RIOT: Civil Unrest

RIOT: Civil Unrest

Released Feb 2019

As civil crisis deepens and inequality tears the very fabric of society the discontentment of the masses manifests itself in violent public disturbances and civil disorder. Play as the police or the angry horde as RIOT – Civil Unrest places you in some of the world’s most fractious disputes.

67% positive · 1,936 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence

Where to buy

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Evaluation

RIOT: Civil Unrest launched out of Early Access on February 12, 2019 with version 1.0, adding six new Workshop levels alongside numerous bug fixes and optimizations. A follow-up patch on March 4, 2019 delivered the previously promised Sci-Fi level. The most recent major content drop was on April 19, 2019, when five new "Protests of '68" Workshop levels — created in collaboration with students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna — were released. After that April 2019 post, there have been no further developer communications. The only paid DLC is the Soundtrack and Art Book, released February 25, 2019, with no unreleased DLC listed on the store. The developer made no announcements of additional content beyond what was already delivered, and no roadmap or future plans were communicated after the 1.0 launch period. With no outstanding commitments, no update pattern extending beyond mid-2019, and over seven years of silence since the last developer post, the game is best understood as a complete, finished product.
Evidence
Five new 'Protests of '68' Workshop levels released — the last developer communication on record.
news post · Apr 19, 2019 source content shipped
high
Game launched as version 1.0, leaving Early Access. Six new Workshop levels added alongside bug fixes and language updates.
news post · Feb 12, 2019 source content shipped
high

Content

1 of 1 released · no outstanding content

Media

Details

Publisher
Silver Lining Interactive
Achievements
10
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Not rated
Players
Single-player · Multiplayer · Co-op · PvP · Local/Split Screen

About this game


RIOT: Civil Unrest is a unique, thought-provoking experience that places you at the heart of some of the world’s most recent confrontations. Campaigns include: Indignados (Spain), Arab Spring (Egypt), Keratea (Greece) and NoTAV (Italy). Over thirty single level scenarios include: Gilets Jaunes protests in Paris, France; Financial reform protests in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Economic protests in Caracas, Venezuela; and the G20 Rote Flora clashes in Hamburg, Germany.

RIOT: Civil Unrest is a complex strategy game that sets players objectives for each scenario. It’s then up to the individual to choose how to tackle each situation, employing different strategies and tactics in order to achieve the perfect outcome. Discover if you can dispel an angry crowd or overcome a well-equipped militia with RIOT: Civil Unrest. Player performance is rated, aggression can lead to a quick, successful outcome but a softer approach may have the same resolution without damaging public opinion.

RIOT: Civil Unrest now boasts a powerful, Steam Workshop Editor that allows users to create and share their own scenarios too.

RIOT – Civil Unrest’s creator, Leonard Menchiari, experienced rioting first-hand at the NoTAV protests in Italy. He created the game to tell the stories and express the feelings experienced during these clashes. What triggers the crowd to behave with such anger and aggression? Often outnumbered, what does a police officer feel like during the conflict? RIOT – Civil Unrest presents the player with the opportunity to experience both sides of the fight - a fight in which there really are no winners. Who is right and who is wrong? Experience RIOT – Civil Unrest and draw your own conclusions.




Play as the Police

  • Employ numerous crowd-control tactics, both passive and aggressive.
  • Command Assault, Tactical, and Ballistic squads.
  • Call in police trucks, water cannon or even a tank!
  • Choose whether to use smoke grenades, rubber and plastic bullets or even live ammunition.

Play as the Rioters

  • Instruct Rioters (armed and passive) and Journalists.
  • Incite rage and cause the masses to act aggressively or try to calm the situation with tactical crowd reformation and retreats.
  • Attack authority with Molotov cocktails, fireworks, paper-bombs, rocks, street furniture and the power of the media.



Multiple Modes

  • Sixteen campaign levels split over four scenarios; Keratea (Greece), NoTAV (Italy), Indignados (Spain) and Arab Spring (Egypt).
  • See the story unfold from both sides - play all thirty-two levels as the Rioters or the Police.
  • Single player mode - play against the computer AI.
  • Versus mode – play with or against a friend or AI on the same computer.

Create your own Riots with the level editor

  • Name your riot, create a description of the event and add many other details (where, when, links etc.).
  • Add your own background images.
  • Place and edit sprites from a library with more than 700 objects.
  • Add lighting and weather effects, vehicles, particles effects and filters.
  • Customise the characters skins, clothes and gears.
  • Set your own gameplay rules defining the rebels and police teams and their objectives.
  • Share your levels on Steam Workshop!
Last evaluated Jun 28, 2026
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