If you wish to experience a new turn-based strategy game with a brutal, dystopian edge, developer Artificer and publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment have you covered. Just recently, the companies dropped a reveal trailer for such a game in the form of Homicidal All-Stars, which takes place “in a dystopian future where citizens and convicts alike compete to survive on a brutal reality game show.” They plan to release the game on both Steam and GOG sometime sometime this year.
Homicidal All-Stars serves as the name of a massively popular game show broadcast in a society plagued with just about every major global issue you can think of, including significant income inequality, corrosive climate change, profit-driven corporations, and destructive wars. Players take control of one of the show’s contestants as they fight their way through sadistic arenas filled “with lethal traps, confounding puzzles, and heavily armed killers.” If players make it through enough of these gauntlets, then they may very well become the show’s next big star.
A game show to die for
Befitting of a reality show, Homicidal All-Stars splits its campaign across multiple episodes, with each one introducing its own theme and hazards to contend with. Additionally, the show allows players to gain a sizable edge over the competition through sponsorship packages, although its director can set you back in equal measure through a host of unpleasant surprises. Thankfully, players will have a chance to rest between episodes by chatting with the show’s crew as well as their teammates. They can also level up their stats to prepare for the next episode.
Notably, Homicidal All-Stars takes inspiration from works like American Gladiators, Escape from New York, and RoboCop, as you can see in the trailer. Video game fans who enjoy those works may find something to enjoy about Homicidal All-Stars whenever it comes out.
