Enters Steam early access in October.
Ndemic Creations, the developer behind enormously popular germ domination game Plague Inc, has revealed its next endeavour: peace-keeping “political/military strategic simulation” Rebel Inc: Escalation, which is heading to Steam early access some time in October.
Rebel Inc: Escalation is an expanded version of Rebel Inc, which initially appeared on mobile devices at the end of last year. Its core is the same on PC – players are tasked with stabilising and maintaining peace in a war-torn country following conflict – but the new version will introduce the likes of a full campaign, multiplayer, Steam workshop support, and enhanced visuals.
Broadly, players must balance competing civilian and military needs in order to appeal to the local populace while also preventing an insurgency from seizing power. That requires the carefully managing resources, adapting to changing conditions, and upgrading teams and abilities, with Escalation featuring “real world development initiatives and an innovative representation of counter insurgency tactics”
“Deadly insurgent attacks put constant pressure on your operation and sophisticated narrative algorithms shaped by your decisions model the needs of local populations,” explains Ndemic, “Plan priorities with Intelligence Reports and Combat SITREPs, geek out with loads of new stats and graphs, and analyse your best strategies with end-of-game replays.”
At launch, Escalation’s early access release will offer five Afghanistan-inspired regions – ranging from dense forests to tranquil farmland – each with their own strategic demands. Six playable governors, meanwhile, will each offer distinct benefits, with the Economist receiving a large upfront income, for instance, while the Warlord can call on their personal militia.
As early access progresses, new region maps and governors will be added, alongside the aforementioned campaign mode and multiplayer, which will offer both competitive and co-operative modes. Ndemic says it expects Rebel Inc to leave early access sometime next year, “but this might change if someone suggests something particularly cool!”. A few additional details can be found on its Steam page.
Rebel Inc: Escalation will cost $14.99 USD (around 12) when it launches on Steam in October, with that price set to increase when early access development ends.
