3D Realms Announces Kingpin: Reloaded

Published: January 19, 2020 11:58 AM /

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Kingpin: Reloaded dialogue scene

There’s more retro FPS news out of PAX South.

3D Realms is bringing back the 1999 Quake II-engine-powered Kingpin: Life of Crime with Kingpin: Reloaded. Added features include 4K resolution, ultrawide capability, and controller support. Gameplay additions include new quest and conversation systems. The revamped classic will be coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch later this year. You can play the original via either GOG and Steam.

If you would prefer to play the game with its original look, there is that option: you can choose to play in either Class or Enhanced mode. Speaking of modes: if you want to play without violence you can activate No Violence mode, which was an option in some shooters back in the 90s. However, the developers assure that the language will remain as “colorful” as ever no matter the mode.

Kingpin: Reloaded is being developed by Slipgate Ironworks, the same studio that made the 2013 Rise of the Triad reboot. 

The original Kingpin was developed by Xatrix and published by Interplay. In addition to the violence, the game had buckets of swearing, and apparently, in the original you could censor the cuss words as well. Beyond basic FPS elements, Kingpin also had in-game stores, like the “Pawn-O-Matic”, and a hub-world structure. It was received well enough by both GameSpot and IGN

Xatrix had created the Redneck Rampage series of first-person shooters and worked on the Quake II mission pack The Reckoning. After being disbanded, the studio reformed into Grey Matter Studios, one of the developers behind Return to Castle Wolfenstein.


Quick Take

The old-school FPS renaissance keeps coming, and I love it. It’s almost reached the point where there are too many classic FPS remakes or spiritual successors to choose from. I say “almost,” because I don’t think you can have too many of them. Kingpin: Life of Crime is actually a 90s title I missed back in the day, which reminds me that these reboots and revisits give some gamers their first opportunity to learn of these classics.

Are you excited for another classic FPS revival? Did you play Kingpin: Life of Crime back in the day? Let us know in the comments below!
 

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I am a lifelong, enthusiastic gamer, freelance writer and editor, blogger, and Thief FM aficionado. I think that exploration-heavy, open-ended first-person… More about Trevor