Unfortunately, Evil Genius isn't part of my GOG.com history, but that also means that I had much more time to play it over the years. Since inception on my venerable PC many years ago, I've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours enjoying the simple but enjoyable premise of this game. You take on the titular role of one of three evil masterminds and, from there, build and layout a base to your own whims, adding such notable greats as minion training rooms, gold vaults, command centers, and the more practical mess halls and infirmaries. As agents of good try harder and harder to penetrate the security of your base, regrettably to some success, you yourself develop more and more goodies to combat them with. You unlock chains of dedicated minions in three tiers, from the lowly but useful construction workers to the important mercenaries and playboys. Minions themselves are divided into combat, social, and science chains; Each tree has advantages, and you'll need plenty of all three kinds to progress. Later on, when research comes to the fore, you'll find yourself waiting in anticipation for each crazy concoction of tests to finish to discover what new toy you've unlocked. Science minions, like all of your loyal subjects, mostly go about their own business. They wander your base at their own discretion, and take notes on technological finds, devices, and even stolen loot you've garnered in your travels. The results vary--some research gives you new gun racks, hidden turrets, or more efficient prison cells. Others unlock traps, like bees that inject their target with a nerve agent, or a giant outdoor tesla coil. Base building itself, and traps as well, are a large part of the game. For the dedicated professional, streamlining rooms and rooms together into a cohesive hidden lair is largely fun and time-consuming, as addictive to me as any game I've played, and, of course, can pay off with hilarious results, especially when you throw traps into the mix. Agents can be strung into trap chains for a monetray reward, if the personal enjoyment isn't enough, and cunning players can devise long-term strategies for devastating base designs. Evil Genius isn't without flaws. Sometimes, adding rooms becomes tricky; Late in the game, after much of your island is covered, it becomes difficult to add or remove rooms without causing major problems, as you can only add onto already built rooms, not remove from them, unless you delete the room entirely. The game's lack of direct control can also cause some excruciating moments, but then, I imagine any Bond villain who watches his lackeys prance about uselessly when he's literally right around the corner...well, I have sympathy for them, now. All told, however, Evil Genius is, for me, a perfectly matched game. If you enjoy building a base, plotting world domination and revenge, hiring a motley crew of right-hand men, looting the world's riches and setting up traps, then come on in, the evil's fine.
