Liquid Swords, a Swedish studio established in 2020 by Avalanche Studios founder Cristofer Sundberg, has introduced its first project, Samson: A Tyndalston Story, during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2025 showcase. The reveal marks the first major look at the studio’s direction, offering a detailed breakdown of its Unreal Engine 5-based crime action title.
The studio previously shared a limited preview of the game’s visual approach about a year ago, highlighting its emphasis on highly detailed environments and photorealistic lighting. With this new announcement, Liquid Swords has provided a broader view of the game’s structure, narrative, and design philosophy. According to the developers, Samson: A Tyndalston Story revolves around a tense and unforgiving atmosphere shaped by the constant pressure placed on its protagonist.
The story follows Samson McCray, who is compelled to return to the city of Tyndalston after falling deep into debt with a dangerous criminal group. These individuals have targeted his sister to ensure he returns to settle what he owes. This setup places Samson in a difficult position from the outset, creating a foundation for a plot centered on urgency, risk, and escalating consequences.
A central concept in the game is the idea that time works against Samson. His debt increases daily through interest, and every action consumes a limited number of Action Points. This system encourages players to consider how each job, decision, or route through the city influences Samson’s situation. Since there are no repeat attempts or timeline resets, choices have lasting effects and shape the path Samson follows.
Although the game includes “open world districts,” Liquid Swords clarifies that this is not a large, open-ended experience built around free exploration. Instead, the design leans toward a more focused progression style, with gameplay structured around tension and urgency rather than long exploration sessions. The studio’s recommended price point of $24.99 suggests a more compact narrative experience, centered on character development and consequence-driven gameplay rather than sprawling content.
Throughout the storyline, players will uncover the events that fractured Samson’s family and understand the path required to piece it back together. The city of Tyndalston itself plays a major role. Multiple systems track Samson’s behavior and adjust responses accordingly. For example, if Samson causes excessive disruption or draws too much attention, the police force increases its presence and pushes back against his activities. Factions, characters, and even street dynamics adapt based on his decisions, creating a reactive environment that evolves across the campaign.
Combat in Samson: A Tyndalston Story reflects a grounded design. On-foot encounters center on close-range fighting, using momentum, environmental support, and improvised tools. Each confrontation appears to encourage practical decision-making rather than exaggerated or stylized sequences. In addition to melee encounters, the game features car combat, incorporating high-speed chases that can quickly escalate into collisions, traps, and destructive exchanges. These sequences aim to merge vehicular control with urban danger, expanding the scope of action beyond hand-to-hand combat.
Progression is further supported through a skill tree offering more than 25 upgrades, allowing players to shape Samson’s abilities to suit different approaches. This system includes enhancements related to combat efficiency, mobility, and survival, giving players agency over how Samson evolves throughout the narrative.
Liquid Swords confirms that the game will launch exclusively on PC at first, available via Steam and Epic Games Store. No additional platforms have been announced yet. The studio states that the release is planned for early 2026, indicating that development is entering a more public phase where more updates and previews may follow.
With its emphasis on time-based decisions, environmental reactivity, and grounded combat design, Samson: A Tyndalston Story presents a focused crime narrative set within a shifting urban landscape. As Liquid Swords’ debut title, it introduces a clear view of the studio’s creative direction and establishes a foundation for future updates as the release window approaches.
