Permadeath
Ongoing coverage on Permadeath.
Latest coverage
I’ve Played (Almost) Every Zombie Game, And This New One Still Feels Excitingly Fresh
No More Room in Hell 2 has successfully launched its 1.0 version, offering a tense zombie survival experience for teams of eight. Despite some early access issues, the game now features thoughtful melee combat, a strong atmosphere, and a compelling permadeath system that enhances its life-or-death stakes. While gunplay and menu navigation on consoles are noted as weaknesses, the core co-op gameplay and social dynamics make it a standout in the genre.
Entropy, a deliciously miserable Final Fantasy-esque RPG where your party members can permanently die, is now out in early access
Entropy, a post-apocalyptic turn-based RPG from developer Lovely Hellplace, has launched in early access on PC. The game features Soulslike mechanics, permadeath for party members, and a narrative set in a miserable world, drawing comparisons to Final Fantasy and XCOM.
Phantom Blade Zero’s Difficulty Options Include a Unique Spin on Permadeath Mode
Phantom Blade Zero will feature multiple difficulty options, including a unique '66 Days Mode' which acts as a permadeath system tied to the game's narrative. The game is set to release on October 29th for PlayStation 5 and PC with a retail price of $59.99.
Phantom Blade Zero Gets New Trailer Showcasing PS5 Features
S-Game has released a new trailer for Phantom Blade Zero, highlighting its utilization of PlayStation 5 features such as DualSense adaptive triggers, 3D audio, and haptic feedback. The article also details the game's various difficulty modes, including a unique permadeath option called '66 Days', and outlines the PC system requirements for features like ray tracing.
No More Room in Hell 2’s 1.0 Update Introduces New Game Mode, Economy Overhaul, and More
Torn Banner Studios has released the 1.0 update for No More Room in Hell 2, marking its exit from Early Access. The update, titled Armageddon, introduces a new Survival game mode with unique maps, an objective-based Bunker map, and a solo mode. It also features a complete overhaul of the in-game economy, new items like the Rescue Beacon, assignments for earning Merits, a tutorial mode, and adjusted difficulty settings. The game is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S with a launch discount.
Star Wars Zero Company brings XCOM-style strategy to a galaxy far, far away
Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor, brings XCOM-style turn-based tactics to the Star Wars universe. Players lead a customizable mercenary group, facing permadeath and building bonds between characters. The game is set to release on August 27 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, though some performance concerns were noted in the preview build.
Star Wars Zero Company is a very safe XCOM descendant, but its most interesting parts are found in its Midnight Suns DNA
Star Wars Zero Company offers a familiar turn-based tactical experience reminiscent of XCOM, developed by veterans from Firaxis Games. While it successfully captures the core XCOM gameplay loop, including permadeath and strategic combat, its most innovative elements draw inspiration from Marvel's Midnight Suns, such as enhanced squad camaraderie and pre-battle interactions. Despite its strengths in squad management and build variety, the game's reliance on established mechanics and somewhat repetitive combat arenas temper expectations for it to significantly advance the genre.
There's only one Jedi Operator in Star Wars Zero Company, and reckless players may end up with none at all: 'Be careful that nothing unfortunate happens to her!'
Bit Reactor's upcoming tactics game, Star Wars Zero Company, will feature only one Jedi Operator, Tel-Rea, and permadeath mechanics mean players could lose her permanently. Lead designer James Brawley confirmed Tel-Rea is the sole Jedi Padawan class, emphasizing the need for players to protect her. While permadeath can be toggled off on easier difficulties, the game's narrative characters are vulnerable once introduced.
You only get one, permakillable Jedi Padawan in Star Wars Zero Company, but that's fine because I'm going to roll an R2-D2 deathsquad anyway
Star Wars Zero Company, a tactics RPG from Bit Reactor and Electronic Arts, features a permakillable Jedi Padawan named Tel-Rea, but allows players to field entire squads of R2-D2 units. The game will be a 30-40 hour linear experience with 12 classes, no plot branching, and no modding support. Players can choose to disable permadeath, and the game launches on August 27th.
"Once Darth Vader came for you, you were just going to die": We could have had an MMO about Jedi refugees hiding from the Empire, if Star Wars Galaxies had gone differently
Former Star Wars Galaxies director Raph Koster discusses the challenges of implementing Jedi characters in the MMORPG, including a proposed permadeath system where players would hide from the Empire and face Darth Vader. The game ultimately opted for a complex skill-based unlock system that proved difficult to implement and led to player dissatisfaction by forcing them to abandon preferred playstyles.
Playable Steam demo announced for 'Age of Legacy', an unforgiving 1v1 turn-based roguelike RPG
Chaotic Order Games has announced a playable Steam demo for Age of Legacy, an unforgiving 1v1 turn-based roguelike RPG. The demo will be available on July 10th, allowing players to experience the game's permadeath mechanic and intense tactical combat. The full game is being developed by a solo developer and will be self-published.
Beginner Build & Top Setups 2026 – Expert Game Reviews
This guide provides a robust beginner build for the game Stoneshard, focusing on a one-handed weapon, shield, and crossbow combination for survivability and effectiveness. It details essential skills, attribute allocation, and combat strategies, while also offering insights into more advanced setups and character choices for players looking to progress beyond the early game.
CORDURA ‘Gameplay Reveal’ trailer
Garage51 has released the gameplay reveal trailer for their upcoming cooperative psychological horror game, CORDURA. The trailer showcases the game's focus on paranoia and deception among up to four players within a procedurally generated Victorian mansion. CORDURA is set to release on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, with a release date yet to be announced.
The follow-up to one of my favorite RPGs of the 2020s finally has a demo, and it does not disappoint: Bat people, a mushroom hellscape, and funky JRPG combat from bizarro world 2005
Entropy, a JRPG from Lovely Hellplace, has released a playable demo on Steam with an early access launch date of August 18. The game features a party system with up to 14 members, permadeath mechanics reminiscent of Fire Emblem, and a unique combat system with row-based positioning. Its art style and unsettling atmosphere evoke mid-2000s JRPGs with a distinct, freakish spirit.
Star Wars Zero Company release date leaks ahead of Summer Game Fest, and its XCOM-ish star warring isn't too far, far away
Star Wars Zero Company, a turn-based strategy game from Bit Reactor and Respawn Entertainment, is reportedly set to release on August 27, 2026, according to a leak. The game will feature permadeath for units and is expected to cost $49.99 for the standard edition and $59.99 for the deluxe edition on PC.
The sequel to one of my favorite survival games doesn't just respawn you back at home when you die: that'd be…
Outward 2, the sequel to the challenging survival RPG, features a unique death mechanic where players don't simply respawn at home but wake up in an unknown location with potential injuries. The preview highlights the game's unforgiving nature, lack of quest markers, and the importance of careful preparation and strategic combat, contrasting it with typical survival game mechanics.
Don't Touch the Snail is an anti-cozy game that takes permadeath to the next level
Don't Touch the Snail is an 'anti-cozy' game that implements permadeath, meaning players cannot play again after dying. This extreme difficulty setting challenges traditional cozy game design.
Don't Touch the Snail to Announce Release Date
Don't Touch the Snail, a desktop overlay game with permadeath mechanics, will release on May 29, 2026, for PC via Steam. A new trailer announcing the release date drops on May 14th. The game, developed by Plastic Bag Hand Man and published by Both Good, has gained significant traction online due to its unique concept of a snail chasing the player's cursor.
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The roguelike deck-builder Slay the Spire features a permadeath mechanic where players must restart from the beginning upon defeat. This design choice, while punishing, is central to the game's strategic depth and replayability, forcing players to make every decision count.
True permadeath: You can never play this game again if you let its immortal snail assassin touch your mouse pointer
Don't Touch The Snail is a new PC game where players must avoid letting an immortal snail touch their mouse pointer, resulting in permanent death. The game's premise is inspired by a 2014 Rooster Teeth podcast discussion about a similar hypothetical scenario. The game is set to launch on Steam later this month.
