C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM)

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C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Ascension Studio and was released on July 14, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Welcome a new member of C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) Dive into an alternate 1950s Europe in this co-op third-person extraction shooter. Combining advanced technology with a nostalgic twist, your squad will confront monstrous threats and anomalies. Whether playing solo or in co-op (1-4 players), experience dynamic gameplay with unique objectives and challenging side tasks. Your suc…

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) screenshot

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90%

Audience ScoreBased on 487 reviews

gameplay35 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Affordable price with considerable content and progression, offering great value for money.
Fun and addictive gameplay loop with solid gunplay and satisfying combat, especially in co-op multiplayer with friends.
Attractive, nostalgic PS1/PS2-era low-poly art style combined with a fitting dark, occult, or retro sci-fi atmosphere and a great soundtrack.
Developer is communicative and actively updating/fixing bugs, showing commitment and community engagement.
Maps feature multiple objectives with randomized modifiers and enemies, providing some variety and challenge.
Progression system includes weapon upgrades, perks, crafting, and character unlocks that enhance gameplay experience.

Limited map variety and relatively few missions, leading to repetitive gameplay and grind.
Game suffers from janky movement, collision issues, and lacks vaulting/jumping mechanics, causing frustration and occasional player getting stuck.
Balance problems in solo play with excessive infinite enemy spawns making some difficulties overwhelming and less fun alone.
AI behaviors sometimes inconsistent or simplistic; enemies can hit through walls, with some attacks or modifiers feeling unfair or poorly designed.
Sound design and voice acting criticized for AI-generated voices and uneven audio mixing, detracting from immersion.
Multiplayer community is small with difficulty finding public games; developers have announced probable end to future content updates, limiting long-term replayability.

gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
63%
3%
The gameplay is a fast-paced, addictive third-person shooter with a strong focus on co-op horde combat, objective completion, and progression through weapon and perk upgrades. It draws inspiration from games like Helldivers, Killing Floor, and CoD zombies, offering a nostalgic PS1-era aesthetic combined with modern mechanics, though some players find difficulty scaling and repetitive wave design can lead to grind or frustration. Overall, it's praised for its solid core loop, engaging multiplayer, and potential for further content expansion despite occasional jank and limited map variety.
- “Its gameplay loop is kiting hordes like Call of Duty Zombies; there comes a sweet spot where the hordes are difficult and fliers are abundant, making the game a juggling act of dodging damage, shooting fliers, and maintaining your kiting.”
- “A compact, feature-filled co-op shooter with a decent gameplay loop and solid gunplay!”
- “The core gameplay loop feels really well defined and gives me that "one more run" energy.”
- “Overall, while the gameplay loop (buy weapons/upgrades/perks -> go in raid to complete objectives and fight hordes of enemies -> return to try out new weapons/upgrades and perks) is satisfying, the game is clearly not finished.”
- “Past a certain difficulty level they start adding gameplay modifiers instead of new enemies, so you’re playing the same maps with minimal variance repeatedly.”
- “The gameplay is more basic and primitive, the movement is very limited with no option to traverse elevations but you do get a roll with a fairly generous iframes.”
graphics
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The game’s graphics receive widespread praise for their distinctive PS1/PS2-era retro aesthetic, which effectively captures a nostalgic, low-poly, and gritty horror vibe that enhances the atmosphere. While some find the visuals simple or janky, most agree the stylized art direction and thematic design are standout features that bring charm and immersion despite being less polished by modern standards. Overall, the graphics are a key appeal, skillfully combining early 3D visuals with a compelling and consistent artistic identity.
- “Take lethal company graphics, mash it with remnant: from the ashes combat, with post apocalyptic war and you have this amazing piece of art.”
- “The graphics are so nice as they capture the whole ps1 vibe without overdoing it, the music is obviously inspired by Mick Gordon, and couple of dialogue lines from your cringelord boss can be muted if irritating.”
- “On top of all that, I think the devs did an amazing job with the retro art style, and the pulp horror occult aesthetics make a great combination.”
- “The game leaves a lot to be desired, from both graphical and gameplay perspectives.”
- “The graphics are just... bad.”
- “The visuals have some sort of steampunk style with eastern folklore vibes, everything is very low poly, with an odd pixelation method, that just makes everything have a weird checkered pattern, like a pixel fishnet wrapped around everything.”
story
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
85%
4%
The game features a minimal and cryptic story primarily revealed through environmental storytelling, collectible logs, and cryptic dialogue, providing some depth but not overshadowing the gameplay. Missions focus more on varied objectives and escalating difficulty than narrative, resulting in a lightweight plot that mainly serves to motivate player progression. While some appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and thematic elements, many find the story sparse and not a central aspect of the experience.
- “The narrative unfolds gradually, presented through cryptic dialogue, environmental storytelling, and collectible logs.”
- “While not overly intrusive, the story adds depth and motivation, weaving a plot that explores themes of secrecy, technology, and survival.”
- “Story missions emphasize the story that reveals the game's world to make the immersion even deeper.”
- “The game’s meta is quite shallow despite having five maps, fifteen difficulty levels, various crafting options and skills, and different missions and objectives.”
- “Lack of mission/objective variety gets tedious quickly, and moving slowly across the larger maps can be a turnoff for long-term play.”
- “However, unless you have a group of friends who don't mind playing the same locations for better weapons, new characters, and skills, the game will quickly feel monotonous; all current missions take around two hours, and the rest is grind to increase difficulty with more dangerous enemies and an arsenal to kill them.”
music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
51%
10%
The game's music is widely praised for its intense, metal-inspired soundtrack reminiscent of Mick Gordon's style, Killing Floor, and DOOM, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and combat mood. However, some players find the audio mixing and dialogue delivery problematic, often preferring to mute voices or music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong, fitting element that complements the game's unique vibe and cooperative gameplay.
- “Good game banger soundtrack during missions 10/10.”
- “Sound design plays an equally critical role—ambient noises, subtle music cues, and the distinct sounds of enemy footsteps or gadgets activate player senses and heighten immersion.”
- “Audio -- sfx, voice acting and music 10/10 -- graphics/animation perfectly stylised, and the gameplay loop... my god the gameplay loop... if you're a fan of L4D, CoD Zombies, or any horde-based game that relies on movement skills, this.”
- “Just do yourself a favor and mute the dialogues and music first.”
- “Lastly, the audio, which is probably the worst aspect of the whole game: the volumes are terrible, a lot of monsters do not have distinct sounds, there is barely any ambiance, and the music sounds like someone tried to do 'Mick Gordon' style tracks in Fruity Loops Studio.”
- “The music you will turn off within the first 2 minutes of the game; it's awful and mixed too loud.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
28%
The game is widely praised for its distinctive and immersive atmosphere, characterized by a gritty, horror-inspired aesthetic and a blend of stealth, puzzle-solving, and action elements. Its unique art style, reminiscent of PS1 visuals, combined with evocative soundtracks and creative enemy designs, effectively enhances the tense, apocalyptic mood. While some note minor issues with sound mixing, the overall atmosphere is considered a strong and engaging aspect that sets the game apart.
- “It's like this weird mix of Helldivers 2, Zombie Army 4, Resident Evil Revelations' raid mode with Killing Floor 1's industrial rock soundtrack, topped with trench crusade and body horror vibes, atmosphere, and setting.”
- “Where the game does stand out is its art style, with the developers choosing to lean into a more gritty style of horror that leads to a uniquely atmospheric experience.”
- “The shooter caused extremely positive emotions, the graphics are quite nice, although a bit unusual for 2024, but well conveying the atmosphere of the zombie apocalypse.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is a significant and recurring aspect, with many players finding it enjoyable due to satisfying combat and weapon upgrades, but also repetitive and tedious over time due to limited mission variety and slower map traversal. While the grind can feel excessive—particularly with layered currency systems and repetitive enemy encounters—it remains engaging for short sessions or multiplayer play, especially considering the game's low price and early access status. Overall, grinding is a core part of the experience that may appeal to fans of classic loot-driven gameplay but could become monotonous without additional content.
- “It can entertain you for one or two evenings, but there’s really nothing to do beyond grinding.”
- “Most of the grindy upgrades don't matter, because they are not needed to consistently complete higher difficulties.”
- “You are meant to replay these 4 maps over and over to grind currency to make your weapons deal more damage and gather random modifiers that affect your player in order to replay them in a more difficult level that introduces, not better and more challenging AI, but more annoying gameplay, like grinding Diablo 3's torment difficulties.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally appreciated for creating funny and memorable moments, especially during co-op play and friendly fire incidents. It features quirky, snide dialogue intended to add character, though some find it repetitive or forced. Overall, the humor complements the gameplay but may not suit everyone's taste.
- “Just like Helldivers 2, there is friendly fire, and it makes for some hilarious moments.”
- “Quite fun extraction shooter with drop-in drop-out multiplayer, heavy RE4 and Shinji Mikami vibes, a dose of humor, and actually fun gunplay.”
- “Take the gameplay loop from Helldivers, mix it with the aesthetic and humor of Strange Brigade, add in a dash of the Doom soundtrack, set it in the 1950s and release it on early PS2 and you'll get C.A.S.T.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The game runs smoothly and performs well even on weaker hardware, with generally stable performance and minimal bugs. However, some users note that optimization could be improved, particularly concerning mob spawns. Overall, it offers a well-optimized experience with an appealing retro visual style.
- “Runs super well with no performance issues or bugs.”
- “Pros: performance on weak hardware, attractive visual style.”
- “Performance is smooth.”
- “The only thing they might need to fix in my opinion is the optimization.”
- “An optimization is needed for the mob spawns.”
- “Lowering resolution didn't help performance either.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game offers solid replayability through multiple difficulty settings, alternative paths, hidden secrets, and numerous unlockables. While some find it slightly grindy and lacking long-term content, ongoing updates and an active roadmap help maintain player engagement. Overall, replay value is strong but may vary depending on individual preferences.
- “Replay value is solid thanks to multiple difficulty settings, alternative paths, and hidden secrets scattered throughout the levels.”
- “Plenty of replayability with active roadmap and updates.”
- “Lots of unlockables for replayability.”
- “Game is quite fun, but lacks content for long-term replayability.”
- “Can be a little bit grindy as of now, but the missions are fairly replayable so it's not the end of the world.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game runs smoothly and is stable even on older, low-end hardware, offering a fast progression without intrusive micro-transactions. Users appreciate its beginner-friendly stability, though some suggest improving initial audio elements for a better immersive experience.
- “It runs great on even potato hardware from 2010, is beginner friendly, isn't riddled with micro-transactions and the progression is really fast.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, showing little to no effort or care from the developers, who appear to have abandoned the game.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game fosters a wholesome and supportive community, creating a positive and emotionally uplifting experience for players.

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C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM)
€4.13
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19h Median play time

15h Average play time

5-24h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) is a shooter game with horror theme.

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 15 hours playing C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM).

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) was released on July 14, 2025.

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) was developed by Ascension Studio.

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM) is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include ZERO Sievert, Aliens: Fireteam, Remnant: From the Ashes, Ripout, Jump Space and others.

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