Stories from the Outbreak, a turn-based zombie roguelite RPG, has made its full release debut on Steam on February 20th, 2024. Developed by the Latvian indie game studio Coldwild Games, known for titles like Merchant of the Skies, Luna’s Fishing Garden, and the Lazy Galaxy series, this new game invites players into a harrowing world engulfed by a zombie apocalypse.
Set against the backdrop of the year 2020, the game begins as a deadly new disease ravages the globe, turning the dead into zombies that prey on the living. Players find themselves in Riga, the capital of Latvia, waking up to a world where societal structures have collapsed, and survival hinges on individual resilience and cunning. The narrative unfolds with the protagonist discovering that the police and military can no longer offer protection and that a solitary ferry to Iceland represents the last hope of escape.
Stories from the Outbreak distinguishes itself with several key features:
- Players can form a team of survivors, each with their own backstories and fates that unfold based on decisions made during the game.
- The game emphasizes character interaction, with team members expressing divergent views that can influence their chances of reaching the safety of the ferry.
- Survival involves exploring various maps in search of shelter and supplies while managing the group’s resources and morale.
- Combat is inevitable, with over 15 unique types of zombies to confront, requiring strategic thinking and resource management.
Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, Stories from the Outbreak combines pixel art aesthetics with atmospheric storytelling, offering a rich and immersive experience. Players are encouraged to delve into this survival adventure, facing moral dilemmas and tactical challenges as they navigate through a world teetering on the brink of oblivion.
The game’s launch is accompanied by a new trailer shared below alongside information about the game via its Steam page.
The year is 2020. A new virus – the New Death – has begun turning people into violent zombies. The government has collapsed, and a brutal paramilitary group has taken control over most of Latvia. The streets are not safe, and the police or army will not protect you.
You turn the radio on. The military is announcing that one last ferry will be heading out to Iceland from the western shore. Escape will be granted to those with enough fuel for the entry fee, and enough courage to attempt the journey across zombie-infested Latvia.Stories from the Outbreak is a turn-based roguelike zombie RPG. The combat is heavily strategic, allowing customisation in team composition and character progression, and the game features dozens of trinkets that provide passive bonuses following the best roguelike design practices. Between combats, you must make decisions about traversing the landscape, and written events force you to navigate the moral complexities of surviving in a hostile environment.
Features
- Form a team of survivors, each with unique abilities and personalities. Decide the fates of your team members as you go
- A wide selection of trinkets and abilities allows creative approaches to strategy, and the random element of roguelikes keeps the game fresh through many playthroughs
- Over 25 enemy types combine into hundreds of different encounters that will push your tactical thinking to its limits
- Search for supplies and face moral dilemmas in an event system where your choices matter
- Over 80 000 words of written content explore the lore of the Outbreak and the backstories of the various characters, and hidden surprises await even as you keep replaying the game
- Late-game replayability is reinforced by unlocking new trinkets (permanent progression) and various challenge modes
In this brutal world, not all of the people are going to survive. Not every team is going to make it. This is how it is intended to be.
