HIROTONFA's American Revolution Smuggler is releasing in Steam Early Access on September 24. This merchant sim features dice-based ship combat and combines it with dating-sim elements.
Players take on the role of Mr. Law, a debt-ridden Connecticut ex-lawyer who has to sail from Quebec City to Spanish Louisiana. They'll have to buy low and sell high while at the same time dodge British blockades. They also have to build relationships with anthropomorphic colonial states. Each state-chan runs the shop at their port, has a distinct personality, and can be romanced through a social stat system.
The Early Access build for HIROTONFA's American Revolution Smuggler contains the complete campaign, which means it's playable from spring to winter. There is also four completable romance routes which are Loyalist-chan, Patriot-chan, Louisiana-chan and Florida-chan. Around 10 are planned for the 1.0 release, which should be sometime in 2027.
The game draws mechanical inspiration from different title. These include Recettear (trading), 100% Orange Juice (dice combat), Sid Meier's Pirates (sailing), FTL (crew management), and the Persona series (social stats and dating). HIROTONFA's American Revolution Smuggler features dynamic war events that shift prices and blockades, faction alignment between Patriots and Loyalists, and mini-games including boxing, horse racing, and baseball.
Launch Bundles
When HIROTONFA's American Revolution Smuggler launches in Early Access, it's going to be offered in Steam bundles with six other titles. For those who already own the featured game, they can get the bundle at a reduced price. The game launches at $19.99 with a 10% launch discount, in the 250th anniversary year of the American Revolution.
The Launch Bundles are:
- In Debt We Trust – with Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale (EasyGameStation)
- On a Roll – with 100% Orange Juice (Orange_Juice / Fruitbat Factory)
- The Liberty Sapling Bundle – with Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (Moonsprout Games)
- God Save the Fist – with FIGHT KNIGHT (Team Sorcerobe)
- The Bubble Bundle – with STONKS-9800 (TERNOX)
- Untitled – with Peripeteia (9th Exodus)
The game is being made by solo developer HIROTONFA. This American cartoonist has a portfolio that includes the comics Blu Rivers Revolution and Ponte Historia, UI art for Peripeteia, and designs for Starspanner RPG and The Eastern Flower. This is his first commercial release. A demo of HIROTONFA's American Revolution Smuggler is available on Steam.