DaRmaZat Ever since the heights of the GTA era, developers have been chasing that elusive “urban underworld” lightning in a bottle. The latest contender is Samson, an ambitious AA action-adventure from Liquid Swords that trades high-octane gunplay for the brutal, intimate thud of a bare fist or a hammer. Set in the unapologetic streets of Tyndalston, the game attempts to blend a focused gangster narrative with open-world freedom. It’s a title with massive ambitions and a heavy atmosphere, so as release approached, it’s no surprise that many were curious to see where it would lead.
Protagonist Samson McCray and his sister Oonagh are in deep—$100,000 in debt to the St. Louis crew, with a bullet waiting if they fail to pay up. After Oonagh helped spring him from prison and his gangster buddy Carter stuck his neck out for him, the burden of repayment falls squarely on Samson. Operating out of their local pub, The Double Tap, he teams up with Carter and underdog companions Tommy and Nate, taking on one shady job after another to earn the money needed to buy his and his sister’s way to freedom.
A Rough Sandbox Reality
On a positive note, the game does offer an actual open world and story chapters, instead of just sandbox levels. That said, don’t get your hopes up too high for the narrative—most story-driven chapters are just a quick cutscene followed by a burst of action. No meaningful choices, no deep lore; within a couple of minutes, it’s over and you’re back to the sandbox mission grind.
Samson‘s gameplay loop is simple: you only get paid if you successfully complete a job. I found myself constantly trying to squeeze in as many missions as my Action Points allowed, desperately scrambling to meet the “daily due” before the St. Louis thugs showed up next to my car to beat me senseless. These Action Points feel like a bit of an artificial speed bump to keep you from sprinting through the story, forcing you to hit the rack to replenish for the next day.
One thing I noticed immediately: as Samson McCray, you can get really rough. Kicking doors off their hinges instead of opening them, beating people in the streets, and totaling cars. But you have to be careful—once you draw attention, a wanted level is inevitable. One night, I had to pick up a kid at a pharmacy for a drug deal. Suddenly, the cops are ramming me. I did a 180 on a long stretch and they were right on my tail, but as soon as I cleared the search radius, they radioed in: “No visual suspect, ending search”—even though they were literally still behind me! A little Nitro boost goes a long way, and as long as you clear that circle and get the “pursuit ended” message, you’re golden. Honestly, the police system isn’t half bad.
Punishing… Failure
Maybe that’s because the St. Louis goons are way worse than the cops. If you don’t hit your daily debt target, they will happily knock you unconscious. Right after, you wake up in Vivian’s clinic with nothing but a pack of free painkillers—which isn’t very helpful when you’re completely broke. One detail I loved, though: after a beatdown, I walked around with bandages and bruises on my face for a while. And when I landed a solid hook on an enemy, they immediately sported a bloody, broken nose. Those kinds of details feel really grounded.
However, sometimes, the game is incredibly punishing. If you get hit by a car or knocked out by St. Louis’ bandits, you lose every cent of cash on you. The worst part? That lost money doesn’t even count toward your debt. Plus, all your open missions are flagged as failed, and retrying one costs another Action Point.
Adrenaline is for the Weak
Samson’s combat arsenal is your typical light/heavy attack, parry, and evade. You can grab or shove, but there’s no lock-on system, which is a bit of a pain. You can swing or throw almost anything you pick up: bottles, bricks, pipes, and even… a frozen fish? It gets pretty wild. Strangely, there is no crouch button, so stealth is out of the window.
The difficulty is all over the place as well. One-on-one is a breeze because the AI isn’t the sharpest—sometimes they’ll yell at you but just camp inside their scripted zone. There is a skill tree with perks and abilities like “Adrenaline Rush” which lets you deal massive damage, but I rarely felt I needed it because the missions themselves often feel half-finished.
Missing the Glue
Tyndalston isn’t huge, but it’s packed with collectibles, sandwich boards to smash, and combat magazines to find. But the missions often feel like isolated sandbox chores. One time, I had to total two rival cars. One Nitro-boosted T-bone later, the “Mission Complete” banner flashed while the thugs just politely stepped out and stood next to their wrecked cars like nothing happened. Another day, I had a timed delivery mission where I didn’t even have to get out of the car. I just sat in a green circle while a loading bar filled up. Not a single NPC appeared to take the package.
In games like GTA or Watch Dogs, there’s a narrative glue holding it together and action causes logical reaction. Here, the only incentive is the cash. In Samson, you can run people over or steal cars and the NPCs just keep walking like nothing is happening. Everything feels a bit rushed and uninspired, more like a prototype than an already finished game.
Samson’s Power Lies in His Hair
If you’re on mouse and keyboard, chances are high you’ll also need to dive into the game settings. The default sensitivity is insane—I had to crank both axes way down just to stop feeling motion sick. The driving feels okay, though sensitive in corners, and the car damage looks realistic. However, the lack of a car radio makes driving feel incredibly empty. Also, having to manage fuel and repairs is fine, but the lack of manual saves is just frustrating given how punishing the game is.
Graphics-wise, it’s decent for an AA title, but some textures are blurry. During dialogue, Samson’s mouth also doesn’t move at all, while the NPCs’ mouths do. But just like the biblical Samson, his power might lie in his hair—even without the “hairworks” setting enabled, his mane flows impressively while running, albeit a bit too rapidly.
Bugs are also hard to ignore at this point. I ran into a soft-lock right at the start where the objective marker wouldn’t show up and I was stuck in my apartment. A restart fixed it, but it shows the game needs more polish.
Final Thoughts
Samson is a jagged, inconsistent experience—arguably a classic case of “jack of all trades, master of none”. Tyndalston is a cool, cold environment, with a unique character damage system (bloody noses!). The voice acting is solid, and the soundtrack is a great mix of metal, synth, and chill beats. However, distracting from the experience are the lack of facial animations for the lead character, a fragmented story, and a massive imbalance between “too easy” missions and “too punishing” systems. In the end, it’s a game built on great ideas that haven’t quite landed yet.
Maybe Liquid Swords will patch everything, which would make a world of difference. For now, some will love the GTA vibes and the raw sandbox energy; others will despise the lack of polish. Currently, it’s a rough ride, but there’s definitely a soul in there somewhere.
Additional Information
Release Date: Apr 8, 2026
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Liquid Swords
Publisher: Liquid Swords
Official Website: The Samson
Relevant links: Available on STEAM
