King of Chicago

Title           King of Chicago
Game Type       Adventure
Company         Cinemaware
Players         1
HD Installable	No
Compatibility   All
Submission      D.J.

Review
  CinemaWare produced games that tell a story through a series of
modular scenes. Your character makes certain decisions and plays out the
consequences in dramatic or action sequences. This system had varying
success and King of Chicago is one of the better examples.

      Set in the roaring twenties, you play Pinky, a two-bit hood with
million dollar dreams. When Al Capone is jailed, a power vacuum is created
in Chicago, and you are just the man to fill it, or so you think. First
you need a gang; why not the one you are in already? Well, because the
"Old Man" is still in charge. If you wait for him to die, prohibition will
end and its "curtains" for Pinky and all the other gangsters. Time to act.
But do you try to persuade him or scare him off, or just bump him off?
Should you act alone or gather some allies in the gang? These sorts of
decisions are followed by scenes where you must carry out your plans. Even
the best laid plans can go awry if you hesitate, say the wrong thing or
fail to get off a clean shot.

      Once in charge you will want to expand your territory. Sometimes
corrupt politicians can deliver but elections don't come cheap. You must
lean on your speakeasies and bootleggers for the cash to pay your thugs
(and keep your demanding and none to faithful "main squeeze" happy). And
when talk and money fail, well there's always guns and bombs.

      I never got the hang of bombing places. I always get "hoist on (my)
own petard". Give me a Thompson any day. This is one beef I have with this
and all CinemaWare games. They don't allow you to practice the action
sequences outside of regular play. Getting to, these scenes can be chancy,
difficult and time consuming and, since you cannot save the games, one
mistake means a restart. ARRRGHHHHHH!

      Make sure you pay lots of bribes or it's the "Chair" for you if you
happen to waste an innocent bystander. It doesn't seem to matter if you
get paid but it sure does if your staff doesn't. Oh! Of course there is a
rival gang itching to keep what's theirs and take what's yours.

      The graphics are a bit stiff but full screen and often funny.
There's comic relief and side stories. There are many ways through the
story and many more that end with your mother's tears and your
girlfriend's jeers.

      I still come back to this game occasionally and, even though I'm a
seasoned player, it's never certain, even until the last scene, if I'm
going to be wearing the crown or funeral duds.

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