If you’re a fan of GTA franchise and have a special soft spot for all things retro, you’ve undoubtedly already heard that since their last smash hit Retro City Rampage had appeared, Vblank Entertainment had been diligently working on its spiritual successor called Shakedown: Hawaii. The date for its official release has been set for the first quarter of 2019, but in the meantime, developers had recently released the first gameplay trailer for this pixelated open-world action adventure game which will whet your appetite and prepare you for some glorious retro-styled action. From the first seconds, the trailer exudes that special GTA vibe, with a whiff of irresistible 70s and 80s period piece cheesiness seen in Miami Vice, Magnum, P.I and other cult classics which deal with the law and charismatic though guys who break it.

In the best tradition of all those sources that served as an obvious inspiration for Shakedown: Hawaii, the game will be stacked with characters no less blindingly colorful than your average Hawaiian shirt. You’ll play the role of an aging company CEO with evidently shady past who desperately tries to adapt to the much-changed business conditions, but also that of his two inseparable sidekicks – his son, a DJ prone to mean gangsta beats (easily recognizable by a bright red punk hairdo) and his vaguely Italianate bruiser who seems like a reject from the Scarface movie casting.

Build your empire by cutting corners, misinterpreting the law, extortion, seizing other people’s business and, when all other sophisticated methods fail, using the good ol’ fashioned brute force, in the style of the best retro action games. The trailer shows some truly great arcade action as you cruise the city and destroy everything on your path for the sake of your failing business enterprise, but also many more subtle moments where you’ll need to use all your hard earned business savvy to overcome your competition, proving once and for all that you’ll need both brains and brawns if you want to survive in the cruel modern-day business world. The trailer clearly shows that your shady business exploits will take you through all corners of the city, on foot as well as behind the wheel of hijacked vehicles and boats in the true GTA fashion. The game will feature fully destructible environments since virtually nothing will be able to withstand your corporate fury. Shakedown: Hawaii will include full story mode and several arcade modes, as well as a bunch of other things in its vast and gorgeous pixelated world.

Don’t know about you but I’m all hyped up, and so will you be when you check out the trailer for this game. So slick back your hair, dress up in your best Hawaiian shirt and arm yourself with the right business attitude because the trailer for Shakedown: Hawaii promises something special indeed.