Stealth RPG fans, take note – Deserter by Askalot Games wants you to feel like a real-life renegade. Now out for free on Steam, Deserter is a tactics-driven, immersive RPG where you play as John Holden, an AWOL soldier struggling to escape a military camp in the heart of a dystopian war zone. Here, you don’t fight your way out. You vanish, cheat, and steal. It’s brains over brawn in a 2025 release that’s refreshing if you’ve had your fill of action-heavy blockbusters.
In this game, your goal isn’t glory – it’s survival. The systems are deep: over 100 skills and talents to learn, a full RPG progression tree, and the freedom to try everything from picking locks to flipping breakers, stealing from the kitchens, or bribing suspicious guards. Deserter is open-ended enough for you to chart your own route to freedom or disaster. Wits, timing, and clever gadget use take priority over killing or brute force.
Gameplay Depth and Player Choice
Deserter’s heart is in its freedom. You aren’t pushed into direct confrontation. Most guards can be tricked, avoided, or outmaneuvered through clever stealth tactics. Some situations can be handled non-lethally or, if you prefer, with violence – but making noise can seal your fate fast. Your actions genuinely matter, with branching choices shaping how your escape story plays out each run.
The game is structured as an open-ended sandbox. You break and enter, steal food to keep up your strength, disable alarms, crack safes, and navigate unpredictable patrol routes. The skill system lets you specialize in areas like electronics, lockpicking, pickpocketing, survival, or forced entry. You choose which skills to invest in, making every run feel different.
Dark Setting and Atmosphere
Set in a bleak, war-torn landscape, Deserter positions you as an outlaw with nothing to lose. The story presents a world of scarcity, betrayal, and overlapping dangers – enemy soldiers, hunger, environmental hazards, and suspicion from everyone around you. Nighttime offers the best protection, letting you use the darkness to slip unseen through camps and streets. Atmospheric audio cues and stark visuals add tension, delivering the kind of pulse-pounding immersion stealth fans crave.
Unlike lighter ‘heist’ games, Deserter leans into its gritty realism. You have to monitor your stamina, hunger, and health, using stolen food or medical supplies to keep going. Every move out of cover risks instant detection, and players get feedback from patrol patterns, line-of-sight markers, and sound cues. If you’re spotted and the alarm goes off, punishment is harsh – so the stakes always stay high.
Skill-Based Progression
With over 100 skills and talents available, you steadily build up from a panicked deserter to a capable master thief. Want to pickpocket a guard, hack security terminals, or craft your own lockpicks in the dark? You can – provided you’ve invested in the right talents. The RPG systems let you tailor your playstyle for quiet perfectionism or chaotic improvisation.
Leveling up is rewarding, with new approaches opening up as you gain experience. Are you a shadow in the night, slipping through patrol routes unseen? Or a fast-talking trickster who builds trust before betraying marks at the perfect moment? The game encourages experimentation, letting you try different skills and strategies each time you play.
Branching Choices and Replay Value
Deserter’s open-ended structure and RPG mechanics mean there’s no ‘correct’ way to escape – only your way. Multiple solutions to every problem (distraction, sabotage, bribery, combat, negotiation) make replaying the game genuinely interesting. Success is never guaranteed, and smart players will learn the camp’s layout, guard habits, and exploit weaknesses over time.
The randomization of patrol routes, loot, and obstacles keeps every run unpredictable. As you master the systems, you’ll get more creative in your approaches, seeking optimal escapes or wild, reckless runs that come down to the wire. The seamless mix of stealth, RPG character growth, and sandbox improvisation stands out in today’s genre landscape.
FAQs
What is Deserter?
Deserter is a free stealth RPG by Askalot Games. You play as John Holden, an AWOL soldier using stealth, thievery, and tactics to escape a military camp in a dystopian warzone.
How deep is the skill system?
Deserter offers over 100 skills and talents. You choose which areas to specialize in (lockpicking, electronics, stealth, survival, forced entry, etc.), shaping your playstyle and success.
Do choices matter?
Yes. You can approach guards non-lethally, use distractions, disable alarms, or go in guns blazing. Branching paths and outcomes depend on your decisions and how you build your character.
Is Deserter open-ended?
Yes. The game is a sandbox RPG where you choose your escape route, playstyle, and approach. Patrols, loot, and obstacles are randomized for replay value.
Is it available on Steam?
Deserter: Prologue is free-to-play on Steam. It supports full controller play, has mature themes, and is built in Unity. Check out the official Discord for community tips and strategies.
How do you avoid detection?
You use light, sound, cover, distractions, and gadgets. The game uses line-of-sight, audio cues, and responsive guards to keep stealth tense and rewarding.
Is Deserter part of a series?
Deserter belongs to the Gone Rogue Chronicles, Askalot’s franchise exploring criminal underworlds and tactical stealth in historical and modern settings.
Why Try Deserter?
If you’re craving a more cerebral, skill-driven stealth experience, Deserter is worth a download. Its open-ended gameplay, deep progression system, and meaningful choice elevate it above most free RPGs. For fans of classic Thief, Deus Ex, or Shadow Tactics who want less combat and more problem-solving, this game delivers. Chart your escape—and outsmart everyone—in the shadows.