Evil Genius contains a mixture of
real-time strategy and
simulation elements, and is described by
Rebellion Developments as a "real-time mad scientist
lair management strategic simulation". Gameplay is split between managing a lair, together with the "minions" that populate it, and the "World Domination screen". The game is set in a non-specific time period, with the use of historic regions (the
Eastern Bloc) and events (the
Cuban Missile Crisis) suggestive of the 1960s and 1970s, albeit in an
alternate timeline; furthermore, the styling of the game is reminiscent of the 1960s
Atomic Age designs.
Evil Genius consists of a single game mode wherein the ultimate goal is to build a
doomsday device and force the capitulation of the world to the player's "Evil Genius". This figure is selected at the beginning of the game from one of three choices—Maximilian, Alexis or Shen Yu—and acts as the player's
avatar; if killed, the game ends. The first lair is
constructed within the base of a mountain on a desert island. During the course of the game the player relocates to a larger, tropical island, the extinct volcano at the center of which is used as the foundation for a
rocket silo. The lair comprises various rooms, each of which contains objects for use by minions, either for the replenishment of certain "stats" (e.g. objects in the
Mess Hall restore endurance) or to provide a function (e.g. the Power Plant room contains objects that generate power and allow the lair to function). Corridors connect the rooms within the lair and can also contain traps, which serve as one of several ways to deter agents of justice and their attempts to enter the base and gather evidence, steal money, or sabotage equipment. Trap results vary from simple confusion and movement impairment to stat reduction and death, and catching agents within a combination of traps will reward the player with money. New objects can eventually be unlocked through the Laboratory via combining already-existing items with pieces of equipment. The player's forces include their Evil Genius, unique
henchmen, and various minions. The Evil Genius and henchmen may be directly controlled by the player while minions are managed through the use of orders (such as: create room, buy/build item, move item, or even attack or weaken target). Minions are all initially recruited as Construction (yellow) minions which are the only type that can create rooms in the lair. As the game progresses, Construction minions may also be trained to specialize in one of three color-coded fields: military (orange), scientific (blue), or social (purple). Each field has three successive minion levels, with the third level having two specialized branches. All of the minion specializations are unlocked by acquiring and interrogating civilian hostages, after which their skills can be passed on to other minions via training equipment. Henchmen are unique named characters that are much stronger than conventional Minions and can be upgraded with two special moves after gaining experience. Each of the three Evil Geniuses are paired with a specific henchman that is available from the beginning of the game, while additional henchmen may be recruited as the game progresses. In addition to managing their lair, the Evil Genius's plans frequently involve taking action across the world. This is managed through the "World Domination screen", consisting of an interactive map of the world divided into regions to which the player is able to send minions from their lair to steal money or to plan and commit missions known as "Acts of Infamy". These Acts can be used to obtain loot to adorn the lair (increasing minion statuses), capture civilian hostages (to interrogate them), and to garner "Notoriety". Many Acts advance the ultimate goal of constructing the doomsday device. Acts require variable amounts and types of minions, and each carries a degree of risk. Although the player has no direct control over a mission, they can increase the chance of success by mixing minion classes and allocating greater numbers; the danger of committing Acts is compounded by the occasional appearance of Agents in certain regions, which the player can choose to hide their minions from. Some Acts of Infamy are references to historical events, such as the
Cuban Missile Crisis, while others are comical, such as a "humanitarian mission" to destroy
Nashville, Tennessee and rid the world of
country music. The lair must be defended from the "forces of justice": five
government counter-terrorist agencies under whose control the world is split. S.A.B.R.E controls
Western Europe,
Australasia, the
Indian subcontinent and
Southern Africa. P.A.T.R.I.O.T controls
North America and the "Pacific Allies" (
Japan,
South Korea, and
Taiwan). H.A.M.M.E.R controls the
Soviet Union, the
Eastern Bloc, and
Cuba. A.N.V.I.L controls
China and
Southeast Asia. S.M.A.S.H controls the remainder of the world with the
Middle East,
Northern and
Central Africa,
South America, and
Antarctica. Any Act of Infamy carried out within a region, and even the mere presence of minions (but especially if they are siphoning money back to the lair) will increase the level of notice, or "Heat", of the alliance that controls it, triggering a proportionate response: those alliances with the highest levels of heat will send their most skilled forces. Agents, appearing singularly or in groups, are divided according to their roles: Investigators, who will try to uncover evidence of illegal operations, thus increasing "Heat"; Saboteurs, whose goal is to destroy parts of the base; Thieves, who will attempt to steal back stolen items and cash; and Soldiers, who will assault minions, henchmen and the Evil Genius him/herself. As the player acquires "Notoriety", they will attract the attention of "Super Agents", one from each of the five alliances; these agents combine two of the aforementioned roles, require special objectives to be met to permanently defeat, and are able to kill henchmen over time by depleting their pool of lives. ==Development==