Sequels are always a balancing act. Some of us want more of the same, while others demand fresh ideas. French developer Ishtar Games, however, seems to have found the perfect middle ground with its Dead In franchise, where every new entry shifts to a completely different environment, but the gameplay systems remain more or less the same.
The first game, Dead in Bermuda, placed players in charge of plane crash survivors, struggling against hunger, thirst, and interpersonal conflicts. Three years later, the series took a step back in time with Dead in Vinland, swapping palm trees for Vikings, but keeping the turn-based management gameplay intact. Since then, the franchise has been silent for seven years, and many of us thought it was dead and buried. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.
Because now it’s time to fight for survival once again, this time in outer space. Dead in Antares takes us to a hostile alien world brimming with dangers, from crystal forests to volcanic deserts and dense jungles. Just like before, players must balance resources, research new technologies, and manage everything from food and water to exhaustion and mental health, or risk losing their crew. And if you’re curious, a brand-new demo is live on Steam right now.
Have you played any of the previous Dead In games?