Every run mixes tactical combat, political sabotage, and meetings with the Seven Deadly Sins.
The hook of Diabolocracy is that hell is a dysfunctional office space; while the boss is at work, every large sin (Gluttony burning resources, Pride refusing to help) is creating chaos, and overall, the game is a metaphorical representation of a bureaucratic nightmare, where the administrative department is crumbling due to their own egos and ineptitude.
A typical play session is structured around the concept of a “meeting”, centered around another sin’s recent catastrophe.
The player will have to deal with proposals from other sins and sabotage efforts during these meetings. Afterward, the player will send a group of demons to resolve the problem through battle, utilizing a hex-based grid. Tactical elements will include environmental interactions, status effects, careful planning of actions taken, use of runes, and upgrades to each unit.
Every meeting allows you to select four minion members, “poach” units from opposing sins, discover new ability paths/subclasses, and find “SINergies,” which may influence your run.
The selections made by the player are linked directly to the political aspects of the game; accepting/rejecting proposals in meetings will alter both modifiers/consequences for your run.
In essence, it appears that the game’s structure rests upon two interlocking levels: strategic decision-making in the boardroom and tactical encounter resolution in the field.
If Chaos Gremlin Games can effectively create a sense of depth in regards to decision-making in meetings as much as they have created in regards to what appears to be a solid combat system on paper, Diabolocracy has all the makings of one of the most unique tactical roguelites on Steam.
