Some classic PC games, like Deus Ex, Thief, and Command and Conquer may never return. Time rolls on. The future must arrive. Life can be cruel. But occasionally, we get a pleasant surprise – a game that was seemingly dead forever springs suddenly back to life. Before Cities Skylines and Manor Lords, Industry Giant was one of the biggest strategy behemoths. From the same era as Rollercoaster Tycoon, SimCity 3000, and Civilization 2, for 22 years, the series has languished in obscurity. But now it’s back – a new Industry Giant game is available to play right now.
A brief history lesson. In 1997, the first ever Industry Giant arrives from developer JoWooD Productions. Five years later, we get Industry Giant 2, also by JoWooD. But then the series goes quiet. There’s talk of a third game, but it never materializes. Cut to 2024. Developer Don vs Dodo and publisher Toplitz have just launched Industry Giant 4.0 into early access. Though strictly speaking this is game number three, so much time has passed, the creators have decided to make a totally fresh start. The name, style, and supremely realistic depth and mechanics are all present and correct, but this is a new generation of the classic strategy and city-building game.
Beginning in the 1950s, you have a tiny business in a small American town. Everything is under your control. Choose what products you want to create, where and how you source the raw materials, and then plan the routes for your supply trucks. World events, fluctuations in the market, and even the climate can have an impact on your success. There are 25 distinct industries, 70 different products, and a huge assortment of administration, manufacturing, and logistical facilities to build and customize.
Don vs Dodo has also already shared the Industry Giant 4.0 early-access roadmap. Between now and the 1.0 release, there will be changes to balancing and the UI, more random events, more ways to change the philosophy of your business, and also multiplayer modes and custom games. The Industry Giant 4.0 early-access release date is today, Friday November 15. If you want to get the game, just head here.
Otherwise, try some of the best 4X games, or maybe the best RTS games ever made.
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