Xenopurge dropped on November 20, 2025, and it’s already sitting at 92% positive reviews on Steam. This tactical auto-battler from Greek developer Traptics puts you in the role of a remote commander directing squads through alien-infested facilities. Think Lieutenant Gorman from Aliens, minus the incompetence. You watch from your command center as marines fight for their lives based on the orders you give them, and the tension is real.
You’re Not in the Fight But You Feel Every Second
The genius of Xenopurge is its perspective. You don’t directly control soldiers on the battlefield. Instead, you operate from a command center surrounded by screens and data feeds, issuing orders from a list of available commands. Your squad executes those orders autonomously while you monitor their status, manage resources, and try to keep everyone alive long enough to complete the mission.
This design choice creates incredible tension. You watch helplessly as alien contacts appear on sensors, knowing your soldiers are about to face something horrible and you can only give them general directions. The retro-futuristic interface filled with CRT monitors and green phosphor displays nails the aesthetic from 1980s sci-fi horror. Every beep and crackle of static reinforces that you’re commanding troops remotely through unreliable technology while they’re stuck in those dark corridors.
How the Gameplay Actually Works
Xenopurge is a tactical auto-battler with roguelite structure. You select a squad with specific starting loadouts, then proceed through procedurally generated missions with branching paths. Each mission presents different objectives like search and destroy, escort, extraction, or recovery operations. Your soldiers move and fight automatically, but you issue commands that shape their behavior and tactics.
The command system lets you tell your squad to advance aggressively, hold position, focus fire on specific targets, use special equipment, or retreat when things go sideways. You’ll upgrade soldiers between missions with new weapons, gear, and abilities. The game includes a tactical pause feature so you can assess situations and queue up multiple commands when the action gets overwhelming.
Runs take about 60 minutes to complete, making Xenopurge perfect for quick gaming sessions. The roguelite structure means permadeath is real, but you unlock persistent upgrades that expand your command abilities and squad options. Even failed runs make you a better commander.
Four Different Squads With Unique Mechanics
Xenopurge launched with four distinct squads, each offering completely different playstyles. The full release added the Bioweave Cell squad and gave each squad four variants, creating 16 possible starting loadouts.
| Squad Type | Special Mechanics |
|---|---|
| Standard Marines | Balanced loadout with conventional weapons and tactics |
| Synthetic Squad | Robot soldiers with enhanced durability and unique command options |
| Bioweave Cell | Collects enemy DNA to unlock bio-modifications and evolve abilities |
| Squad Variants | Four variants per squad with different starting gear and tactical approaches |
The Bioweave Cell squad stands out as the most interesting addition. These soldiers harvest genetic material from killed aliens, using that DNA to mutate and gain new abilities during runs. It’s a risk-reward system where getting close to enemies pays off with powerful bio-modifications, but also puts your squad in more danger. Watching your soldiers evolve into alien-human hybrids as missions progress adds another layer to the already tense gameplay.
What Makes Xenopurge Special
Xenopurge won Most Innovative Game at Indie X 2025 and became a finalist for Best Innovation at DevGAMM 2025. Those awards make sense once you play it. The game takes the auto-battler genre, which usually focuses on fast-paced action and quick decisions, then slows everything down and adds overwhelming dread.
The atmosphere deserves special mention. Dark spaceships filled with flickering lights, narrow corridors, and sensor blips create constant tension. The sound design is phenomenal. You hear your soldiers breathing heavily over comms, weapons firing in the distance, and alien screeches echoing through metal halls. When a squad member dies, their scream cuts through your headphones before their vital signs flatline on your command screen. It’s brutal.
The control scheme is deliberately minimalist. You can play with keyboard only, controller, or mouse, but keyboard feels the best. Issuing rapid commands through hotkeys while monitoring multiple screens captures that frantic commander experience perfectly. The interface is clean and readable despite all the retro visual effects, ensuring you always understand the tactical situation even when things go wrong.
Full Release Content
Xenopurge spent five months in Early Access before the November 20 full release. The development team at Traptics used player feedback to shape the final version, adding features the community requested. The 1.0 launch included:
- Complete story campaign with narrative progression
- Multiple difficulty levels for different skill ranges
- The Bioweave Cell squad with DNA harvesting mechanics
- Four variants per squad offering 16 starting loadouts
- Additional commands expanding tactical options
- New weapons and gear to unlock through progression
- Tactical pause feature for strategic planning
- Balance changes addressing Early Access feedback
- Steam Deck compatibility with full controller support
What Reviews Are Saying
The critical response to Xenopurge has been overwhelmingly positive. TheSixthAxis called it an auto-battler well worth picking up, praising how it captures the tense feeling of keeping a squad alive as odds get increasingly worse. The review highlighted that Xenopurge succeeds at making you feel the weight of command decisions.
LifeisXbox noted the game has a retro aesthetic with an easy-to-learn but difficult-to-master control scheme that creates addictive gameplay loops. Indie Game Picks described it as an obvious labor of love from developers passionate about both the subject matter and game design. Their review mentioned that while the first run felt clunky due to unconventional gameplay, it quickly grew on them and they couldn’t imagine it working any other way.
The Steam user reviews sitting at 92% positive tell a similar story. Players consistently praise the atmosphere, tactical depth, and how well the game runs on Steam Deck for quick tactical sessions. The $12.49 price point feels right for the amount of content and replayability.
Who Xenopurge Is For
This game targets a specific audience. If you loved Aliens, Warhammer 40K Space Hulk, or games like Duskers and FTL, Xenopurge hits that same vibe. It’s for players who enjoy tactical decision-making over twitch reflexes, who appreciate atmosphere as much as mechanics, and who don’t mind permadeath when it serves the larger roguelite structure.
The game respects your time with 60-minute runs instead of demanding multi-hour commitments. Each mission takes about 20 minutes, making it easy to squeeze in a quick session. The procedural generation ensures no two runs feel identical, while the unlockable squads and persistent upgrades provide clear progression goals.
Developer Background
Traptics is a small indie studio based in Athens, Greece, founded in 2012. Their previous title was Homeseek, a post-apocalyptic strategy game released in 2023. The team specializes in finding unique twists on tactical and strategy genres, and that philosophy shines through in Xenopurge.
Publisher Firesquid focuses exclusively on strategy titles, positioning themselves as a developer-focused publisher that helps teams realize their vision. Their hands-off approach clearly worked here, letting Traptics create something genuinely innovative instead of forcing the game into a more conventional mold.
FAQs
When did Xenopurge release?
Xenopurge launched in full 1.0 version on November 20, 2025, after spending five months in Early Access starting from July 11, 2025. It’s available exclusively on PC through Steam.
How much does Xenopurge cost?
The game is priced at $12.49 USD or regional equivalent. It frequently goes on sale, with a 30% discount appearing shortly after launch. There’s also a free demo available on Steam if you want to try before buying.
What kind of game is Xenopurge?
Xenopurge is a tactical auto-battler roguelite with sci-fi horror elements. You command squads remotely as they fight through procedurally generated alien-infested facilities, making strategic decisions while your soldiers execute orders autonomously.
Does Xenopurge work on Steam Deck?
Yes, Xenopurge runs seamlessly on Steam Deck with full controller support. The game is designed for quick 60-minute runs, making it perfect for portable play. Reviews specifically praise how well it performs on the Deck.
How long does a run take in Xenopurge?
A complete run takes approximately 60 minutes, with individual missions lasting around 20 minutes each. This makes the game perfect for quick gaming sessions or extended play depending on your available time.
What squads are available in Xenopurge?
The full release includes four squad types: Standard Marines, Synthetic Squad, Bioweave Cell, and additional unlockable options. Each squad has four variants, giving you 16 different starting loadouts with unique tactical approaches.
Is Xenopurge like Aliens the movie?
Yes, Xenopurge is heavily inspired by Aliens, specifically the command center scenes where Lieutenant Gorman directs marines through helmet cameras. The game captures that same tension of watching soldiers fight for survival while you issue orders remotely.
Does Xenopurge have permadeath?
Yes, soldiers can die permanently during missions, and failed runs end your attempt. However, the roguelite structure means you unlock persistent upgrades, new commands, and additional squad options that carry over between runs.
Can I play Xenopurge with keyboard only?
Absolutely. The game supports keyboard, mouse, and controller, but keyboard-only controls are recommended by players and reviewers. Hotkey commands for issuing orders feel more responsive and immersive than clicking through menus.
Conclusion
Xenopurge succeeds by doing something different with the auto-battler formula. Instead of fast-paced action, it delivers slow-burn tension where every command matters and every soldier death hits hard. The retro-futuristic presentation, inspired by Aliens and Space Hulk, creates an atmosphere that few indie games achieve. Traptics clearly understands what made those properties work and translated those elements into compelling tactical gameplay. The 92% positive Steam reviews and industry awards validate what’s immediately obvious once you start playing. This isn’t a game trying to compete with big-budget releases or appeal to everyone. It’s a focused experience designed for players who want tactical depth, genuine tension, and the satisfaction of outsmarting alien threats through careful planning. At $12.49, Xenopurge offers incredible value for the amount of replayability and polish. The procedural generation, multiple squads with distinct mechanics, and roguelite progression create a loop that keeps pulling you back for one more run. Whether you have 20 minutes for a quick mission or an hour for a full campaign attempt, the game respects your time while delivering consistently tense tactical scenarios. If you’ve been waiting for a game that makes you feel like the guy in the chair directing desperate operations against overwhelming odds, Xenopurge is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Just don’t blame the developers when you hear your squad screaming through the comms as everything goes wrong. That’s part of the experience.