Each member of the Shelby family comes with unique abilities - Tommy (threatening), Arthur (brawling and door kicking), Polly (bribing and lock picking), John (arson and brawling), Ada (distraction) and Finn (sneaking and pickpocketing). You'll need to to use each one, linking the many abilities in sequence, to get through the game's challenges. It's essentially an action-tactics game, and you can get a good look at how that works in the reveal trailer, below:Made in collaboration with show creator Steven Knight, Mastermind's story acts as a prequel to the show's first season, as the Shelby family discovers a plot to put their burgeoning criminal empire out of business. The game's set-up is a nod to Tommy Shelby's ability to think through complex scenarios in his head - you're essentially creating, enacting, and retooling his plans before they happen for real. The game's soundtrack has been created by Feverist, the art-rock band that scored the show's first season.
Game director James Marsden explains the inspiration for the game's core mechanic: “There’s a point in the show where Tommy Shelby explains he has no concern for the past, nor the future; all he cares about is a crucial moment he calls the soldier’s minute. We designed our game around that idea, allowing the player to plan actions backward and forward in time, choreographing an ensemble cast of characters to synchronise their actions during these crucial moments. The player gets to feel like the smart and sophisticated leader that Tommy is, so we think becoming the mastermind will resonate with fans of the show and gamers alike.”
To see how that mechanic plays out across an entire level of the game, check out our exclusive gameplay from the first level below:The game won't be released until summer this year, but you can wishlist the game on Steam right now.
For those not familiar with Peaky Blinders, the series offers a gritty snapshot of life in 1920s Birmingham, following the Shelby family's schemes and setbacks. We named the fifth season one of the best drama TV series of 2019. Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News, and those hats make him feel terrified these days. Follow him on Twitter.