Samson: Gritty Crime Game from Ex-Just Cause Devs

Samson emerges as a compelling action-adventure crime drama developed by Liquid Swords, a studio comprising former Just Cause developers. The game centers on protagonist Samson McCray, who relocates to the gritty city of Tyndalston following a failed getaway driver job in St. Louis. Warned by his sister Oonagh, McCray now faces a debt accruing daily interest, compelling him to undertake dangerous jobs to settle it.

Gameplay emphasizes hand-to-hand combat and vehicular pursuits, with health restored via painkillers, evoking Max Payne and Mad Max. The world of Tyndalston acts as a dynamic character, reacting to player actions through interactions with residents, objects, and law enforcement. Guns remain exclusive to police and select criminals, heightening tension in this 1990s setting rich with era-specific details like cash dominance and smoking prevalence.

Originally envisioned as a 100-hour RPG with base-building, the project scaled back in early 2025 due to layoffs of half the team amid industry challenges. The revised focus delivers a session-based experience lasting at least 25 hours for completionists, priced at $25 on PC in early 2026, with console ports to follow. Studio founder Christofer Sundberg describes it as the first installment in a series exploring the city and character, prioritizing dense, meaningful content over vast scale.

Liquid Swords assembles a team of developers previously involved with the Just Cause series to craft Samson, a free-roaming action-adventure set in a crime-ridden urban landscape. The studio's founder and game director, Christofer Sundberg, leads the effort to create a narrative-driven experience focused on survival and consequence.

The game's announcement highlights its roots in high-octane action, drawing from established franchises while carving a unique path. Players assume the role of Samson McCray, an anti-hero entangled in escalating criminal obligations after a routine job spirals out of control.

Core Narrative Setup

McCray's journey begins in Tyndalston, a decaying metropolis that serves as more than mere backdrop. Following the botched operation in St. Louis, where he acted as getaway driver, McCray heeds warnings from his sister Oonagh too late. She negotiates a repayment deal with the aggrieved crew, thrusting him into a cycle of debt repayment through illicit gigs.

This setup establishes a tone of unrelenting pressure, with interest compounding daily on the owed sum. The narrative unfolds as McCray navigates alliances, betrayals, and the unforgiving streets of Tyndalston.

Samson prioritizes visceral, close-quarters engagement over ranged weaponry, limiting guns to law enforcement and elite criminals. Combat relies on hand-to-hand techniques, augmented by improvised tools like crowbars, fostering intense, personal confrontations.

Health management incorporates bottles of painkillers, nodding to classic noir influences while grounding recovery in the protagonist's gritty reality. An adrenaline meter builds during fights, enabling temporary rushes for amplified strikes and heightened awareness.

Driving and Mission Structure

Ve hicular elements draw from high-speed chase traditions, with players commandeering muscle cars for escapes and pursuits. Missions vary from burglary getaways to targeted hits, each offering payouts toward debt reduction, such as $1000 per successful operation.

In one demonstrated sequence, McCray infiltrates a seedy industrial zone for a heist, evading ground police and a pursuing helicopter. Success involves tactical maneuvers like ducking into alleys and disabling lights to shake tails, emphasizing skill over chaos.

• Enter clubs or neighborhoods to initiate jobs
• Switch vehicles mid-mission for adaptability
• Build tension through alarms and reinforcements
• Conclude with evasion to secure earnings

The world of Tyndalston responds dynamically to disruptions. Interactions with street elements or unexpected actions trigger repercussions, making the environment a living entity that 'pushes back' against recklessness.

Sundberg emphasizes this interactivity: “We've had this motto from the beginning that the city is a character in itself.” The narrative ties into law enforcement dynamics, ensuring actions carry lasting memory within the game's ecosystem.

Liquid Swords initially conceived Samson with ambitious RPG features, including base-building and a sprawling 100-hour campaign. Early 2025 brought significant changes, as the studio laid off approximately half its team amid broader industry difficulties.

This decision refocused efforts on a more contained yet immersive format. Heavier elements like extensive RPG mechanics were shelved due to reduced bandwidth, shifting toward quick, session-based play that respects player time.

Impact on Experience and Pricing

The streamlined version targets completionists with at least 25 hours of content, balancing depth with accessibility. Sundberg notes the transformation: “It was originally a 100-hour experience. Now it's more of a quick-and-dirty session-based experience.”

Priced at $25 for PC release in early 2026, with consoles planned later, the game positions itself as an entry point. “We see this as the first book in a series of books to be told about the city and character,” Sundberg explains, highlighting its role in a larger saga.

Despite the downsizing, the team commits to density over scale. “It's tiny compared to Just Cause 2, but it's dense,” Sundberg states. The world scales meaningfully, filled with reactive content rather than empty expanse, aiming for a AAA feel within AA constraints.

Set in the 1990s, Samson captures an era of urban decay and identity flux, where cell phones emerge sporadically, cash reigns supreme, and smoking permeates public spaces. This choice layers grit onto the narrative, evoking films like Heat, Ronin, and French Connection.

Sundberg describes the tonal blend: “more like Mad Max…Payne.” Elements from the Mad Max team inform driving sequences, projected ten years forward into a non-apocalyptic urban hell. Max Payne's noir storytelling infuses the dark atmosphere and bullet-time echoes in adrenaline mechanics.

Cinematic Influences and Visual Style

Violence in Samson mirrors cinematic precision—fast and decisive—avoiding prolonged spectacles. Demonstrations reveal seedy clubs like Chubb’s, where bare-knuckled brawls escalate into crowbar duels, building to adrenaline-fueled climaxes.

The city's depressing vibe amplifies immersion, with neighborhoods that feel lived-in and responsive. Tyndalston's size supports exploration without overwhelming, focusing on quality interactions over quantity.

• 1990s grit: Cash transactions and analog tech
• Film tones: Dark, urban crime thrillers
• World memory: Actions influence future encounters

In conclusion, Samson promises a taut, consequence-driven crime saga that distills high production values into an affordable package. By leveraging veteran talent and a reactive world, Liquid Swords delivers a fresh take on action-adventure, potentially setting the stage for deeper explorations of McCray's world.