PS4, Switch, PC, and Xbox One Getting Remake of Controversial 1999 Crime Game

In this week's most unexpected news, publisher 3D Realms and developer Slipgate Ironworks [...]

In this week's most unexpected news, publisher 3D Realms and developer Slipgate Ironworks announced Kingpin: Reloaded, a remake of 1999's cult-classic first-person shooter, Kingpin: Life of Crime. The remake is in development for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and is currently scheduled to drop sometime this year. That's right, 1999's Kingpin is back 21 years later, with re-balanced and polished gameplay, a new quest system, ultrawide and 4K support, classic and enhanced modes, and much more.

"In a stylized noir art deco gangland that never was, the Kingpin rules above all else with a bloody fist," reads an official blurb about the game. "When his lieutenant Nikki Blanco leaves a no-name Thug battered and broken, the upstart criminal rises from a puddle of blood, lead pipe in hand and revenge in mind."

For those that don't know: Kingpin: Life of Crime debuted back in 1999 via Interplay Entertainment and Xatrix Entertainment. And given the proximity to the Columbine High School massacre, the game's release was quick swallowed up in controversy, which led to many retailers pulling the title from their shelves. And this partially contributed to the game's cult-classic status. Because despite not being the best reviewed game, people gravitated towards it because of the controversy.

At the moment of publishing, it's unclear how much the remake will cost or when exactly in 2020 it will release. Additionally, there's no word on either a PS5 port or an Xbox Series X port. That said, you can read more about the title below, courtesy of an official overview from 3D Realms:

"Stalk lamp-lit streets and take down rival gangs to let the Kingpin know his end is nigh. Kingpin's immersive sim elements allow the Thug to recruit other gangsters with a conversation system. Increase the Thug's influence through multiple hub-based missions. Run with the gang on a violent warpath with upgradeable weapons including Tommy guns, bazookas, and more. Location-based damage leads to bloody, thrilling battles: kneecap, maim, or go for the head. If that sounds too extreme, try No Violence mode. However, the "colorful" language proudly used by Kingpin's gangsters remains. Lean even further into that era and start fragging in Gang Bang mode's old-school multiplayer."

0comments