Thursday 5th February, Manchester, UK. – Merge Games Ltd., a privately owned video game publisher and distributor, is proud to announce the signing of Leonard Menchiari’s RIOT simulator.
Developed by Leonard Menchiari and IV Productions, RIOT is an real-time strategy / simulator game based on real-world riots.
Players will be able to choose to play as the rioting masses, venting their frustration and anger against the system and the police. Alternatively, players may decide to take on the role of law enforcement using crowd-control strategies to quell the hordes and regain order. As the Police, players can add additional tactical, assault, arrest, or ballistic units. Acting as the Rebels, players can add additional leaders whose influence affects rioters around him. Further items can be added too, such as DIY rocket launchers and documentarists.
As well as a single-player skirmish mode, RIOT features four campaigns based around real-world events: the NoTAV movement in Italy, the Battle of Keratea in Greece, the Indignados movement in Spain and the Lotus Revolution in Egypt. RIOT always maintains a position of neutrality encouraging players to experience the scenarios from the viewpoint of both sides.
RIOT also includes a two/four player versus mode in which friends can battle against one another in a bid to gain public support as they fight for their cause. Before the each game begins players will be given an introduction regarding the reasons for the unrest and clear objectives of what both factions are expected to achieve.
The PC version of RIOT will also included a level editor to allow players to build their own levels and share them via Steamworks. RIOT will be available on PC this summer via Steam. Console and mobile versions are planned for later in the year.
For more information, please contact: Nick Clarkson – nick@mergegames.com
A selection of screenshots is available here: http://bit.ly/RIOTscreenshotsFeb15
About Merge Games
Merge Games is an independent video game publisher and distributor based in Manchester, UK. The company publishes and distributes interactive software worldwide for personal computers, video games consoles and mobile devices. Merge Games also specialises in publishing collectable games for retail and worldwide digital distribution for independent developers. More information about Merge Games products can be found at www.mergegames.com.
About IV Productions
Ivan Venturi, who has over twenty-five years of experience in designing and producing video games, founded IV Productions in 2012. Ivan co-founded the first Italian video-game company in 1988. Ivan is also the founder and organiser of the Italian Independent Developer’s main event, Svilupparty – now the Italian independent developer’s association. IV Productions has worked in partnership with Merge Games since 2013 and strives to connect Italian indie game developers to worldwide markets.
About Leonard Menchiari
Leonard Menchiari is a 27 year old Italian who worked film industry in Los Angeles. In 2012 he moved back to Italy where he got in touch with the underground movement, NoTAV. Leonard discovered how rife political crime and corruption had become in Italy and, in order to expose people to the situation, Leonard decided to share his experiences and other people’s ideals through what he considers one of the most powerful forms of communication out there today, games.