Project Lazarus

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Project Lazarus is a top-down shooter game that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. As a member of the Lazarus Project, your mission is to rescue survivors and uncover the truth behind the outbreak. With a variety of weapons and character customization options, players must fight their way through hordes of zombies, completing objectives and battling bosses in intense, action-packed gameplay.

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 648 reviews

gameplay29 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a satisfying progression system that keeps players coming back for more.
Diverse mech options with unique abilities and weapon configurations, allowing for varied playstyles.
High-quality graphics and smooth performance, enhancing the overall gaming experience.

Game suffers from balance issues, with certain weapons and mechs being significantly more powerful than others.
Lack of content and variety in upgrades, leading to repetitive gameplay after a few hours.
Some mechanics, such as hitboxes and enemy visibility, can be frustrating and detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
95 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its unique mechanics and addictive loop, while others criticize it for being slow-paced, poorly balanced, and lacking depth. The variety of mechs and their distinct control schemes add an interesting layer, but many feel that the overall experience is marred by repetitive gameplay and a lack of impactful upgrades. Despite its potential and enjoyable elements, several reviews indicate that the game feels unfinished and in need of significant polish to enhance the overall experience.
- “The game’s blend of survival mechanics and rogue-lite features ensures that every playthrough is fresh and exciting, while the adrenaline-pumping action keeps you engaged from start to finish.”
- “The core gameplay mechanics are the same as vampire survivors (walk around while auto firing, upgrading weapons and passives, evolving weapons, etc.) but all of the weapons and abilities are completely different with their own strategic uses.”
- “Fun game with an addictive gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay itself needs a lot of design polish; even the sound design is bad, the mechs have no weight to them, and the music is just weird.”
- “The worst is the gameplay though - most weapons except the flamethrower feel worthless, you can buy passive upgrades without descriptions of what they do, and those upgrades actually allow you to instantly get a weapon to level 7/8 upon finding it in the game.”
- “The upgrades don't feel impactful, making it hard to distinguish a level 4 and level 8 weapon, which in turn makes the already slow gameplay quite tedious.”
graphics
76 mentions
53 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the high fidelity and smooth performance, particularly in relation to the mech designs and animations. Some users note that while the visuals are generally good, they lack a distinctive art style and can appear blurry at higher resolutions. Overall, the game is considered visually appealing, especially for its price, but there are criticisms regarding the clarity of hitboxes and the potential for visual clutter during intense gameplay.
- “Graphics give me strong Half-Life 2 vibes with a good texture pack, and it runs like butter even with hundreds of enemies and fire on screen.”
- “Awesome game! I've played this for hundreds of hours; the graphics are very detailed, and the mechs aren't stupid looking.”
- “The graphics are slick, and the explosions are satisfying.”
- “Feels like the devs just rushed the graphics, and developed the core gameplay mechanics to the point where it looks 'presentable', then quickly released it to early alpha to sell some copies to fund their game.”
- “The graphics are ok but there isn't a strong art style to give the game character; the enemies I encountered so far were all bugs that frankly blend into the background.”
- “The hitboxes have only a passing relationship to the visuals.”
music
59 mentions
31 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players finding it either boring or inappropriate for the game's action-oriented theme, often likening it to elevator music or retro synth tracks that don't match the gameplay intensity. While some appreciate the soundtrack and find it enjoyable, others criticize its lack of engagement and suggest it detracts from the overall experience. Overall, there is a consensus that the music could benefit from improvement to better align with the game's atmosphere.
- “Game has a pretty good soundtrack; I normally turn off in-game music, but I tend to leave it on with this game.”
- “Great relaxing music and good gameplay.”
- “A lightweight electric funk soundtrack makes the frenzied action oddly relaxing to boot.”
- “Terrible sound design, music is much louder than weapons and even if you change the settings to make the music quieter, the weapons and everything else still sound really bad; there is no 'umph' to anything.”
- “The music is pretty bad and really inappropriate for the game; it sounds like 1960s elevator music.”
- “The music is just out of place and does not embody the theme of this game.”
optimization
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its performance and graphics, particularly on lower-end systems like the Steam Deck. However, many others have reported significant issues, including bugs that disrupt gameplay, stuttering, and high resource demands that can hinder performance on less powerful machines. Overall, while the game shows potential, it requires substantial optimization to enhance the user experience and address the various performance-related complaints.
- “And to top it off, performance is great; it runs better than Vampire Survivors on the Steam Deck and it's full 3D.”
- “Good graphics, good performance, and addictive, all for a good price.”
- “This game is pretty fun due to the high-quality image performance and different interesting robots with various movement styles and a number of slots for weapons and passive abilities.”
- “It's... kinda boring, the game is not optimized well. For a bullet hell action roguelike game, sometimes you will feel the game bug out and stop spawning enemies, then you just move around, which is kinda pointless.”
- “There's very little content, nothing is explained, you can't check your current loadout while in a run, maps are basically empty squares, everything is ugly, nothing is balanced, most mechs' gimmicks just plain suck, the music is bad and optimization is non-existent.”
- “It feels more like a pre-early-access rather than an actual early access. Although a fair bit of content is there, it's exceedingly rough around the edges, from sound being completely messed up to the optimization being really bad (it runs my gaming rig harder than playing AAA games at 1440p 144Hz), to the balance being essentially non-existent, to other pretty basic bad design decisions.”
grinding
15 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing it as slow and poorly balanced. While some appreciate the need for grinding to unlock upgrades and achievements, many feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel repetitive and less impactful. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant drawback, especially compared to other games in the genre.
- “It feels unfinished, poorly balanced, lacking in content, grindy, and the like.”
- “That makes the entire game about boringly, slowly grinding for money to purchase more and more upgrades, which will make you more and more powerful instantly and reduce the gameplay to less than a mobile game.”
- “The upgrades don't feel impactful, making it hard to distinguish a level 4 and level 8 weapon, which in turn makes the already slow gameplay quite tedious.”
replayability
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability due to its engaging gameplay, unique mechs, and enjoyable weapon mechanics. Players appreciate the variety of upgrades and the potential for synergies, which enhance the experience even in early access. While the gameplay loop may be simple and somewhat repetitive, the satisfaction of building powerful characters and the fun factor contribute to its lasting appeal.
- “Engaging gameplay, easy to pick up and play, with hours of replayability.”
- “The mechs are unique enough for replayability; the graphics are good, the weapons are fun, and it's still in early access.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple and repetitive, but with upgrades and hypermode, there's infinite replayability.”
- “Stuff like more upgrades and possible synergies between weapons/characters would really add a lot to the replayability.”
- “Everything feeling good to use is much more desirable as a player, as it gives us more choices and agency, which increases replayability.”
- “By the time you grind out an invincible build, you will have gotten your money's worth and be satisfied, and it's very replayable.”
story
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with players noting that there is no substantial narrative to engage with. While the gameplay features exciting mech action and strategic elements, the missions often conclude abruptly, leaving players wanting a more satisfying and immersive storytelling experience. Overall, the absence of a compelling story detracts from the overall mission completion feel.
- “The mechs are cool, the weapons are awesome, the levels are neat, and the storytelling is engaging.”
- “Finishing a mission should feel more decisive, whether that's returning to a drop ship, ejecting out of the mech, or executing the remaining enemies; it should feel more like a mission complete than just a fade-to-black ending.”
- “I'm thinking missions you have to complete and then survive until the extraction ship arrives and other challenges like that.”
- “Huh.... soundtrack.... and then there's the mission briefing.... why even?”
- “☑ no story”
- “There's no story here either, so don't come expecting that, but I'd like to see something put together.”
humor
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its great visuals, animation, and voice acting, featuring amusing lines and scenarios, particularly involving quirky tuxedo birds. While some players find the humor simple yet effective for its low price, others feel that it lacks depth in terms of interesting mechanics or combinations. Overall, the game delivers a lighthearted experience with moments of genuine fun.
- “Great visuals, animation, and voice acting with some funny lines.”
- “The kicker is that the store page has an accelerated movement showcase, hilarious.”
- “Simple, challenging, and funny for under €2!”
stability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, with users reporting no significant bugs or glitches. It functions well, particularly on Linux, achieving smooth performance at 4K 60 FPS.
- “Runs great on Linux in 4K at 60 FPS.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “There are numerous stability issues that lead to unexpected shutdowns during gameplay.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features diverse character designs and unique control schemes, enhancing the overall experience of character development. Players appreciate the evolution mechanics and the distinct hard points that contribute to a rich and engaging gameplay dynamic.
- “Great survivor mech game with hard points, evolutions, and plenty of actually pretty different character designs with some unique control schemes.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users suggest that the game's monetization could be improved by raising the base price to $10 and offering additional downloadable content (DLC) at $5 each, including new maps, enemies, bosses, weapons, and skills. They emphasize the importance of ongoing updates and advertising to enhance the game's success.
- “The monetization model feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind a paywall, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating that the game constantly pushes in-game purchases, making it feel more like a cash grab than a fun experience.”