‘Yes? Well, you’re not from Chicago…’
Another somewhat puzzling oddity has emerged from Hamster’s vintage coin purse. Join the Arcade Archives and now available to download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch, it’s Seibu’s weird first-person shooter Empire City: 1931.
Released for arcade movies in 1986, before finally figuring out how to select family-friendly formats in Japan, Empire City: 1931 is a quirky rail shooter style game that sees the player step into the shoes of a rogue FBI agent, out to eliminate the mafia following the murder of his family. Going to the many mob hideouts, the player must locate and kill the thugs one by one, tracking their movements across the screen and delivering a fatal shot before our hero found himself armed with a lead jacket.
Although the screen may lead to an assumption Empire City: 1931 is a shooter in the style of Taito’s blow Activities: WOLF, the truth is that the game is completely unlike anything else, with its weird pacing, messy movements, and weird “one-on-one” confrontation style. Proven better than described, you can watch the action in the video below, courtesy of Youtuber World of Longplays.
Seibu will be watching city empire with a faster-paced 1988 release Dead corner. This sequel features richer enemies, alternate weapons, and an ugly foreground “contour” of the hero, allowing players to dodge enemy fire. Unfortunately, by ’88, the railroad shooter had progressed long before Seibu’s rudimentary efforts, leaving both Empire City: 1931 and Dead corner fun, but not particularly fun to play.
Empire City: 1931 Now available for download on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Chris Moyse
Senior Editor – Chris has been playing video games since the 1980s. Former Saturday Night Slam Master. Graduated with honors from Galaxy High School. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse
