Platypus Entertainment’s MISERY, a co-op rogue-lite survival game inspired by Lethal Company and Stalker, is out now on Steam for $9.99. Developed by a 19-year-old solo developer and published by Ytopia, it builds on momentum from a strong Steam Next Fest showing where its demo ranked near the top for most played.
Every run begins with a 60-second scramble to scavenge supplies before a nuclear bomb drops. Survive the blast, retreat to your bunker, and prepare for the next excursion into the Zaslavie Exclusion Zone—an ever-shifting landscape of abandoned military bases, derelict research stations, radioactive wastelands, and ruined cities.
Exploration revolves around risk-versus-reward. Players salvage resources, hunt for valuable artifacts, and thread their way past mutants and volatile anomalies. These anomalies are unpredictable—some grant boons, others deal damage—and they often conceal rare artifacts with unique effects that can dramatically change the course of a run.
Back at the bunker, progression hinges on smart upgrades and long-term planning. You can install generators—gas, solar, or the delightfully odd gnome-powered option—set up crafting stations, grow food, cook meals, and even decorate the space with trophies from successful raids. Each improvement helps you push farther into hostile territory on the next outing.
Survival isn’t just about gear. You’ll manage hunger, thirst, radiation sickness, and stress. Neglecting stress in particular has consequences: high levels can trigger hallucinations and paranoia, raising the stakes when you’re already on edge in a dark corridor or a storm-lashed wasteland.
Co-op is central to MISERY’s identity. Teams fan out to explore, cover each other in skirmishes, and share those tense, post-mission decompressions inside the bunker. The social dynamic—watching a teammate’s back, divvying up loot, and making snap calls under pressure—shapes each expedition as much as the procedural maps do.
MISERY aims to blend the oppressive atmosphere and emergent danger of classic post-apocalyptic sandboxes with approachable session-based runs. With procedural locales, artifact-driven builds, and a bunker that steadily evolves, it’s designed for repeat dives into the Exclusion Zone, whether you’re coordinating with friends or onboarding newcomers to the genre.
