Steam trains and steamboats are coming to the hardcore city builder, as 3Division and Hooded Horse’s game adds an older era to the mix.

Beginning in the turbulent ’30s, build the foundations of your glorious Soviet Republic and lead it through a period of rapid industrialization and centralization. Confront the era’s limitations, explore technologies that revolutionized the world, and plant the roots of a nation that will stand for decades to come. Whether you choose to start your republic in the newly available 30s, 40s, or 50s, or choose to start in the later decades of the base game, Early Start brings a lot to the table.

A host of new vehicles in all categories, from steam locomotives and period railcars to streetcars, trucks, and buses, will have you planning your cities around the weaker engines and slower speeds of the time, making sure your citizens can still get where they need to go on time and in style! Newly added cargo, construction, and emergency vehicles round out your options, including additional aircraft, ships, and more – with over 90 new vehicles, including variants, there are many new options to choose from between Soviet and NATO designs.

Coal is more important than ever! Take on the additional logistical considerations surrounding the steam engine to power the all-important machines of the time, from steam-powered track builders to locomotives and more. Explore a selection of new buildings that better reflect the architectural styles and limitations of the time – rely on brick residential districts and government infrastructure buildings until modern construction techniques are developed, and choose from alternate versions of cultural and tourist buildings for your citizens and foreigners to enjoy. Be warned – older, less efficient buildings will often have lower throughput and produce more pollution, but they’ll be easier to build in the early years of your burgeoning republic because they rely on more readily available building materials.

Limitations of the time can be overcome with the help of technological and cultural advances. From the modernization of the railroad to the rise of architectural styles like Brutalism and Soviet Modernism, shape your nation’s capabilities with the help of its brightest minds! Some technologies can only be unlocked after certain years to reflect historical realities – plan your progress with these global cultural and social movements in mind. Pursue the construction of iconic monuments to celebrate your proud Republic and inspire loyalty among the people.

Found your Republic on two all-new maps – whether you choose to start with an existing population, empty buildings, or a blank map, Moscow and St. Petersburg await the guiding hand of an illustrious leader to bring them into the modern age. Or take on the challenge of these earlier decades on any other map available in the game! Take on new eras in the early days of the Five-Year Plans to build a glorious republic that will stand the test of time!

Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic’s Early Start DLC will be released on May 22nd for PC, and it certainly makes the earlier decade feel authentic.

Source: PCGamer