New, brutally hard RPG feels like a 2D version of Fallout and Stalker 2

Fallout, Wasteland, and Stalker are three of the most influential game series to come out in the medium's history. Each of them has spawned a number of successful sequels, from Fallout 76 to Wasteland 3 and Stalker 2, while also inspiring a variety of post-apocalyptic games, like Rage 2, Surviving the Aftermath, and Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone. One of the most intriguing of the games set to continue this trend is Scavland, a 2D pixel art project that you can now try out for yourself thanks to the launch of its new demo on Steam.

Scavland takes clear inspiration from Stalker and Metro, but the survival game also resembles the original Fallout entries in its top-down perspective. As a character called Vulture, the player sets out into a ruined expanse of alternate history Soviet era wasteland in an attempt to survive ever present danger and make a profit from the devastation.

Its pixel art visuals are an immediate draw, but there are intriguing game systems supporting them. There's combat, fought with limited ammo and faulty guns, against enemy humans and mutant creatures. There's also trading to take part in and contracts to accept when visiting settlements, factions to meet, as well as a story to uncover while enduring constant threats on the way to a promised utopia far to the east of the starting region.

Scavland is set to launch soon in Early Access on Steam, though its demo is live now. You can wishlist, find more details, or download its demo right here.

Otherwise, you can find more like Scavland with our picks for the best apocalypse games and best RPG games already out on PC.

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