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Evil Genius

 
The daunting task of reviving classic management simsMar 26, 2021 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunOver the next few days, both Spacebase Startopia and Evil Genius 2: World Domination arrive. The first is a spiritual successor to Startopia, the 2001 management sim about looking after space stations for alien travellers. The second is a sequel to 2004's Evil Genius, another management sim where you get to play a Bond-esque villain taking over the world. It's a brilliant coincidence these games have bagged themselves release dates within a week of each other, and speaks to the resurgence of management games over the last couple of years. To find out a little more about this trend, I wrangled the developers from both Rebellion and Realmforge Studios into a big voice call to ask them, and find out what it's like to revive a popular sim from the noughties. Read more Evil Genius 2: World Domination plots a March 30th release dateJan 28, 2021 - Rock, Paper, ShotgunAs evil plans go, waiting 17 years between making a game and releasing the sequel is a pretty good one. Rebellion are finally releasing Evil Genius 2: World Domination this year, aiming their launch nukes squarely at March 30th. I’ve started my countdown timer to prepare us all. Just 5,215,571 seconds seconds to go before we're all doomed. Read more DEVELOPMENT BLOG - TrapsJan 21, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsTrapping and Capturing Hello there! Evil Genius 2 Lead Designer Rich Edwards here, once again blogging for your pleasure. This week, we’ll be looking into Trapping and Capturing enemy Agents – both essential for budding supervillains! It’s A Trap! In Evil Genius 2, Traps feed into Lair defense. We’ve previously chatted about how you can defend your base with the help of Guards or other Muscle minions…but what sets traps apart from their fleshy counterparts? For starters, they don’t talk back and they seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs. Not like some yellow-jumpsuited minions I could care to mention... If your Lair has power, your Traps are usually watching for intruders and when their inbuilt sensors detect someone suspicious then they’ll spring into action. Now, it’s worth nothing that Traps aren’t a 100% - Agents can disable them, and they do have a cooldown period. Evil never rests, and Traps never sleep. There’s a few traps I can’t get enough of. For starters, we have the Venus Spy Trap, a great big carnivorous plant that may change your mind about going vegan. But right now, my favorite is the Bubble Cannon. Using an advanced branch of science you and I have never heard of before, it traps Agents in an inescapable prison of soap and water, leaving them floating, completely defenseless, and at your mercy. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/3ecea4fedcd98d03471bfb63a80cc3d2310e369c.jpg Our producer Ash has said that he likes the Freeze Ray because of how pretty the VFX is, in addition to it being ‘classic villain stuff,’ whatever that means. But, do you know what’s cooler than one Trap by itself? Combining Traps! We’ve touched on Trap Networks before, but let’s dig a little deeper into how they can really help take your Lair Defense to the next level. Your Fan Trap can blows someone in a straight line, have them hit a wall, and take some damage from the experience. But, what if you could subject them to something else mid-blow? Have them pass through a wall of flames, or end their trip with a dunk in a Shark Tank, to create a horrendous chain of events that will leave your enemies spinning. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/e87173b8ea71c2e71e8c2c23b84af34feaea3344.jpg It’s worth paying attention to the order you place your Traps in – lay out your Lair for maximum damage and pair your Traps to really clean house. Some traps are easier to avoid than others. That fan I mentioned, for instance, might be easily sabotaged by a low level agent, but something more nefarious will catch them out, leaving them vulnerable to the fan. And let’s look at that flame thrower. If you set fire to someone and then push them into your shark tank, well, that fire is going to be very short lived. Hopefully the same can be said of your victim, but you might be better off letting them burn just a little longer. Here’s a personal little favourite of mine – a pair of enormous, oversized pinball bumpers, and a single fan positioned to perfectly bounce an agent, time and time again, ag...DEVELOPMENT BLOG - JAMES HANNIGAN (Part 2)Jan 7, 2021 - Community AnnouncementsComposer James Hannigan Answers Your Questions! (Part 2) We’re back with more answers from James Hannigan! If you missed Part 1, you can find it through this link. Thanks once again to James for his time! Will there be different music for each of the geniuses? There will indeed. Each of the four Evil Geniuses have their own theme… kind of related to their personalities, I would say. What’s different between making music for EG1 and EG2, beyond having the former as an inspiration when making music for a sequel? Are there new challenges, how has your process changed over the years, or are you tackling this in the same way you tackled the music for EG1? Since the beginning of this project, there’s been a feeling that EG2’s music should be a kind of progression or evolution of EG1’s music, rather than something wildly different for its own sake. It’s a cliché, but if isn’t broken why try to fix it? Plus, I tend to think that being consistent with a sound and style in a series helps build a more coherent world, creating a musical identity of some sort. That isn’t to say it’s all exactly the same, but a certain amount of the music is in a similar direction. Were there any tracks that didn’t make it to the final version of Evil Genius 1 that you were particularly fond of? What was your favorite piece from the original game? There are one or two big band tracks that didn’t make it into the original game, but only because there wasn’t a particular use for them at the time, and they didn’t actually get recorded. It’s easy to forget that music to picture – be it for games, tv or film – needs somewhere to go! It often needs a purpose motivated by something else, such as the narrative or a visual cue, etc. My favourite track from the first game is the main theme, on the whole, because I think it gives Evil Genius some kind of musical identity, and helps sets up the world and scope of the game’s agenda (which, of course, is world domination!) Plus, I remember the pressure of writing it just a couple of days before recording the orchestra for the first game! The main theme’s motif returns here and there in different guises as well, including in Evil Genius 2. Every time it shows up I hope it slaps you in the face and says ‘Evil Genius’! But the truth is, it’s also possible to use a motif like that in more subtle and understated ways, delivering an altogether softer message, or simply to create a kind of recognizable Evil Genius atmosphere. That’s the beauty of the ‘leitmotif’. I love how music can operate subconsciously in this way, often when the listener is barely aware of its presence! The funny thing about music is that it can often be more noticeable when it’s absent, especially if its well-integrated in a game’s overall experience. In addition, have you been able to revisit some of your older compositions for Evil Genius 2? Yes, there are a few tracks that are undoubtedly linked with those of EG1. Not only the theme, but some of the in-game tracks do echo...DEVELOPMENT BLOG - JAMES HANNIGANDec 3, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsComposer James Hannigan Answers Your Questions! (Part 1) It wouldn’t be an Evil Genius game without the sinister sounds of James Hannigan pumping through the airwaves. Once word got out that the sonic mastermind himself had returned, our community had plenty of questions for him. We gathered up the most relevant ones and put them to the man himself! Many thanks to James for his time, and to Nick Brewer for facilitating this conversation. When you were composing the original Evil Genius, what were your inspirations? You’ve composed several works with Russian influences over the years, what has inspired you in general when shaping your style? I’ve been quite fortunate as the projects I’ve worked on over the years have been very varied in terms of genre and what they require musically, so I’ve become a bit of a musical chameleon! Despite this, I always hope there is something of ‘me’ running through the work as well, especially within the themes. I love writing those, as it’s often where you try to create a kind of musical blueprint for a project … but it can also be the hardest part! I do indeed love Russian music of the 20th Century - by the likes of Shostakovich, Stravinsky and many others, and that has probably influenced me to some extent … especially when writing fairly popular tracks such as Soviet March for Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3. But I try to write whatever is stylistically appropriate for what I’m working on, and that’s part of the challenge - and fun - of doing the job. When you write music to picture, going with a story, or to be heard within a particular setting or era, you have to put aside some of your own personal tastes in order create something actually serving the project… especially if it refers to a recognisable genre in the way Evil Genius does, which has a degree of parody involved as well. Fortunately, I absolutely love the spy and sci-fi genres, especially from the 1950s to the 1970s, and there’s something magical for me about the fusion of an orchestra with a jazz flavour in particular. What was the oddest instrument you’ve used in composing the music for either EG1 or EG2? Being mostly orchestral, many of the instruments used in the EG1 and EG2 scores aren’t super exotic in themselves, but I do find that the vibraphone can be particularly interesting, and pretty integral to a certain sound often heard within the spy genre. Nothing seems to say ‘intrigue’ quite like the low shimmering, mellow tones of the vibes. They have this unmistakable warmth and presence, great for atmospheric, rhythmic beds brimming with mystery and tension. I’m also a huge fan of surf guitar, which is another musical stalwart of the spy genre. There’s something about its ability to cut through a mix and carry a tune that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The original James Bond theme is undoubtedly a testament to its twangy awesomeness. Big bold brass and high trumpets, percussion like bongos and congas are also a lot of fun ...“Gordon’s alive!?” BRAND NEW RED IVAN GAMEPLAY FEATURING BRIAN BLESSED!Nov 25, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsRebellion, one of Europe’s leading independent studios, is delighted to reveal a brand new gameplay trailer for Evil Genius 2: World Domination, featuring none other than the legendary Brian Blessed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=444qJSmyVzE The new trailer features world-first gameplay footage of playable genius Red Ivan, as voiced by Blessed. Not only can you see Red Ivan’s literally iron fist and destructive rocket launcher in action, but also never-before-seen traps, minions, henchmen, rooms, contraptions and more! Blessed is known for his incredible performances across film, TV and stage, including in Flash Gordon, Henry V, Tarzan and Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace - so who better to play a mastermind with a predilection for loudly blowing things up?  DEVELOPMENT BLOG - World DominationNov 19, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsThe Dos and Dodos of Domination Hello, minions! Rich Edwards here, Lead Designer on Evil Genius 2, here to lift the lid on another Development Blog. Does a blog have a lid? No matter. Let’s talk about World Domination. In the last blog, we talked a little bit about the differences between each Evil Genius’ campaigns, but that was just a tease. The full World Domination mode is so much more. World Domination {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/148095ffce1f769b8e5c178ba2868fad2791feac.jpg In the last blog we talked about your place as a Genius in the world. We were talking metaphorically. It’s time to talk literally. Pick your Genius, pick a tropical Lair location, and get ready to build the ultimate in evil organizations. Over the course of the campaign you’ll be spreading your influence through Global Operations – establishing Criminal Networks in all the regions of the world, then utilizing your minions to earn gold, advancing the progress of Global Objectives, and generally reaching out across the world stage to exploit every dastardly opportunity you can. Naturally, the world doesn’t start dominated. As we hinted at last time, it was once, but things have slowly slipped back to something approaching normal. The Forces of Justice have reasserted themselves as self-appointed global protectors. They watch over their territory closely, fiercely guarding it against… well, against people like you. Send some minions into a Region and they’ll establish a Criminal Network, exposing all manner of Schemes for you to run. Bolster your Networks and they’ll find even bigger and better opportunities. However, there’s two sides to every coin, something you should know after you’ve stolen enough of them. The flipside here is that people tend to hate it when you commit a crime. Run too many schemes in a Region and you’ll trigger the wrath of the local “Good Guys”. I don’t want to spend too much time on this, but safe to say it’s unlikely to end well for you. And that’s before we even start talking about their champions, the so-called “Super Agents.” We designed World Domination to have a lot of different scenarios regardless of what Evil Genius you start out as – so how you spread your criminal empire across the globe is up to you! With all the content we’ve packed into it, it’s going to have plenty of replayability. Talking of a criminal empire, every Genius needs a good Lair to base their operations from. At the start of a campaign, you’ll get to pick your island from a selection of pre-built tropical paradises. There are three islands in the game, and each one has a different layout and character to it, which in turn will influence how you lay out your Lair. You might even be able to spot a couple of classic spy genre influences in some of our Island designs. Naturally, all three are unlocked from the start, and each provides its own specific advantage, from richer Gold seams to a larger Cover Operation, so you can really tailor your Lair to your playstyle. Once you...DEVELOPMENT BLOG - Evil GeniusesNov 5, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsHello everyone! It’s Rich Edwards, Lead Designer on Evil Genius 2, and I’m running out of ways to say “I’m back again.” I’m back once more with another Development Blog for you. Today I’m going to be changing up the format slightly and telling you about all of our Evil Geniuses. You may already know some of them, but there are a definitely a couple you don’t… so let’s get on with introducing our four nefarious supervillains. First of all, let’s talk about how they play, and their place in the grander world… Breaking the Lore {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/164ba18e5f83bb8e7a710f06b789a8b63d8baa03.jpg We’ve got four distinct Evil Geniuses and, while each of them is tailored to a different play style, they do have some things in common. For example, they’re need to be protected. Yes, that includes Red Ivan, who might be hardier than the others, but he’s still at risk of being overwhelmed by some well-trained Agents. Keep them protected by minions at all times, and ensure that you send others to do your fighting. After all, a true criminal mastermind doesn’t like to get their hands dirty. First up, let’s talk about our Gold Standard in villainy – Maximillian. He’s returning from the original game, but I’d like to drop a little bit more information on what that means for him. You see, an Evil Genius did conquer the world, but… Well, it wasn’t dear old Max. Speculate all you want, I’m not allowed to say more! Maximillian is your all-rounder – a great Genius for beginners to sink their teeth into, generating gold and specialized minions to do his work for him. Our other Geniuses are slightly more weighted towards each of the different Villainous Specializations in the game. Red Ivan, as you may have guessed, focuses more on ‘Might Makes Right’ as his ethos. If you want to have the kind of Lair that features armed Guards on every single corner, then Ivan’s your man. He’s also slightly hardier in combat, so a great choice for first-time players. Also, for those still wondering about the events of the first game, yes – Ivan was involved. The Genius even rewarded him with his own country, the Nation of Ivania, probably just to keep him away from the Lair. Things have taken a sour turn for your militaristic mastermind since then. Zalika is Science-focused, ensuring that research goes smoothly, cracking through research trees more reliably than other geniuses. However, as Zalika’s Lair has a scientific focus, you’re going to need more Technicians and Scientists to keep everything running and up to date, so keep that in mind when choosing her. Finally we have Emma – who focuses around the Deception Tree. She’s a former Spymaster, embittered at her defeat during the events of the original Evil Genius, and has a general fondness for beating agents at their own game. If you want to keep a low profile on the world stage, taking over the world almost completely in secret, then Emma is the Genius for you. She also prefers working more closely with her Henchmen, able to...Evil Genius 2 Hands-Off Previews Reveal New Details!Oct 22, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsHello, minions! Recently, we invited a select group of individuals to a series of exclusive, hands-off preview sessions for Evil Genius 2: World Domination. The evil thing to do would be to ask you to do the necessary legwork…but we figured a good misinformation campaign needs some propaganda. So, we’ve compiled a selection of our personal favourites here for your enjoyment. Happy reading, muahahaha. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/3f2710d7d76251008acd5a1600d99a3664c77170.jpg PC Gamer “This sequel is more lavishly made, with a more '60s retro flair than the first, but it retains and updates the best parts.” Game Informer "With so many ways to try and destroy and/or take over the world, Evil Genius 2: World Domination looks like a much more enjoyable road to doomsday than we're accustomed to." VG247 “Evil Genius 2 might be arriving 16 years late, but it looks like the sequel I always wanted” GAMINGbible "Looks gorgeous and thoroughly modern" US Gamer "This almost feels like the sequel that would've come a year or two after Evil Genius, albeit with a modern sheen. That's one way to have done this sequel, and given the cult classic nature of the original, it's probably the right one." Hardcore Gamer "Rebellion clearly respect this IP and their additions via the sequel look to have found a way to bring this once mid-2000’s stand-alone strategy title into the present day." Bleeding Cool "There are three unique islands to choose from for your evil lair location, each coming with their own pluses and minuses. Tons of new henchmen, agents, rooms, devices, traps, and loot. And so much more." Screen Rant "Ultimately, Evil Genius 2: World Domination has potential, but more needs to be seen... the capacity for a complex sim game is there as every part, in concept, complements the other." TheGamer.com "With a team dedicated to enhancing and updating the Evil Genius experience, things look promising for the simulation sequel." Shacknews "Evil Genius 2 is looking to bring back the cult-classic management sim with a bunch of new bells and whistles... My preview didn’t cover all aspects of the game, but I was impressed with what I saw from Rebellion Developments." Want everything in a handily digestible video? Then check out this piece from Blarla! We’ll be back in two weeks with yet more for you, but until then join the Evil Genius 2 Discord Channel for more! Until next time, The Team At Rebellion DEVELOPMENT BLOG - Lair DefenseOct 8, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/ab9a7aacd4e41944a991adf72b38f49687fd8379.jpg Hey there! It’s me, Lead Designer Rich Edwards. Back again with another Developer Blog post on Evil Genius 2: World Domination. This time, we’re going to be talking about the first lines of defence in your base. We nefarious types call it the Cover Operation, but the public know it as a Casino. A successful cover operation is the Evil Genius’ front, a means of shifting prying eyes away from their Lair, and in our game this takes the form of a Casino. This is your first line of defence against the Forces of Justice. This doesn’t mean you have to invest heavily in it – Muscle and Traps are totally fine if you want to go that way – but it will be where most Agents show up for the first time. With a strong Cover Operation, you’ll be able to turn away some Agents before they even enter the Lair by investing in the Deception Tree, which I talked about in my previous blog. I should note that your Casino isn’t a metagame – we’re not secretly crafting Casino Manager 2021, but you do have some options. You can choose the Furniture you place, who you staff it with, and all these things help to determine how effective it is at turning away enemy Agents. The longer and Agent stays in your Casino, the more you'll lower their Resolve. If that ever hits zero then, congratulations, you just convinced them that their orders from Headquarters aren't as important as they once were. Goodbye Agent, we hope you enjoyed your stay. Of course, a Casino doesn't just attract enemy agents. No. It also attracts a horde of gullible Tourists who are easily parted from their money. If you'd rather defend your lair with traps, minions and henchmen, then your Casino makes for an effective side hustle. Speaking of minions and henchmen, let’s talk about how you can make their life easier… Keeping Safe Agent invasions happen. That’s a fact of life, and you’re going to have to accept it sooner or… Well, you can’t accept it later because we’re about to talk about them. Have you accepted it yet? Hurry up if you haven’t. It’s how you prepare for that eventuality that is important. Guards patrol your hallways, checking your minions to make sure they aren’t actually an Agent in disguise. However, they could always use a helping hand in this. Initially, this will be up to you as the Genius, but as threats grow, you’ll want to do what every Evil Genius should do and delegate. So, it’s time to start building Cameras and Staging Posts throughout your Lair. If a threat is detected on your Camera Network – dutifully manned by your minions – then an alert will be sent to the nearest Staging Post. You may have seen screenshots of Guards lounging around with their feet up on an expensive looking table. Believe it or not, these finely honed killing machines are actually waiting for an excuse to spring into action. The Armoury is home to the largest Staging Posts, as well as the Security Consoles your minions need to monitor you...DEVELOPMENT BLOG – Minion TraitsSep 24, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/2f6e72778c1e0c19438c3a596836132a8a4717c7.jpg Hello! Rich Edwards back again, Lead Designer on Evil Genius 2: World Domination. We’re here with another Development Blog, this time covering minion Traits. It’s a broad topic, but every character in Evil Genius 2 can have Traits – these inform the personality and the behavior of that character. Traits come out in all sorts of different ways, so let’s dive in and see what they’re all about. Trait-ing Places {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/1277b23f238c04ecb432e491a48bef970a39dd5c.jpg I’m going to address the unspoken first. You and I are two different people. I enjoy puzzles, I’m soft spoken, and I wear comfortable hoodies. You’re a fan of Evil Genius 2: World Domination, so I’m going to take a stab in the dark and say you’re some sort of incredible super being, blessed with amazing charisma, a keen mind, and excellent taste. Aren’t you amazing? In Evil Genius 2, we call these differences Traits. Whenever a new character is called into existence they are assigned a number of Traits. Perhaps they’re a Homebody, or have a Fear of Needles? They could be a Workaholic, or have a Sweet Tooth too. Traits run the gamut from sillier little Easter Eggs (watch your minions closely for some of those), through to them being former Agents, with the ability to see through disguises more effectively. Certain minions could have disastrous traits, which might even work against you. Did you know that a minion can be Oblivious? This means they can’t see through disguises, letting enemy Agents run rampant – a trait to be avoided. They could also arrive in your Lair with a nasty case of Hay Fever? A sniffling worker will do everything they can to avoid becoming a Biologist – but if they do, and they have to work with dangerous, pollen spewing plants in the Laboratory? Well, then they’ll lose health more rapidly. Minions can have a number of traits, so make sure to inspect your workforce regularly. If you want to get in there, micro-manage and root out the weaker employees, then you absolutely can. In fact we encourage it. Who wants to employ a Lazy, Oblivious Worker when you could hire someone is Dedicated and Oblivious? Wait – that’s isn’t much better… While you can’t filter minions by Traits when employing them – an Evil Genius doesn’t involve themselves in middle management. Instead, it’s simplicity itself to execute a minion after recruiting them. Not only does this… terminate their employment, it also provides a temporary boost to any witnesses. After all – if you saw someone executed in front of you, you’d probably work a little harder, too. (Editor’s Note: that isn’t how Rebellion operates. We’re much fairer. All executions are done in trial by combat.) Every worker minion in Evil Genius 2 comes to you with a basic set of traits. However, when you skill them up through training methods, they become inherently better in one aspect. So a minion might retain some traits, but they’ll gain new attr...DEVELOPMENT BLOG - Base BuildingSep 10, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/84fb8e47936b954555ef0f56bb4b3114f968e152.jpg Hello. This is Rich Edwards here, Lead Designer on Evil Genius 2: World Domination. In today’s Development Blog we’ll be covering Lair Building. The best criminal masterminds put a lot of thought into their Lair and we know this is something you’ve been asking us to divulge more on, so let’s get right to it. Enter The Lair Builder {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/d54a15af0302ab28dab1f9a8206f7a0c2fa4918b.jpg Let’s tackle the elephant-sized-device in the room first. You might have noticed in our trailers that your minions have a fancy new tool they’ve been putting to use. The Lair Builder 5000 is its name, and it is the answer to ‘how do your minions do X?’ The Lair Builder is a state of the art multi-tool, allowing minions to do all manner of things throughout the Lair – from destroying solid rock to putting up new walls, all the way through to constructing equipment and sucking up body bags. It’s a brilliant tool that all minions have access to, and it’s definitely a lot cooler than giving them pick axes and shovels. I’ve seen a few of you mentioning this online, and wanted to dispel a small misconception about the Lair Builder 5000 – it doesn’t create furniture out of thin air. Your minions will still need to pick equipment up from the depot and carry it into the Lair, but these items are often heavy, and let's face it, your workers aren't the strongest people in the world. The Lair builder simply turns the heavy, back-breaking labour into more manageable back-straining labour. When it comes to adding items to your Lair, we’ve kept the flow from the original Evil Genius is still intact, not to worry. We just thought we’d enhance how minions go about their business – and honestly, a spy-fi gadget is far fancier than crates, as is befitting for your stylish underground Lair. We're also doing our level best to ensure that the feedback on building is more immediate. If you give an order - say, if you lay down a plan for a brand new Inner Sanctum, complete with impressive boardroom table and chairs you’d literally die for - the minions will immediately start work. As soon as you hit Confirm on your build order, you'll see a horde of jumpsuits converging on the building site, brandishing their Lair Builders, eager to get to work. Let's talk about dynamite briefly. We loved how that felt in the original game, how satisfying it was to watch the ripple of explosions expertly, and improbably, carve a winding tunnel through the mountain. That feeling is still there as your minions tunnel into the bedrock tile by tile. Only now there’s far less waiting around for stacks of explosives to be piled haphazardly against the wall. As Maximillian says – Faster. Faster, faster. Also, there’s an auto-decoration system –if you don’t want to take the time to decorate your Lair, you can relax, safe in the knowledge that each room will look amazing right from the start. A number of decorations will appe...DEVELOPMENT BLOG - Introducing HenchmenAug 13, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/896c56fa61bf42ce1a08984bfbc47740715fb42b.jpg Hello! My name is Rich Edwards and I’m the Lead Designer on Evil Genius 2: World Domination. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here talking to you guys about our game. But let me give it a go. I joined Rebellion to work specifically on Evil Genius 2 as a massive – and I mean massive – fan of the original. This is my dream project and I’m so thrilled to be finally able to talk more about it. Two weeks ago our Spin Doctor Sadie launched the Evil Genius 2 Development Blog and she promised you guys some brand new info in future posts. Well, here we are! In today’s Development Blog post I’ll talk about one of the key aspects we’re reprising in Evil Genius 2 and how we’re putting our own spin on it. Let’s dive into the world of Henchmen. The Best Bet for Odd Jobs In Evil Genius 2, you’re going to embrace your Inner Mastermind - the one we all know you have – and make a bid for World Domination. You’re the big picture guy with a horde of loyal minions, but sometimes you’ll need a powerful Right Hand. If the Genius is the leader of the Lair, then Henchmen are the next rung down. If you’ve got something that needs doing immediately, that is of utmost and urgent importance, then Henchmen tend to be the best way to get things done. Henchmen don’t start off as your lackeys, though. As you begin and progress through each of the campaigns in Evil Genius 2, you’ll encounter them as Crime Lords. Crime Lords: Your New Favourite Rival Crime Lords are scattered across the world. As you explore, you’ll encounter them as impressive adversaries who have their own criminal empires. Like you they’re absolutely terrible pieces of work, but unlike you they lack the ambition, scale or power to take over the world. Each Crime Lord has their own side story featuring three separate objectives. These are significant, optional missions that will take you some time to complete. Once the dust settles, you’ll be deciding their fate. It’s up to you to decide which of these Crime Lords you want to coerce to help you on your path to world domination, and which you decide to… do away with. A Crime Lord isn’t going to bother you unless you’re active in their territory, but beyond that the criteria for triggering a rivalry and unlocking those objectives can vary enormously. It could be based on what you’re doing on the world stage. It could be based on what you’re doing in your Lair. For example, you’ll catch the attention of Eli Barracuda Jr. by committing enough crimes in his territory. Do that and the all-muscle-and-smiles Crime Lord will make himself known and attempt to solidify control of his empire. Once Crime Lords make themselves known their side-story objectives put you in direct conflict with the malefactors themselves. I want to reiterate that these are side missions separate to creating your big old Doomsday Device and taking over the big old world. Pursuing a Crime Lord comes at the cost of devi...BEHIND THE SCENES : Sneak PeekJun 17, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/3953319/063634c25f07070b85e35cd1a4c6e944de78439a.jpg EVIL STREAMIUS TODAY Today’s the day, minions! Join us at 18:00 UK Time for a small behind-the-scenes sneak peek! Let’s see how much information we can extract from those pesky devs. #Twitch: http://twitch.tv/rebellion_official #Mixer: http://mixer.com/rebellion_officialBAFTA-AWARD WINNING COMPOSER JAMES HANNIGAN RETURNS FOR EVIL GENIUS 2Jun 14, 2020 - Community Announcementshttps://youtu.be/KnsIFMqxQeY Location Redacted, June 14, 2020 – Hot on the heels of the first gameplay footage, here’s another deadly piece of news for EVIL GENIUS 2: WORLD DOMINATION – the return of James Hannigan! As revealed during today’s Guerrilla Collective stream, the BAFTA-award winning composer of the original Evil Genius is back to create a suitably wicked soundtrack for the spy-fi, lair-building sequel. James is renowned for composing music for illustrious games franchises that include Dead Space, Harry Potter, Transformers, Theme Park and Command and Conquer. We can’t wait for his Evil Genius 2 soundtrack to mesmerize players with its irresistible brilliance, making them all the more pliable for our hidden brainwashing… BRACE YOURSELF – THE EVIL IS JUST BEGINNING… Today’s development update flooded the airwaves with even more Evil Genius 2 propaganda! That includes a special breakdown of yesterday’s gameplay trailer with lead designer Rich Edwards, full of delectable info on all the content showcased in the brand new footage. If that’s not enough, Rebellion’s own mastermind Jason Kingsley OBE announced there’ll be free community content for Evil Genius 2, as well as upcoming streams, deep dives and a closed beta ahead of launch later this year – check out EvilGeniusGame.com and be sure to sign up for more information. Finally, we’ve also got our own behind the scenes stream with the Evil Genius 2 team! Watch it at twitch.tv/rebellion_official on June 17 at 10 AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST / 7PM CEST. Evil Genius 2: World Domination is coming to Steam later this year. Want to discuss all things Evil Genius 2? Come join the community Discord! Evil Genius 2 deploys devilish traps and goons in new trailerJun 13, 2020 - Rock, Paper, Shotgun You just can’t keep a good villain down, huh? While somewhat unfortunate for us in the real world, it’s fantastic news for devilish scheme ’em up Evil Genius 2. Spoiling their schemes with a new “gameplay” trailer aired during tonight’s PC Gaming show, developers Rebellion revealed a few of the fiendish new traps henchmen heading to their sunny bad guy management sim later this year. (more…) EVIL GENIUS 2 UNVEILS WORLD FIRST GAMEPLAY TRAILERJun 13, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/35214975/44f4770d4992f926e1f0aae535fc15d750d69f98.png https://youtu.be/7fZ7EutB6CE Location Redacted, June 13, 2020 - Bask in the inexorable glory of the first ever gameplay trailer for EVIL GENIUS 2: WORLD DOMINATION! MUAHAHAHA! It’s high time we showed off some footage from our next sinister scheme. At The PC Gaming Show, the criminal masterminds at Rebellion premiered the first gameplay trailer for Evil Genius 2: World Domination. Gaze upon our work below, and despair, Forces of Justice! In Evil Genius 2 you can live out your supervillain dreams. Create your own island lair, amass a force of loyal miscreants, take on secret agents and, finally, execute your nefarious plot to TAKE OVER THE WORLD! Debuted during the PC Gaming Show, today’s world first gameplay footage brims with never-before-seen tyranny and treachery. From menacing new henchmen and minions to sinister traps and powerful contraptions… and is that a fleeting tease of Max’s new Doomsday Device? Well, we do love to be cruel! The tantalizing reveals don’t stop there, though. We’ll be spilling more of the beans – evil beans – in a special ‘Evil Genius 2 Development Update’ during tomorrow’s Guerrilla Collective showcase. And we’re hosting our own behind the scenes stream with Evil Genius 2 developers! Tune in at twitch.tv/rebellion_official on Wednesday June 17 at 10 AM PT / 1PM ET / 6PM BST / 7PM CEST. Evil Genius 2: World Domination is coming to Steam later this year. For more details please visit EvilGeniusGame.com Download new screenshots and more in the EG2 press kit! We've been hatching a sinister scheme over on the Rebellion Discord.Jun 12, 2020 - Community Announcements{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/3953319/44f4770d4992f926e1f0aae535fc15d750d69f98.png Selected imagery of our next great plot has been masterfully obscured, and we'll be revealing the two most voted for screenshots soon! Join the Discord and vote on your choice! PS - Dont forget to read the rules when joining to see all the channels!Didn’t see that giveaway coming, did you? Mwahaha - Livestream Tonight!May 6, 2020 - Community AnnouncementsJoin us in 20 minutes as @JoeR247 takes you through the devious world of EvilGenius ! Twitch: http://twitch.tv/rebellion_official Mixer: http://mixer.com/rebellion_official 6pm UK / 1PM ET / 10AM PTEvil Genius can be yours for free right nowMay 6, 2020 - Rock, Paper, Shotgun Evil Genius , the 2004 minion-gathering, Bond-defying base-builder is free right now, if you link your Rebellion account to Steam. This is of course to whet appetites for the upcoming Evil Genius 2, which is expected out this year. (more…)

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