Empire of Sin

 PC
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 137 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 137
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 137
  3. Negative: 47 out of 137

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  1. ComandanteCobra
    May 6, 2023
    8
    Discovered on Gamepass, and glad for It.
    Tactical, turn based squad combat game with minor base bulding and multy choices dialogues options during missions.
    It feels like Jagged Alliance or Xcom (the modern interaction of x com) mixed with Gagster organized Crime. Characters in this game are fun and make the game more enjoyable: Bosses and hireable members have their personality,    Discovered on Gamepass, and glad for It.
    Tactical, turn based squad combat game with minor base bulding and multy choices dialogues options during missions.
    It feels like Jagged Alliance or Xcom (the modern interaction of x com) mixed with Gagster organized Crime.
    Characters in this game are fun and make the game more enjoyable:
    Bosses and hireable members have their personality, distinctive look, skills and sympathy for each other.    … Expand
  2. JJTwoTimes
    Jun 6, 2022
    10
    As an Organized Crime enthusiast, this game hit all the right spots. Using real life criminals is awesome, and it seems that every boss has his/her own main storyline... Which is insane.... There's 14 (+?) bosses.. I'm actually excited to have a 2nd play-through with a different boss on a higher difficulty. I haven't experienced many glitches at all by the way, and I play on PS4. This gameAs an Organized Crime enthusiast, this game hit all the right spots. Using real life criminals is awesome, and it seems that every boss has his/her own main storyline... Which is insane.... There's 14 (+?) bosses.. I'm actually excited to have a 2nd play-through with a different boss on a higher difficulty. I haven't experienced many glitches at all by the way, and I play on PS4. This game is fantastic, addicting, and I can't wait to see if they come out with a new one down the road! 10/10

    P.S. Just wanted to say that I created a Metacritic account just so I could review this game..    … Expand
  3. gummymoney
    Aug 3, 2021
    8
    Funny enough I find this game relaxing ^w^. Killing mob bosses.... Getting more rackets.... All while some epic tunes play in the back
  4. BagBoy
    Aug 3, 2021
    9
    Was so hyped for its release but after hearing so many negative reviews I didn't get it until recently... and being honest I STILL didn't think I'd like it when I bought it... I got it on sale (80% off) so I was willing to take a gamble.

    I believe the game has been massively overhauled since release, because I'm having a lot of fun with it. Maybe it's because I got it on sale so I'm not    Was so hyped for its release but after hearing so many negative reviews I didn't get it until recently... and being honest I STILL didn't think I'd like it when I bought it... I got it on sale (80% off) so I was willing to take a gamble.

    I believe the game has been massively overhauled since release, because I'm having a lot of fun with it. Maybe it's because I got it on sale so I'm not as ~demanding~ as someone who paid full price (40eur), but I would recommend it to anyone into empire management/tactical games. Steam and other places seem to put this one on sale quite a lot so I'd suggest keeping your eye out. Maybe with the future DLCs it'll make more sense to get it full price    … Expand
  5. ultimat3
    Jul 14, 2021
    10
    might be a shorter review than most ppl here but...
    great game for fans of gangsters: organized crime and xcom, i loved playing as goldie!
  6. naughtywolf3
    Jul 9, 2021
    8
    I got Empire of Sin on sale. I watched a lot of videos on it when it released. Hence why I waited as long as I did to get it.

    This is a review of the game's current state: BUGS: I found no major bugs during my playthrough aside from stupid AI. The rival gangs just don't seem to expand in a way that makes much sense, it's as if they just stop at some point and the play gets a bit    I got Empire of Sin on sale. I watched a lot of videos on it when it released. Hence why I waited as long as I did to get it.

    This is a review of the game's current state:

    BUGS: I found no major bugs during my playthrough aside from stupid AI. The rival gangs just don't seem to expand in a way that makes much sense, it's as if they just stop at some point and the play gets a bit predictable atp. In the sense of LITERAL bugs though; Really, the worst that I saw on launch is *mostly gone - I think that Romero Games has managed to stabilize it fairly well over the months so if you're concerned about crashes, don't be. I think though there's a precinct update coming so this review (and critique of AI) could be completely different depending on how much that overhauls the current systems.

    STORY: Really fun. There's a lot of missions and stuff to do around the city. Boss missions are different depending on who you play. There's 13 bosses so I can't really see you running out of things to do.

    MUSIC: Probably the best part of the game.

    It's good, but there is the possibility for one amazing game here. With a bit of push, balancing and depth, I can see the current systems becoming all the more enjoyable. 8/10.    … Expand
  7. RecordCollect
    Jul 5, 2021
    8
    Good stuff, I've had a fun time with this game so far.

    One thing I'd like to focus on: I love the RPG side of each gangster with unique backstories and personalities. It feels like every time I boot up Empire of Sin, there's always going to be some crazy stuff going on with my gangsters. I think it's fair to say that one of the 'high selling points' of this game is the randomness of it.    Good stuff, I've had a fun time with this game so far.

    One thing I'd like to focus on: I love the RPG side of each gangster with unique backstories and personalities. It feels like every time I boot up Empire of Sin, there's always going to be some crazy stuff going on with my gangsters. I think it's fair to say that one of the 'high selling points' of this game is the randomness of it. Your gangsters can fall in love, send you on missions and develop their own traits. It's all very high level and one of my favorite parts easily.

    The combat as well is great. Turn based with intense music and gory executions make for an enjoyable, almost goofy experience.

    Love it.

    [ 8/10 ]    … Expand
  8. SzczepanWos
    Jun 25, 2021
    8
    Great game. 40 euro is a bit expensive for me tho. I would say you to get this one on sale. Bc while it's fun, it definitely still needs some work with balancing.
  9. 7ut7ut
    Jun 21, 2021
    8
    I hope there's some way to talk to the developers of this game. I am very passionate about it and I think my ideas may be useful.

    The game is fun. There is no disputing that. The combat is really great. X-com style with a fair bit of gore - it's a bit goofy at times but it's part of the charm. I wish there was a lot more WEAPONS - and more missions. Would love to see some more    I hope there's some way to talk to the developers of this game. I am very passionate about it and I think my ideas may be useful.

    The game is fun. There is no disputing that. The combat is really great. X-com style with a fair bit of gore - it's a bit goofy at times but it's part of the charm.

    I wish there was a lot more WEAPONS - and more missions. Would love to see some more expansion on the current world. it feel too shallow to me right now.

    AI can be stupid at times. Though it might be a bit unbalanced right now it is a fun game. I'm happy I picked it up during a sale. Fck me though I hope the DLCs are coming soon!! x)    … Expand
  10. GizmoGiz
    Jun 17, 2021
    10
    I have played over a hundred hours of Empire of Sin so far. I expected not to enjoy it as much as I have.

    Great game, hope the Devs can improve it even further.
  11. RaysOfGrey
    Jun 14, 2021
    8
    Considering the somewhat mediocre reviews on metacritic...I did not think I would like this game as much as I did. I think I have spend well over 40-45 hours playing this game for 4 days straight.

    I love resource management games, and this game has a little of that with the alcohol distribution system. NOw, I did find...A LOT of bugs and unbalanced issues. But the trying and playing    Considering the somewhat mediocre reviews on metacritic...I did not think I would like this game as much as I did. I think I have spend well over 40-45 hours playing this game for 4 days straight.

    I love resource management games, and this game has a little of that with the alcohol distribution system.
    NOw, I did find...A LOT of bugs and unbalanced issues. But the trying and playing was all the fun.

    I would like to get in touch with the developers though because I think I have a LOT of information on about how to improve the game.

    PRO's:
    1- Fun combat
    2- Enjoyable gameplay
    3- A lot to do
    4-Nice variety of weapons/gear

    CON's:
    1- Not enough variety weapons/gear ;-)
    2- Unbalanced (As of writing this review)
    3- Somewhat stale story telling
    4- Maybe a bit to easy.

    My biggest gripe however is that the AI is just vERY very dull and passive. Once they get to about 15-18 rackets they just STOP expanding. Doing absolutely nothing but wait for their inevitable demise. At no point in any of the difficulty's did I experience an AI that I could not handle.

    Being at war with one of them is more tedious than challanging. You are mostly vastly overpowered compared to them so running around and dealing with their "soldiers" is more of a chore than threat.

    Do give you an example, my rackets run into the DOZENS, up to like 50-60 sometimes even higher.
    So imagine the AI only having 15. You`ll make vastly more amount of money and can thus afford all the best gears and gangsters to give yourself a huge edge. (Even on hardest difficulty)

    Also the "Money making" system is completely busted. Here is how I broke the game:

    I only build brewery's. That's right. NO brothers, NO speakeasy's and NO casino (NEVER build Casino)
    Just BREW bear and sell it straight to the market/minor factions.
    All your gangsters get a part of your income, sometimes as high as 10%. So imagine having 9-10 gangsters who can take upwards of 80-90% of your total profits...thats right....
    BUT...if you sell you alcohol directly to the minor factons, your gangsters won`t see a DIME of that.
    SO I always make sure I have a NEGATIVE income, so that my gangsters take their minimum cut from my profits.

    ANd then I just sell all my alcohol to the factions and make THOUSANDS...
    I.e. 100 wiskey sells for $4.000 so.. With 50-60 rackets you`ll be making around a 1.000 Whiskey or more, you do the math.

    Easy wins.

    Anyways, great game. Would recommend. But highly unbalanced at the moment. DEV`s are working on patches and improvements though. So I doubt this review will remain accurate.    … Expand
  12. EFTHElEA
    Jun 10, 2021
    10
    So... Empire Of Sin.

    Ja, ich liebe es. Wer auf strategy-Spielchen steht und gerne enemies zerschrotten möchte ist Empire of Sin genau richtig.
  13. ItsTheUnknown
    Jun 8, 2021
    8
    It's a solid game with a good foundation to build on.

    My stance on Empire of Sin is this:
    We have seen massive improvements over the months since release
    It's fun
    And it might be one of the best gangster games of our current time.

    I've really enjoyed it. 8/10
  14. ShreyaGola
    May 31, 2021
    9
    1) Very fun and difficult combat
    2) Good music
    3) Intense Sitdowns
    4) Violent executions!!!!
  15. techfrizzy
    May 28, 2021
    8
    Big Paradox fan here!

    I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews. I was curious why when I came here to review, and found that most, if not all of them are from the launch period of this game. :( Unlucky. Now, if I can hold your attention for just a moment... And maybe convince you to give this a go... Allow me. Empire of Sin definitely was a struggling title for a while. I    Big Paradox fan here!

    I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews. I was curious why when I came here to review, and found that most, if not all of them are from the launch period of this game. :( Unlucky.

    Now, if I can hold your attention for just a moment... And maybe convince you to give this a go... Allow me.

    Empire of Sin definitely was a struggling title for a while. I think some people even avoided it because of the cred it built in December. It was buggy, unrealised and a nightmare with its UI. Seemed like everything was on fire for a bit for both Paradox and Romero Games. I couldn't even play the switch version for a while since it was so choppy...

    Though things were handled it seems. The game has been out for a few months now and over those months we've seen patches 1.03, 1.04, 1.05 and got a future content announcement at PDXCon. I've been playing along the way and found that the largest improvements were:

    1. Changes to safehouses (you now have to discover them instead of them being revealed)
    2. AI changes
    3. Mission fixes
    4. Auto-resolve
    5. New thug models

    Those are just some of my favourites. There's been a lot of depth put into the game though and I especially have to applaud this game's visuals on Switch these days. They have really improved in so many ways since launch.

    All in all I think that I'll keep waiting for more content. I have high hopes for this game and am quite sure that its going in the right direction. I think you should give it a go if you haven't.    … Expand
  16. deathsgrips
    May 28, 2021
    10
    My favorite game right now!!!! So fun and loads of opportunity to replay

    Music is super awesome
  17. quartzelf
    May 25, 2021
    8
    This game has definitely come a long way!!

    There's been a lot of fixes and improvements. I've been happy to watch them come into the game. From what I can see, the game's direction is heavily in favor of the community. There's lots of emphasis on feedback. Although these things take time it's clear to me that there's been A LOT of that put into the upcoming DLCs. I'm excited for the    This game has definitely come a long way!!

    There's been a lot of fixes and improvements. I've been happy to watch them come into the game.

    From what I can see, the game's direction is heavily in favor of the community. There's lots of emphasis on feedback. Although these things take time it's clear to me that there's been A LOT of that put into the upcoming DLCs. I'm excited for the future of Empire of Sin, and my opinion has changed greatly from what it was in December on release. The panels convinced me that this game is going in the right direction, and I think everyone should at least give it a try.    … Expand
  18. dyingdynamite
    May 25, 2021
    10
    New player here! The devs gave such a good performance at PDXCon that I was inclined to play EoS soon after, lol.

    EoS is great. Open world, missions and empire management! I've been convincing my friends to play since I've been having so much fun lately. Can't wait for the DLC!
  19. 444days
    May 19, 2021
    10
    ive been hanging around the empire of sin discord for a lil while waiting for the bugs to get fixed, and re-downloaded it today for the 1.05 update and omggggg. it's seriously improved the game sm, i don't even think it's really the same game i downloaded at launch ????? so many issues have been fixed and tbh im super happy to see it

    also it's a plus that i got the golden weapons soooo    ive been hanging around the empire of sin discord for a lil while waiting for the bugs to get fixed, and re-downloaded it today for the 1.05 update and omggggg. it's seriously improved the game sm, i don't even think it's really the same game i downloaded at launch ????? so many issues have been fixed and tbh im super happy to see it

    also it's a plus that i got the golden weapons soooo x3 i will be using them. ive been having a really fun time with empire of sin, the combat feels super tough (how i like it) and i'm so hyped for future content    … Expand
  20. BenCooper
    May 18, 2021
    10
    I love old mafia movies and classic shows, and I was surprised when i found this game on Game Pass. I decided to try it out and was pleasantly surprised – it scratched my mobster itch and made me laugh because the dialogue and violence was so casual. Lots of strategy with XCOM fighting and tons of characters means I'm going to be spending a long time figuring this one out.
  21. psychobear
    May 18, 2021
    9
    I liked the music of this game and the execution animations made kills feel worth it

    There's not many other gangster games of this type. I got it on gamepass today actually since I saw the gangster update had been pushed out. Not disappointed yet, it's been a good one
  22. avengeds
    May 14, 2021
    8
    Conseguido gratis en Gamepass ... ¡Me encanta hasta ahora! Capone es mi favorita
  23. strangebones
    May 13, 2021
    9
    I've been holding off on writing a review for this... Because look... It's not perfect, but I do love it.

    A game of this size from a small team is always going to have issues - and I saw that in its early stages. When I first got Empire of Sin, pre 1.03, it was a bit of a confused, buggy mess. I think a lot of people would agree with me on that. There were so many issues that I just    I've been holding off on writing a review for this... Because look... It's not perfect, but I do love it.

    A game of this size from a small team is always going to have issues - and I saw that in its early stages.

    When I first got Empire of Sin, pre 1.03, it was a bit of a confused, buggy mess. I think a lot of people would agree with me on that. There were so many issues that I just opted to put it down for the time being with other players. I won't lie I was disappointed, but I held out a bit of hope because I was intrigued by the project and the devs made a LOT of promises for fixes.

    A part of me was hoping to pick this back up around 1.04 but when I did I still felt there were some gripes with it. So (once again) I put it down.

    I've given myself a re-introduction to Empire of Sin with 1.05 - and felt that I didn't really WANT to put it down this time. I still run into the occasional issue and I think that there could be more depth to both the story and gameplay (I think this is a sentiment everyone can agree on) but ultimately this game has the bones to be something great.... With time and patience. I enjoy myself, bugs are not so apparent and hey, the devs actually seem to give a ****

    So if you're hoping to play something that's got a good foundation, I give this my stamp of approval.    … Expand
  24. dynomarriage
    May 12, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After winning my first game as the KING Daniel McKee Jackson I feel like the biggest badass in Chicago. I struggled to beat the other bosses but in the end I made it

    SPOILERS...
    I really loved Daniel’s quest line. I was making so much money I wasn’t even sure what to do with it at one point.... Lol! The more I play Empire Of Sin the more I like it. Guess I’m lucky I wasn’t present on launch because maybe then my opinion would be different... but as it stands I love the game, and am going to go on to playing another game as Angelo Genna.    … Expand
  25. pawnshop1977
    May 12, 2021
    8
    This game is so good! I had no idea that a mobster / gangster style game would be so fun, but it's so complex and interesting. Every time I play I learn something new as I start to understand the different screens that manage my empire and relationships. The combat is really great and it's a lot of fun. For useless fights you can even opt out of them by choosing to auto resolve themThis game is so good! I had no idea that a mobster / gangster style game would be so fun, but it's so complex and interesting. Every time I play I learn something new as I start to understand the different screens that manage my empire and relationships. The combat is really great and it's a lot of fun. For useless fights you can even opt out of them by choosing to auto resolve them quickly. Going to war against other factions, making business deals, taking over an opponent's racket and building your empire is such a fun, seamless design - I'm surprised to see how well a turn-based strategy game merged with RPG design with missions and characters would turn out. It's actually amazing, check it out.… Expand
  26. jimmyjake
    May 12, 2021
    9
    What a game! I've been waiting to play a modern day mobster game and was surprised to hear the announcement of Empire of Sin back in 2019. I watched all the videos I could over the time they were developing the game, and when it was released I bought it. I didn't have the problems some people had and I've been getting the patches as they were released. The game improved so much with 1.03What a game! I've been waiting to play a modern day mobster game and was surprised to hear the announcement of Empire of Sin back in 2019. I watched all the videos I could over the time they were developing the game, and when it was released I bought it. I didn't have the problems some people had and I've been getting the patches as they were released. The game improved so much with 1.03 that there really isn't anything to complain about - the game is a treat to play. The combat is great, the strategy is great, and I love making alliances and going to war. And every time I play it's different. It's exactly the game I was hoping for.… Expand
  27. sparkdiamonds2
    May 12, 2021
    8
    Empire of Sin is a love letter to an era I would've loved to be a part of.
    There's still some issues here and there, and I'd really like to see more depth with the story, but ultimately I've followed this game for a few months now and found that the devs have been incredibly responsive. They've dealt with my worst gripes. Combat is now a lot harder and things run more smoothly.
    A bit    Empire of Sin is a love letter to an era I would've loved to be a part of.
    There's still some issues here and there, and I'd really like to see more depth with the story, but ultimately I've followed this game for a few months now and found that the devs have been incredibly responsive. They've dealt with my worst gripes. Combat is now a lot harder and things run more smoothly.

    A bit more depth would make this game a 10 in my books. For now it's an 8, but I hope maybe in future I can come back with a changed mind :)    … Expand
  28. dhananjaybawa19
    May 7, 2021
    8
    very fun. i am excited for dlc coming . got on gamepass to see if it was as bad as everyone said and was surprised that i had fun. more patches might give more content

    hey devs.... i want to make my own gangster!!!
  29. jackrabbit110
    May 4, 2021
    10
    OMG I love this game! I was hoping I'd find a true successor to 1998's Gangsters: Organized Crime game and was not expecting the incredible showcase that this game brings. So many hireable gangsters it feels like Jagged Alliance, the awesome combat is totally XCOM2, and the economics of the game where you're building an empire out of rackets is like a strategy game. Putting them allOMG I love this game! I was hoping I'd find a true successor to 1998's Gangsters: Organized Crime game and was not expecting the incredible showcase that this game brings. So many hireable gangsters it feels like Jagged Alliance, the awesome combat is totally XCOM2, and the economics of the game where you're building an empire out of rackets is like a strategy game. Putting them all together was a stroke of genius and it plays really well, even on my crappy PC. GamePass has really brought the goods!

    There are 14 bosses you can play and there's 60 gangsters you can hire. And a there's more voice-talking audio than I expected – it has really high quality. I know I'll be playing this one for ages.    … Expand
  30. bpeterson
    May 4, 2021
    9
    I got this game on GamePass and didn't know what to expect. It didn't specifically target one genre as it has RPG elements and missions, but it also has combat like one of my favorite games, XCOM2. So, I wasn't sure what to expect, but omg am I glad I installed it. To put it simply, it's so refreshing to find a game that can combine elements of several genres and do it so well.

    I    I got this game on GamePass and didn't know what to expect. It didn't specifically target one genre as it has RPG elements and missions, but it also has combat like one of my favorite games, XCOM2. So, I wasn't sure what to expect, but omg am I glad I installed it. To put it simply, it's so refreshing to find a game that can combine elements of several genres and do it so well.

    I wondered why I hadn't heard about the game before so I looked at MC and some other sites and I can't believe what I'm playing is what was written about this game. The recent patches must have fixed things because it is so much fun, and I feel there's still so much I have to learn about the way the different parts work with each other. Just amazing. I hope this is the future of strategy games!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

48
#48 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 49 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 49
  3. Negative: 5 out of 49
  1. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2021
    70
    Set in atmospheric Chicago in 1920s, Empire of Sin puts you in a role of a crime boss aiming to become the biggest fish in the underworld. It borrows from many genres and all its intertwined gameplay mechanics (business management, RPG elements, turn-based combat that bears a striking resemblance to the XCOM series) are deep enough to create an engaging experience that requires constant attention. Apart from shallow diplomacy and unsophisticated enemy AI, Empire of Sin’s problem is that while it was skillfully put together from tried-and-true components, it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. [02/2021, p.56]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 12, 2021
    40
    All around a very mediocre gangster strategy game. Its greatest strengths are its greatest problems crowned with way too much repetition and unbalanced difficulty. [Issue#309]
  3. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Feb 17, 2021
    79
    John and Brenda proved that they still have the skills to make a passable game, but with a duet like that, we’ve expected a lot more creativity. [Issue#251, p.60]
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