Evil Genius 2: World Domination is the much-anticipated sequel to the cult classic strategy title, Evil Genius.
The original Evil Genius was developed by the now-defunct Elixir Studios and released in 2004. Actually it was the second and last game that the studio released prior to shutting down in 2005. It cast you in the role of a James Bond-esque supervillain (or, more accurately, Austin Powers), who must build his villainous lair and eventually take over the world. The series was compared to the classic Dungeon Master games but benefited greatly from its ’60s spy aesthetics.
Those aesthetics certainly appear to have made a return in this sequel. Evil Genius 2‘s first trailer has been compared to the classic Team Fortress 2 trailers with its colorful characters and light-hearted take on the subject of world domination. Considering that the style of Evil Genius is part of the reason why it’s so fondly remembered, it’s certainly exciting to see that this sequel will retain those cartoonish elements.
As for its gameplay, you can expect Evil Genius 2 to stick fairly close to the ideas and format of the original. That is to say that the game will start with you carving out a little evil lair for yourself in the middle of a volcano. That aspect of the series will feel stylistically familiar to fans of strategy titles (or even The Sims) as you’ll need to acquire and utilize resources in order to build various chambers that will further your evil deeds in some way.
From there, you’ll need to train your various minions and even hire special operatives who will embark on global missions and help you battle the odd secret agent who may try to infiltrate your lair. Again, nearly all of these elements will be familiar to fans of the original Evil Genius, but for what it’s worth, it does look like this sequel will expand upon some of the weaker aspects of its predecessor (including the depth of those operative missions). It also seems to generally benefit from enhanced visuals which allow the sequel to display far more personality in its rooms, characters, and scenarios.
We’ll have to wait and see if those complaints which kept Evil Genius from reaching the heights it could have enjoyed are addressed by developer Rebellion in this sequel. However, we’re thrilled that a franchise with so much potential is getting a true second chance.
Here’s everything else we know about Evil Genius 2:
Evil Genius 2: World Domination Release Date
Evil Genius 2 is set to release on PC sometime in 2020. There’s no word regarding possible console ports at this time.
Evil Genius 2: World Domination Trailer
This gameplay trailer for Evil Genius 2 showcases your basic path towards world domination:
Also, be sure to check out the Evil Genius 2‘ stylish debut trailer: