Book it if
You want a story-driven survival game where your squad explores a strange facility together.
Skip it if
You want endless procedural replay or modern visuals.
Trip sheet
- Crew size
- 1–6 players
- Online
- Yes
- Crossplay
- Yes
- Split-screen
- No
- Solo
- Fully playable solo
- Voice chat
- Helpful
- Danger
- Tense
1The pitch
You play scientists trapped in the GATE research facility after experiments break loose and soldiers arrive to clean up. Instead of a random map, the facility is hand-built, with sectors, puzzles, and a story to follow. It entered Early Access on May 2, 2024 and reached 1.0 on July 22, 2025.
2Playing together
Online co-op supports 1 to 6 players, with LAN play also listed on Steam. Crossplay with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S is supported, though each player has to enable it in settings. There is no split-screen.
3Roles in the squad
Skills improve as you use them, so players drift into specialties: one handles crafting and the base, another fights, another works on farming or cooking. Exploring a new sector works best with a scout in front and someone ready to revive. Shared bases and storage keep the group's efforts together.
4Look & sound
The look is a deliberate throwback to late-1990s PC shooters, with chunky models and office corridors. Humor is everywhere, from lab notes to absurd recipes. Ambient sound makes dark sectors feel tense.
5Setup & value
It costs $34.99 on Steam for Windows, with each player buying a copy. Steam lists it as Playable on Steam Deck. The main story takes most groups a few dozen hours, with optional content beyond it.
Best bits
- Hand-built facility with a story
- Funny writing
- Crossplay with consoles
- Up to 6 players
Watch out
- Less replayable once the story is done
- Retro visuals are not for everyone
Score sheet
- Teamwork 25%
- 88
- Fun as a squad 25%
- 90
- Easy to join 15%
- 82
- Replay 20%
- 78
- Value 15%
- 86
88 × 25% + 90 × 25% + 82 × 15% + 78 × 20% + 86 × 15% = 85.30 → 85
Trip report verdict
Verdict
“Abiotic Factor is the best story-driven survival game here, with a handcrafted facility and plenty of humor. It is less replayable than the sandbox games, but a group of up to six will enjoy the whole trip.”
By the Squad Play Review editorial desk · Updated 6 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
