Empire of Sin is a character-driven game with tactical turn-based combat, strategic empire management and high replayability. The game is developed by Romero Games and was published by Paradox Interactive.
Game features
Empire of Sin puts the player at the heart of the ruthless criminal underworld of 1920s Prohibition-era Chicago. Enjoy all the glitz and glamour of roaring 20s all while working behind the scenes in the gritty underbelly of organized crime. Slip into the shoes of one of the fourteen real and historically inspired mob bosses such as Al Capone, Stephanie St. Clair, or Goldie Garneau and assemble a rag-tag gang, build and manage your criminal empire, and defend your turf from rival gangs. It's up to you to hustle, charm, and intimidate your way to the top and do whatever it takes to stay there - break a leg!
- Roleplay: Choose one of fourteen unique bosses based on fictional and real-world gangsters, then set out to build and manage your criminal empire in Chicago’s infamous Prohibition era.
- Empire Management: Build your Empire of Sin and run Chicago’s underworld economy with business savvy, brutality or city-wide notoriety. Strategically manage your establishments such as speakeasies, supply chains, casinos and more.
- Turn-Based Combat: Assemble your gang and slug it out in turn-based combat to defend and expand your territory – or send a message to opposing gangs.
Videos
Cinematic trailers
{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= qNLsLa8pW-E | description= Empire of Sin: Release trailer. Build your criminal empire and rule Chicago. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= 49XkSdBM1HM | description= Empire of Sin: Pre-order trailer. Does Goldie Garneau have what it takes to run the criminal empire? Will Al Capone see through her vicious plans? Take over Chicago and become a kingpin of the underground, prohibition-era business! | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= F_izLa5D5NY | description= Empire of Sin: Gameplay trailer. Pre-beta gameplay footage. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= YqC0Pp6V6oc | description= Empire of Sin: Announcement trailer. A character-driven strategy game set in 1920s Chicago. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}Video diaries
{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= zGGsHgOVUAg | description= The Real Empire of Sin: A Brief History of Prohibition. What was 1920's Chicago actually like? Empire of Sin Game Director Brenda Romero sat down and had a chat about the real history of Prohibition with a Pulitzer-prize finalist, Daniel Okrent - author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= tjxT-iPFCgM | description= Boss Spotlight: Elvira Duarte. A self-made Madam that built her empire from the ground up, with nothing but her own will and determination. Elvira Duarte is based on John Romero’s real life great grandmother, and a real life gangster too! Have a gander at this Boss Spotlight, where John and Brenda Romero accompanied by Katie Gardner talk about Elvira Duarte, Missions and RPG elements in Empire of Sin! | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= bH5ejl_5Z_M | description= Boss Spotlight: Dion O'Banion. Good business is about making your own opportunity, and this mobster sure knows good business. Brenda Romero, Chris King and Katie Gardner take to the streets of West Loop to talk about Diplomacy and to have a sit down with Dion O'Banion - a devout catholic and florist with a predilection for violence, thievery, and deception. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= GPb3neCh1pY | description= Boss Spotlight: Daniel McKee Jackson. Let's take a stroll to Near South Side for another Boss Spotlight! Brenda Romero, Chris King and Dave Ryley spill the beans on Daniel McKee Jackson - a funeral director gone mobster boss - as well as on Faction AI! | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= H2nA4HNb3xM | description= Boss Spotlight: Mabel Ryley. Don't let her appearance fool you, boss. Mrs Ryley here can be just as vicious as she can be kind. Game Director Brenda Romero and Principal Combat Designer Ian O'Neill tell us all about mobster boss Mabel Ryley. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= nSW1BuiMffI | description= Boss Spotlight: Joseph Saltis. From Budapest to Chicago, this wise guy knows a good opportunity when he sees one. Game Director Brenda Romero and Lead Writer Katie Gardner spill the beans on mobster boss Joseph Saltis, aka the Beer Baron of South Side. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= Kr0aRkBfjpI | description= Boss Spotlight: Frankie Donovan.Look out, Chicago! Game Director Brenda Romero and Principal Combat Designer Ian O’Neill give us the lowdown on mobster boss Frankie Donovan and his crew The Donovans. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= fBCfhdkGXhM | description= Happy Mother’s Day. Elvira Duarte is not only a mobster boss in Empire of Sin, she is also based on industry legend John Romero’s real life great-grandmother. From the team behind Empire of Sin: happy Mother's Day to all mobster matriarchs out there! | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= 8JQMF_uJpfY | description= PDXcon 2019: Denman Rooke Speed Paints Al Capone. Speed paint by Empire of Sin's Art Director Denman Rooke from PDXcon 2019. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= 5wsLelxAOA0 | description= PDXcon 2019: Making a Sinful Empire. Industry veteran Brenda Romero grew up in Ogdensburg (New York). Ogdensburg plays a big part in the American prohibition history. And as it turns out, it also played a huge part in Game Director Brenda’s decision to make Empire of Sin. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= R8NeSUH0Dy4 | description= PDXcon 2019: Making Empire of Sin. It’s up to you to hustle, charm and intimidate your way to the top of the pile and do whatever it takes to stay there. This character-driven, noir-inspired game puts players smack dab in the glitz and glamor of the roaring 20s, all while working behind the scenes in the gritty underbelly of organized crime. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}Tutorials
{{#evt: | service= bilibili | id= BV1Cf4y1v7v6 | description= Game Pillars: Management. Strategic management is key for running any successful empire, especially a criminal one. In this video we show you how to build and run your own Empire of Sin, with your preferred mix of subtle business acumen, not-so-subtle brutality, and city-wide notoriety. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= bilibili | id= BV1jy4y1q7FP | description= Game Pillars: RPG. There can only be one king or queen of Chicago. How you get there is up to you. Empire of Sin has a lot of roleplaying elements, including quests, missions, and different ways to customize your gangsters. In this video we show you how you can tailor your crew and your empire to suit your own play style. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= bilibili | id= BV11a4y1s77x | description= Game Pillars: Combat. As a boss you need to be ready to get your hands dirty. Combat in Empire of Sin is turn-based, and there's a lot to it! In this video, we tell you about crew specialties, boss abilities, hit points and all you need to know to master combat in Empire of Sin. | alignment= right | container=frame
}}{{#evt: | service= youtube | id= e4ljgWuUhH0 | description= Chicago Chronicles: The Tutorial. An original Scarface and a symbol of a prohibition-era crime boss - yes, that's Al Capone! Join Brenda Romero and Ian O'Neill as they venture through the game tutorial, laying the cornerstone for their Empire of Sin! | alignment= right | container=frame
}}Dev diaries
- Main article: Developer diaries
All developer diaries about the base game during its early access period.
| No. | Title and Link | Description | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Boss Spotlight: Frank Ragen | A face only a mother could love... if she were blind. | 2020-11-26 |
| 17 | Boss Spotlight: Sai Wing Mock | Mock is bringing his attitude with him to the streets of Chicago. | 2020-11-12 |
| 16 | Your starting crew | The guide on how to hire a couple gangsters and keep some pocket change. | 2020-11-04 |
| 15 | Boss Spotlight: Angelo Genna | A real gangster’s gangster. | 2020-10-29 |
| 14 | Boss Spotlight: Maggie Dyer | Enough time spent around clowns, swindlers and wild animals gives a person an advantage in navigating the streets of prohibition era Chicago. | 2020-10-15 |
| 13 | Boss Spotlight: Stephanie St. Clair | A well-dressed tornado, blown into America from an island in the Caribbean called Martinique. | 2020-10-01 |
| 12 | Boss Spotlight: Al Capone | What was 1920's Chicago actually like? Empire of Sin Game Director Brenda Romero sat down and had a chat about the real history of Prohibition with a Pulitzer-prize finalist, Daniel Okrent - author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. | 2020-09-17 |
| 11 | Boss Spotlight: Elvira Duarte | A self-made Madam that built her empire from the ground up, with nothing but her own will and determination. Elvira Duarte is based on John Romero’s real life great grandmother, and a real life gangster too! Have a gander at this Boss Spotlight, where John and Brenda Romero accompanied by Katie Gardner talk about Elvira Duarte, Missions and RPG elements in Empire of Sin! | 2020-09-03 |
| 10 | Boss Spotlight: Dion O'Banion | Good business is about making your own opportunity, and this mobster sure knows good business. Brenda Romero, Chris King and Katie Gardner take to the streets of West Loop to talk about Diplomacy and to have a sit down with Dion O'Banion - a devout catholic and florist with a predilection for violence, thievery, and deception. | 2020-08-20 |
| 9 | A Real Swell AMA! | A selection of questions from the AMA thread on Reddit. | 2020-08-06 |
| 8 | Economics ABC | Illegal production and sale of alcohol. | 2020-07-30 |
| 7 | A Strategic Start | The early-game strategy out on the street. | 2020-07-16 |
| 6 | Boss Spotlight: Daniel McKee Jackson | Let's take a stroll to Near South Side for another Boss Spotlight! Brenda Romero, Chris King and Dave Ryley spill the beans on Daniel McKee Jackson - a funeral director gone mobster boss - as well as on Faction AI! | 2020-07-02 |
| 5 | Boss Spotlight: Mabel Ryley | Don't let her appearance fool you, boss. Mrs Ryley here can be just as vicious as she can be kind. Game Director Brenda Romero and Principal Combat Designer Ian O'Neill tell us all about mobster boss Mabel Ryley. | 2020-06-18 |
| 4 | Boss Spotlight: Joseph Saltis | From Budapest to Chicago, this wise guy knows a good opportunity when he sees one. Game Director Brenda Romero and Lead Writer Katie Gardner spill the beans on mobster boss Joseph Saltis, aka the Beer Baron of South Side. | 2020-06-04 |
| 3 | Boss Spotlight: Frankie Donovan | Look out, Chicago! Game Director Brenda Romero and Principal Combat Designer Ian O’Neill give us the lowdown on mobster boss Frankie Donovan and his crew The Donovans. | 2020-05-21 |
| 2 | This is Romero Games | A bootlegger could not hope for a better location or a better crew of people. | 2019-07-31 |
| 1 | Why Brenda Romero Needed to Make Empire of Sin | I am fascinated by criminal empires, and I have been as long as I can remember. | 2019-07-05 |