Outbreak: Shades of Horror

At the moment, I can't recommend this game. It's very ambitious, but the use of AI art in the game is really frustrating. I think the developer should disclose the use of AI art, even if being used as a "placeholder."

Inspired by retro survival horror from the '90s and '00s. Blends bleeding edge tech and modern gameplay mechanics with archaic concepts from the roots of survival horror, like a restricted inventory, heavy resource management, and crushing difficulty. Harrowing beginning of a full-scale Zombie Apocalypse, as it descends on the Midwestern city of Cypress Ridge. Start from (relative) safety of the beloved local movie theater, Cypress Reel. Cast of 9 characters, with loads more on the way, then venture into city fundamentally changed, goal to survive, outlast mysterious horrors.

I'm a Kickstarter Backer for this game. Dead Drop Studios has really stepped up its game. The fact that they have added co-op is huge, which really aims to be a modern Resident Evil Outbreak alternative. Co-op is accessible through the Hub, which allows you to access the majority of the game's content. There are multiple game modes. Currently, it is Raid Mode (think Resident Evil Raid Mode) and Invasion Modes (think tower defense). There are plenty of maps for these modes. However, the best map in the game is the Dinobreak Raid Mode map, which is selectable in the Hub by going into the bathroom on the right! PSA: Play the Dinobreak/Contagious Memories map!!! DDS cooked with this map, seriously! The Story mode is coming, starting in Spring 2026. There should be about 4-6 more episodes. You can level characters up to increase stats by completing daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. There are also a ton of cosmetics to unlock. There is a lot to do at the moment. However, once the story mode scenarios come, this game will fire on all cylinders. As a bonus, the prequel Chromatic Split is included as an Enhanced Edition along with the Trials of Hank mini-campaign. It plays much better…

This is shaping up to be the best Outbreak game from Dead Drop. I originally found out about this series by backing this Kickstarter then going back through the catalogue, and this is really a generational leap forward. The movement, shooting, and so much of the moment to moment game feel has been heavily improved upon since Dinobreak/Contagious Memories. In its current form, it's a silly fun multiplayer title that is fun to hop in with some friends. In early access, most of the story isn't available yet. You can play through a (~5-8 hour) prologue as Lydia, but the main story is still forthcoming. If you prefer traditional survival horror, the story mode is really where it's at for a single player experience where you have to think about using resources and playing it safe. So, if that's what you're looking for, you can definitely enjoy it now, but you may want to pause for a while before going back for round two. In its current state though, hop on and the bonus modes are a good time. Turn your brain off, run around, shoot stuff, and yell at your friends for getting in the way.

I can't personally play, because Steam Deck and my laptop don't have the VRAM to run it, but I've been following the studio for a few years, and this game since I heard about it. What I was able to run before my cheap system crashed was absolutely beautiful, and the community is amazing, so I'm content to wait for a console release or until I get a better system to run it on. I recommend Shades of Horror because it's a labor of love by a small team, and it shows they've put their all into it. EDIT: As of the second patch, Shades of Horror is now playable on both my laptop and Steam Deck. I played a round of Raid Mode, and was doing rather well, and having fun, until the enemies decided I was their new tetherball. I haven't jumped back in yet, due to time issues, but it's great so far.

Good