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Expedition Zero

Expedition Zero manages to scare without using any jumpscares, doesn't overstay its welcome, and delivers a great creepy and atmospheric post-apocalyptic experience.
Expedition Zero Game Cover
53%Game Brain Score
atmosphere, graphics
story, music
47% User Score Based on 76 reviews
Critic Score 61%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Expedition Zero Game Cover

About

Expedition Zero is a single player survival action adventure game with a horror theme. It was developed by Enigmatic Machines and was released on March 24, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

Expedition Zero is a survival horror game set in the heart of rural Siberia. Use your engineering skills to confront flesh-eating monsters as the last survivor of a Soviet scientific expedition.

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Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
Expedition Zero screenshot
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47%
Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews
atmosphere13 positive mentions
music2 negative mentions
  • The game has a great atmosphere and thematic elements that create a tense experience.
  • Survival mechanics are enjoyable, providing a sense of pressure and engagement.
  • Despite its flaws, many players found the game fun and worth trying, especially if purchased on sale.
  • The game is plagued with bugs and technical issues that can hinder gameplay and enjoyment.
  • Many players feel the game is too short and lacks content, making it feel unfinished.
  • The enemy AI can be frustrating, with some monsters being overly aggressive and leading to cheap deaths.
  • story
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, with many players noting that the scattered notes and lore do not significantly enhance the experience or contribute to gameplay progression. The single quest line and short duration of the story mode, combined with a lack of engaging side content, leave players feeling unsatisfied and questioning the game's overall value. While some found the story intriguing and wanted more, the overall consensus is that it feels more like a demo than a polished standalone title.

    • “Story excerpts are found throughout the areas, and I'd recommend exploring the extra areas that unlock after you progress enough.”
    • “The story was good and it left me wanting more; I had a blast looting, scrapping, and making equipment.”
    • “- lore/story is found in scattered documents; I don't fully understand what happened/happening, but I've got the gist of it.”
    • “The story is weak; there are notes to read, but they add nothing.”
    • “Completed the game in about 2 hours without realizing there is only a single quest line in one area of the game.”
    • “From the overall polish of the game to the storyline and content, it felt much more like a demo/alpha or proof of concept for a game than an almost $20 standalone.”
  • atmosphere
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively drawing players into a dark, eerie environment that enhances exploration and mystery. Reviewers commend the visuals, lighting, and sound design, which collectively create a chilling sense of isolation and suspense. Despite some gameplay frustrations, the overall atmospheric experience is considered exceptional, especially for an indie title.

    • “I cannot believe this is from an indie developer because the atmosphere and game design is phenomenal!”
    • “+ great atmosphere, the visuals, lighting, and sounds really pull together to give you that 'I'm wandering out in these frozen woods to solve this mystery, and something is out here with me.'”
    • “Again, the atmosphere was brilliant; they did a really good job with creating that alone feeling in a dark, creepy forest.”
    • “For the short amount of time I played this so far, I am in love; the atmosphere really draws you in and makes you tense up.”
    • “Expedition Zero offers a stripped-back survival experience with a tense atmosphere, but the monsters in the trees will hinder your enjoyment.”
    • “Gameplay is as already stated simple, with a focus on atmosphere and exploring, with a tiny speck of shooting, crafting, and base building on the side.”
  • graphics
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that while the visuals can be beautiful and atmospheric, they are often marred by graphical bugs, low-resolution textures, and performance issues that force players to lower settings. Despite these shortcomings, the overall ambiance created by the graphics, lighting, and sound design contributes positively to the game's immersive experience. However, many agree that the graphics could be significantly improved to match the game's potential.

    • “Great atmosphere, the visuals, lighting, and sounds really pull together to give you that 'I'm wandering out in these frozen woods to solve this mystery, and something is out here with me.'”
    • “First off, the game has beautiful graphics.”
    • “The graphics are good, but the audio and the overall feel and mindset it puts you in when you are wandering around in the dark is great.”
    • “The programming/coding is horrific. A game this small with somewhat poor graphics shouldn't choke your computer into submission and force you to lower graphics settings.”
    • “Graphical bugs are not uncommon, with low-resolution textures on the highest settings and ultra dark shadows.”
    • “Many graphical settings are lumped into post-processing effects, so you can't pick and choose what you want to turn down or off.”
  • gameplay
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay is characterized by a focus on atmosphere and exploration, with minimal shooting, crafting, and base-building elements. However, players find the early game tedious due to battery limitations, unbalanced survival mechanics, and a lack of enemy variety, leading to frustration and a diminished sense of challenge. While the heat mechanic adds depth, many feel that improvements in enemy behavior and resource availability are necessary for a more engaging experience.

    • “I enjoy the dev's approach and mechanics with their game.”
    • “Gameplay is simple, with a focus on atmosphere and exploring, along with a tiny speck of shooting, crafting, and base building on the side.”
    • “It may be a little confusing at times with the gameplay, but the sound quality, graphics, controls, and requirement for early resource management and inventory management make this game very cool.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, with a focus on atmosphere and exploring, but it has only a tiny speck of shooting, crafting, and base building on the side.”
    • “I shouldn't be annoyed within 30 seconds and quitting after 15 minutes because the gameplay, GUI, controls, and overall experience are so aggravating that I can't bring myself to keep playing.”
    • “There's a lack of enemy variety; I only encountered two kinds in my two hours of gameplay.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users report issues with the music settings, noting that the music plays for nearly two minutes even when the slider is turned off, and that adjusting the slider does not change the volume. However, the soundtrack is described as pleasantly intense, complementing the game's atmosphere during battles and crafting.

    • “Intense battles with monsters, balanced survival and crafting without unnecessary difficulties and repetitions, pleasant (more precisely, unpleasant in a good way) soundtrack, neat animation workarounds, lower specs than you would usually see.”
    • “Changing the slider doesn't affect the volume of that music.”
    • “Music slider off before I even start playing and I hear music for almost 2 minutes.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is reported to be quite buggy and appears to be in ongoing development, but most users have not experienced any game-breaking issues, indicating that it runs well overall despite the bugs.

    • “Other than those, this game runs great, and I have not encountered any game-breaking bugs.”
    • “It is still very buggy and clearly still in development.”
    • “It is still very buggy and clearly still in development.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to low battery life and the presence of an unkillable enemy that becomes more annoying than challenging after the initial stages. The need for more frequent healing item spawns further contributes to the frustration, suggesting that adjustments in these areas could enhance the overall experience.

    • “The baseline battery needs a 20% bump; it makes the early game tedious and annoying. The main enemy that's unkillable becomes more of a frustration than a challenge after the first 15 minutes.”
    • “The main enemy that's unkillable is just freaking annoying when exploring the main area. It becomes a mechanic that frustrates you more than anything.”
    • “Healing items need a serious increase in spawn rate; without it, the game feels unnecessarily grindy and tedious.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from low replayability, primarily due to the presence of an unkillable enemy that relentlessly pursues players, creating a frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable one. This design choice detracts from the overall fun, making it unlikely for players to return for additional playthroughs.

    • “The game lacks replayability because the main unkillable enemy provides no reprieve or time to breathe, making it more frustrating than fun.”
    • “Replayability is severely limited due to the relentless nature of the main unkillable enemy, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I found the game to be non-replayable, as the constant pressure from the unkillable enemy made it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely criticized for its poor optimization, leading to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game is very poorly optimized.”
    • “The game suffers from severe optimization issues.”
    • “Performance is a major problem due to the lack of proper optimization.”
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61%Critics’ scoreBased on 7 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Expedition Zero is a survival action adventure game with horror theme.

Expedition Zero is available on PC and Windows.

Expedition Zero was released on March 24, 2022.

Expedition Zero was developed by Enigmatic Machines.

Expedition Zero has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its atmosphere but disliked it for its story.

Expedition Zero is a single player game.

Similar games include Beyond Hanwell, DESOLATE, Witch Hunt, Chernobylite, Fade to Silence and others.