Kaiserpunk, a game that combines city building and grand strategy, has officially been revealed with a 2024 release date. It's set in an alternate 20th century with World War 1-era troops and equipment at players' command.
The game's Steam page promises plenty of features, heralding it as the "ultimate city builder and grand strategy game". Production management and logistics are a focus, with players tasked with building and managing a city state effectively while expanding their influence.
Progression is as expected, with buildings and their upgrades being unlockable, while the ability to build on water adds a twist. The influence of the Civilisation game series is felt, as new tech is unlocked based on how players choose to build their cities.
On the strategy side, players are expected to make alliances and negotiate trade deals. Over 100 regions are promised, each with their own bonuses and penalties, with combat against AI taking place on land, sea, and air. Bloodthirsty players should be careful, however, as the game supposedly responds to every action taken. "If you're not careful", it reads, "you might end up stripped of your power."
The game's setting is a real selling point, as zeppelins and tanks feature heavily. Set in a world where the first world war never ended, history buffs are in for a treat, though its era-appropriate logistics systems may turn some gamers away.
These logistics systems and production chains look to bring complexity to the late-game, with simple and complex resources needed to keep the war machines running. Hundreds of resources are available to keep workers happy, with an economic victory just as valid as one earned through bloodshed.
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Kaiserpunk is being developed by Overseer Games, who have previously developed Patron and published Aquatico. This track record shows a good understanding of the genres it's looking to combine, so fans should hopefully be in for a treat.