Empire of Sin

A 1920s Chicago gangster strategy game that can be genuinely brilliant in flashes but is buried under tedious, repetitive busy-work: micromanaging breweries and pubs, manually shutting buildings to dodge police raids, and grinding through endless boring battles with no auto-resolve option. Combat is badly imbalanced once your crew is geared, the AI cartels seem to spawn limitless men, and game-breaking bugs forced multiple restarts. Not worth buying in its current state.

Excellent concept marred by game-breaking bugs; impossible to recommend in current state.

A fun and engrossing turn-based strategy game set in Prohibition-era Chicago, blending mob-boss management, resource and business building, and satisfying XCOM-style combat with a memorable cast and an excellent musical score. It is held back by weak AI, several bugs, easily overpowered weapons, small text, and underdeveloped diplomacy, but strategy fans will find plenty to enjoy.