characters can't dodge grenades, and the sniper rifles almost always kill with one hit. So, if you have all these things, you will win whatever you fight, or quickly go to the g of a rival boss, kill them all and gain control of their empire. Regrettably, though, the game doesn’t run as smoothly as it is meant to be. Even after applying the latest patch to fix a large number of bugs, the game is still exposed to some glitches, especially during the time of combat. But perhaps the most upsetting thing is the glitches that force you to restart the game.

Empire of Sin tries to balance things out by implementing diplomacy to run the city, but the economy is unbalanced and it is too difficult to make money without resorting to violence. The business management part of the game is poorly implemented and comes down to tedious scrolling through menus to buy upgrades at too high a price. Though Empire of Sin delivers a fine ambiance, from jazz music, good graphics, solid voice acting, and the fact that you can fully explore the city at your leisure. It's fine to roam around town at night or chat with your team when you're not fighting.

The Empire of Sin has great ideas, but the game seems to require more development time. It may be worth fixing the patch or the sequel may have to be perfect. Despite the negative aspects, if you're a fan of gangster genres, strategy, and management, the Empire of Sin will make an undeniable offer to you.
 

Sarwar Ron, NoobFeed
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