I don’t know whether any of you remember Duskers. It was a very cool and immersive tactical game where you had to guide robots around derelict spaceships using command prompts. I’ve always felt it was really underrated and went under many people’s radars.
Well now there’s something new on the horizon that heavily reminds of Duskers and I’m hoping it captures the same feeling of claustrophobic tension Duskers gave me. It’s called Xenopurge and is heading to Kickstarter in early 2025.

Xenopurge
Xenopurge is a real-time tactics, roguelite that puts you in command of a squad of marines on operations to take out Xeno threats. You’ll be taking control of operations from a remote command centre. With a unique perspective of the field, you will watch as your squad follows your orders and makes their way through missions.
With permadeath an ever-present threat, you’ll want to plan your missions effectively. Thankfully, you can tailor your squad loadouts with various weapons and other items. Manage your squad’s behaviour and tactics, and then watch them execute your plans—hopefully with great success.

I’ve already mentioned how Xenopurge reminds me of Duskers. However, I also get a feeling of Aliens: Dark Descent from how you can customise your squad. As well as the fact that squad members can also permanently die. Dark Descent was another fantastic game that did an amazing job of creating a foreboding atmosphere and ramping up tension. If Xenopurge can emulate those elements this could be a really fun and exciting game.
Keep an Eye Out
As mentioned there will be a Kickstarter running for the game. Although no specific date on when that will start. So if you’re interested head over there and click to get a reminder for when it goes live. Additionally, on the Steam page, you can register for access to the upcoming playtest. Again, no date on this. But worth checking to box if it’s of interest.

Duskers pops into my head every now and then and I always wish there was something else like. Now, with Xenopurge, we might finally get that! I love that the way in which the game is presented. That retro computer interface with greens and reds. Watching the dots move about the map and hoping they survive. It might not be an aesthetic for everyone, but it was one of the major things I loved about Duskers. I can’t wait to see more of this game.
-Will