OZARK, a 2.5D Horror Game, Shadow Drops on Steam
OZARK, a 2.5D tactical action-horror shooter made by a three-person team over six years, is out now on Steam with solo and co-op play.
OZARK shadow dropped on Steam on October 1, 2026. Developed by a team of just three people who spent six years working on the title in their spare time, the game is a 2.5D tactical action-horror shooter with survival elements, beginning with a rescue mission that quickly takes a much darker turn.
After a plane crash while trying to locate his missing partner, the protagonist discovers that the place where the signal was lost is not just an ordinary facility. The mission quickly turns into an experience mixing biological horror and science fiction, as he tries to unravel the mysteries of the site, fights the creatures he encounters along the way, and attempts to put an end to the macabre human experimentation taking place there.
How the game works
OZARK uses a 2.5D perspective, a design choice that gives the player more than simple side-to-side movement and adds a sense of depth to the game. The player can run, slide, crouch and vault over obstacles. In single-player, the camera has two styles, one closer and one farther away.
In co-op, it works differently, with three options: in Forced Split Screen, each player has their own camera; in Split-Distance, both players share the same screen until it dynamically splits when they move apart; and in Forced Single, both players remain locked to the same camera.
The combat is fairly straightforward, with firearms, an axe and grenades. Aiming automatically locks on to the nearest enemy or object when the aim button is pressed, although the target can be changed manually.
Enemies appear in different ways, sometimes in large groups, rushing at you like a desperate horde of zombies. The difficulty can be quite high, with several settings ranging from Easy to “You Are Never Leaving,” which is essentially the game’s near-impossible mode.
Beyond direct combat, the game also features stealth mechanics. In my experience, they seem to play a secondary role, as enemies can detect the player relatively easily.
There are survival elements as well: in addition to health and stamina bars, with stamina limiting certain actions such as running, the HUD includes hunger, thirst, radiation and contamination indicators that need to be managed with items found throughout the map.
The game is short, generally taking between three and six hours to complete, although players who explore the environment and look for all of the optional content may take longer.
Another interesting point is that only one copy of the game is needed for co-op, allowing you to invite another person to play either locally or online through Steam Remote Play Together.
Developed by just three people over six years
One of the things that stands out about the title is its development. Created by just three people in their spare time, the game took around six years to finish, with its scope expanding over time.
According to the developers, the initial idea was to see whether the team was capable of building a 2.5D side-scrolling shooter. It eventually evolved into a horror and science-fiction game influenced by films such as The Thing, Event Horizon and Scanners. The game’s setting, an underground facility built inside a cave, was inspired by a real place: SNOLAB, a laboratory located inside a mine in Ontario, Canada.
The decision to make a short game was also intentional, taking into account the size of the team and their desire to create something that could be experienced in one or two play sessions.
After years of development, player feedback, multiple changes and demos, OZARK was finally shadow dropped during 28 Games Later: A Horror Showcase, and it makes for a great addition to your Steam library.
Prices and system requirements
The game is now available for PC through Steam and is also compatible with Steam Deck. At the time of writing, the game is on sale for just US$9.98 as part of its launch discount. It can also be purchased through the After Dark Bundle, which includes OZARK and BLACKWOOD with an additional 10% bundle discount. The system requirements are:
Disclosure: QuantuNews received a complimentary review key for OZARK. This did not affect our editorial coverage.
