Empire of Sin – a gangster paradise decades in the making

PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Brenda Romero's crime sim is a homage to the glitter and skulduggery of prohibition-era Chicago - a game of revenge, race and relationship management

The 1920s in the US was a time of scarcity for some, impossible wealth and glory for others. The country's nationwide alcohol ban gave rise to an explosion in organised crime, much of it concentrated in Chicago, where underground speakeasies flowed with hooch smuggled over the Canadian border. This was the heyday of Dean O'Banion, who ran a vast bootlegging business out of a simple flower shop, and Stephanie St Clair, self-appointed queen of Manhattan's illegal lottery scene.

This is also the sleaze-filled setting for forthcoming strategy game Empire of Sin, the latest project from veteran designer Brenda Romero. Here, you're cast as one of the competing crimelords tasked with taking over Chicago, street by street and racket by racket. You're free to use any combination of foul means to come out on top - gunning down the other side's lieutenants in chesslike combat, betraying allies to the police, selling poisoned alcohol to competitors. Beware, though - every trick in your arsenal can be used against you, and Empire of Sin is a game with a long memory. Every major character, from your big-name rivals to your own underlings, is a distinct, evolving personality with an opinion of the player. Spread enough bad blood around the city, and you may end up digging bullets out of your back at the height of your power.