Xenopurge is a tactical auto-battler where you are a Commander tasked with purging the Xenos threat. Operate from a remote command center, issuing indirect orders via multi-screen interfaces. Plan routes, set priorities, and adapt as missions escalate and feel the true weight of being in command.
Developed by: Traptics
Played on: Steam
Length: 1 hour (per run)
A review key was provided by Pirate PR.
I love it when a game genre evolves, innovates, and dares to explore possibilities, bringing the genre to a space that no other developer would have envisioned. Xenopurge does exactly that by bringing unit management, roguelites, and horror together in a new light. Do not get me wrong, there are already these elements in games like Darkest Dungeon but Xenopurge does it differently by practising “show don’t tell” with its simple graphics and gameplay input. The game, though simple in nature, is deceptive in its depth as it slowly reveals itself to be something far more tactical in nature.
If you are expecting flashy explosions, detailed character models, sweeping story arcs, and overwhelming gameplay, you may have to look elsewhere. But if you enjoy issuing orders, watching systems unfold, and feeling like a real commander rather than a frontline hero, then Xenopurge might just scratch that very specific itch.
Xenopurge puts you in the chair of the “Commander” in control of a squad tasked with eliminating alien infestations while collecting task objectives. Simple to understand but hard to master, as there won’t be direct control over the squad but instead, you as the “Commander” will be issuing orders to the squad that they will follow.
Unlike traditional squad control or tactical games like XCOM or BattleTech, all you see in the game is a map where you will be issuing orders in real time while your squad will try to follow them to the letter. There is a pause option but the order will only be executed in real time once the play button is pressed, thus delivering the tension in real time. While your squad might split to cover more ground, or move together as a team as the time ticks down, the decisions you make will keep you on your toes when the aliens spawn and come from different directions to hinder you from your objective.
Therefore, everything plays out in controlled and tactical manner as you observe, assess and execute orders to your squad to take the most optimal routes or actions to complete the objectives within the time limit. The horror and pressure does not come from jump scares or horrific graphics, but from the decisions you make to issue orders to your squad. Did you cover that blind spot? Was it a mistake to send the medic alone? This horror comes from decisions instead of graphics and that is the game’s main pull.
The main gameplay of issuing orders and seeing your squad follow them to completion is both satisfying and inspiring. There is something uniquely enjoyable about planning a room breach, positioning your units carefully, and watching the execution unfold exactly as intended. When things go right, it feels earned, and when things go wrong, it is almost always because of your oversight or error in decision.
The game requires patience, awareness and adjustment on the go while punishing carelessness and rashness, thus requiring a good assessment and fine-tuning to what is happening on the map. I appreciate that the game does not try to be an action shooter or a tactical turn-based game but stands on its own gameplay, fully committing to the “Commander” experience.
The second thing I love is the horror and tension that comes from the atmosphere. The game has a great use of sound design, radio chatter and minimal visuals, immersing you in the Commander’s chair away from the fight, seeing your squad dying to your mistakes. Allowing the player the freedom to imagine what is happening on the ground while you lack the visual image, relying solely on the map and your squad’s radio feedback, is a unique take on the horror genre. The game also has huge replay value, being a roguelite with randomized maps, exclusive squads, different challenges and upgrade paths.
On the other hand, the simple graphics, though not detrimental, is obviously very simple. The map lacks intricate details with lines and words to represent the squad or aliens, and that can sometimes bring you out of the experience as you’ll only be staring at the map throughout most of the game. The only graphics that you get to see are the faces off your squad, which tend to be generic character designs that you will soon forget at the end of the run, as there is nothing unique about their design.
The aliens and environments are functional in nature rather than atmospheric, thus the only thing fuelling the player’s nightmare is the sound design and the mistakes that the player makes. Though I understand the minimalist design is reminiscence of the Alien franchise which emphasises more on positioning and information, but the lack of visual horror does get tired after awhile.
For those looking for a deep narrative experience, the game does suffer from a lack of lore besides a few tidbits here and there. Games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring can get away with this due to visual storytelling in the environment and enemies, while lore from items and journals fill in the missing bits. Long gone are the days when roguelites can be remiss of story or lore when games like Hades and Monster Train exists.
At the moment, the story seems to justify the missions but not enough to immerse yourself in finding out why we’re commanding this squad, and to what end we’re clearing the aliens here on this planet. There is a mystery, but not enough stakes or world building for me as the player to care.
Verdict: 6 Pies out of 10
Xenopurge as a game takes great direction in innovating and exploring the design space in the roguelite genre, but misses a few core things to make it truly great. It has structure but lacks personality, and because of that, I give the game a good 6 pies out of 10. If you enjoy tactical thinking and structured systems, Xenopurge is worth your time; even if the game does not look the part.
