The year 2026 is going to be a huge one for gaming, with several eye-catching titles coming out on various platforms. Samson: A Tyndalston Story has somewhat flown under the radar, but the brutal open-world action game could be a hit.
Not many gritty sandbox action titles are released these days, so Samson could be a breath of fresh air. The game looks exceptional from the screens and trailer, but will Liquid Swords deliver the goods?
Gripping Story & Brutal Gameplay
The Samson: A Tyndalston Story plot centres around the character Samson McCray, who must pay off a dangerous debt by any means necessary. The game will take place in the fictional city of Tyndalston in the 90s.
Liquid Swords was founded by Christofer Sundberg, who knows a thing or two about action games. He co-founded Avalanche Studios and was the creative director of the early Just Cause titles and 2015’s Mad Max.
Samson: A Tyndalston Story will follow a mission structure and will have open-world elements. The game will have action points, which will limit daily activities and create permanent consequences, making the title extremely unique.
McCray will go up against various enemies around the city as he focuses on survival and races against time to repay his debt to the criminal underworld. Every choice you make will have an impact on how Samson’s story unfolds.
The brutal combat is arguably the most eye-catching aspect of Samson: A Tyndalston Story. The trailer showed off several intense fights, with environmental interaction being key. There will be few guns in the game, with the protagonist focusing on melee combat above all else.
Another key gameplay mechanic will be driving, with cars being a huge part of the game. Players can use vehicles as a form of combat, ploughing into enemies in high-speed chases. Expect vehicle-based jobs and missions and the option to drive any car in the game.
How Will Samson: A Tyndalston Story Compare to the Likes of GTA?
Games like Samson are instantly compared to Grand Theft Auto. However, despite being open world like GTA and gritty like Max Payne 3 – another popular Rockstar title – A Tyndalston Story is very much its own thing.
Samson could be right up there with the very best open-world action games of 2026, especially as GTA 6 could see a third delay to 2027. Liquid Swords’ title may be the perfect game to get stuck into while we wait for Rockstar’s next masterpiece.
A host of GTA clones have been released over the years, with some faring better than others. The latest Mafia games have been highly praised, while Sleeping Dogs is regarded as a sleeper hit by fans of the genre.
The bleak Tyndalston setting could be similar to GTA 4’s tenacious Liberty City, while the free-roam driving is like any GTA game. However, while Grand Theft Auto gives players pure freedom, Samson offers no do-overs, and a daily quota must be met.
Is Samson a PC Exclusive & When Will It Launch?
Samson: A Tyndalston Story is not a PC exclusive, though it will be available first on PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam. The developer wants to focus on PC first before eventually bringing the experience to consoles.
A PS5 edition is planned for a later release, and the game is likely to show up on Xbox at some point. It will be fascinating to see whether there will be a Nintendo Switch 2 version down the line, as on-the-go gameplay would suit this title perfectly.
The game will arrive on Steam and the Epic Games Store in early 2026, although an official date has yet to be confirmed.
