Here's when new Peaky Blinders video game 'Mastermind' is released, and what it's all about

A new video game is aiming to take players inside the world of Peaky Blinders as they take control of a cast of characters to scheme their way through different scenarios inspired by the hit show.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is a puzzle-adventure game based on the TV show, in which players pull the strings as Tommy Shelby and his gang seek to take control of the streets of Birmingham.

Here’s everything you need to know about it:

What is Peaky Blinders: Mastermind?

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Described as a “crafty, credible, and most importantly creative” take on the world of Peaky Blinders, Mastermind is set just before the events of the first series as players join the Shelby family's criminal organisation as they discover a sinister plot to put Tommy out of business.

The game “taps directly into Tommy's talent for planning complex scenarios in his head,” say the game’s publishers Curve Digital, with players forming strategies by taking control of key members of the Shelby family.

They call the game “part action, part puzzle, part adventure, but all inventive.”

What do you do in it?

In Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, players will take control of an ensemble cast of characters, synchronising and planning out the methods needed to solve increasingly complex puzzles.

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Players will be able to freely set and rewind each character's path in order to tune all of their actions for the perfect coordination, tactically utilising characters and stealth.

James Marsden – the game’s director – explained that a very specific moment from the series inspired the creation of the game.

“There’s a point in the show where Tommy Shelby explains he has no concern for the past, nor the future,” he said, “all he cares about is a crucial moment he recalls the soldier’s minute We designed our game around that idea.

“The player gets to feel like the smart and sophisticated leader that Tommy is, so we think becoming the mastermind will resonate with fans of the show and gamers alike.”

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The game’s central mechanic allows players to directly control Tommy, Arthur, Polly, John, Ada, and Finn across one looping timeline, and opens up unique gameplay possibilities, stylishly brought to life with a unique art style.

How tied to the series is it?

There’s often scepticism about licensed titles,” says Simon Byron, Publishing Director at Curve Digital. “We’ve worked really hard to ensure this is a game which stands within the Peaky Blinders universe, whilst bringing something completely fresh and original.”

Despite its own unique style, the game is determined to feel like part of the universe, with Feverist, the U.K. art-rock band who were involved in the soundtrack to Peaky Blinders’ first series, creating an original bespoke soundtrack for the game.

Peaky Blinders’ creator and writer Steven Knight has even weighed in, saying: “With the launch of the Peaky Blinders: Mastermind game we are inviting you to enter that world and take part in it, live in it and take your place beside the Shelby family as they fight for their very survival.

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“You’re going to have to be as smart as Tommy, as tough as Arthur, as ruthless as Polly. Good luck and remember, you really are a Peaky Blinder now.”

When can I play it?

At the time of writing, no concrete release date for Peaky Blinders: Mastermind has been given, other than “later in 2020.”

The game will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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