The Anacrusis

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"The Anacrusis is a 1-8 player sci-fi co-op FPS from the lead of Left 4 Dead, where you fight against endless alien hordes using a variety of futuristic weapons. With Steam Workshop support, enjoy new campaigns, holdout maps, skins, and emotes, or play as the aliens in PVP Versus mode. Battle the alien menace and protect your friends to survive!"

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

50%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,236 reviews

gameplay72 positive mentions

optimization15 negative mentions

The game has a unique retro-futuristic aesthetic that is visually appealing.
The cooperative gameplay encourages teamwork and offers a fun experience, especially with friends.
The perk system adds an interesting layer of strategy to the gameplay.

The gunplay feels unsatisfying, lacking impact and weight, making combat less engaging.
The AI teammates are often unhelpful and can hinder gameplay rather than assist.
The level design can be confusing and repetitive, leading to a lack of direction during missions.

gameplay
274 mentions
26 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its similarities to the Left 4 Dead series but criticizing it for lacking depth and polish. While some appreciate the vibrant art style and unique mechanics, such as the "matter compiler" and pulse system, others find the overall experience repetitive, unfulfilling, and plagued by technical issues. The game shows potential with its cooperative elements and engaging combat, but many feel it needs significant improvements to reach its full potential.
- “With its vibrant, colorful art style and fast-paced gameplay, it feels like a love letter to classic sci-fi B-movies.”
- “The gameplay is capturing what I think Back 4 Blood lacked.”
- “Anacrusis, a cooperative first-person shooter set in a retro-futuristic sci-fi world, is an absolute blast that harmonizes thrilling action with a dose of humor and unique gameplay mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is completely lifeless and boring; I do not care for the characters or their story (or lack thereof).”
- “The game controls and functions poorly, the gunplay stinks, and the main gameplay loop is dull.”
- “While being the most faithful game to Left 4 Dead ever to be released to date, it struggles from tedious and repetitive gameplay mechanics that don’t reach a similar amount of quality of Left 4 Dead 2, released 13 years ago, which will take away its replayability if left in such a state.”
graphics
198 mentions
38 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many praising its vibrant 70s sci-fi aesthetic and unique art style, which evoke a nostalgic charm reminiscent of classic B-movies. However, several reviews highlight issues such as poor optimization, dated visuals, and inconsistent scaling that detract from the overall experience. While the aesthetic is often celebrated, many players feel that the graphical execution lacks polish and can lead to confusion in gameplay.
- “With its vibrant, colorful art style and fast-paced gameplay, it feels like a love letter to classic sci-fi B-movies.”
- “The art style is beautiful and fresh.”
- “Fantastic, visually striking art style, brilliant setting, and excellent gunplay.”
- “Everything looks way too big, and not in the 'oh, what opulent grandeur!' way, but the 'oh, they didn't scale the visuals correctly for an FPS game' way.”
- “The graphics are mediocre at best; the environments and monsters are poorly designed and cheaply animated.”
- “Graphics on this game look like they are from 5 years ago, with poor optimization.”
story
154 mentions
14 % positive mentions
79 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being minimal and poorly developed, with many players feeling it lacks depth and context. Characters are described as shallow and unmemorable, and the absence of a coherent narrative or engaging dialogue detracts from the overall experience. While some reviewers express hope for future updates to enhance the story, the current state leaves much to be desired, often feeling like a generic shooter without a compelling plot.
- “As I journeyed through the game, the unfolding story of Nessa, Guion, Liu, and Lance felt as if it were my own pack's tale.”
- “The story is interesting and I am excited to see where things go from here.”
- “I do think that the story will be fleshed out more as the game development progresses, but I would like to have more than I do right now... it's important to have a goal in life (real or within a game).”
- “The story is barebone and the gameplay is generic.”
- “Unfortunately, the story isn't really explained; even Left 4 Dead managed that better without video sequences.”
- “There's no real story, and getting from one end to the other doesn't have any reasoning for doing so.”
music
92 mentions
25 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its upbeat, retro-futuristic vibe that complements the game's aesthetic, while others criticize it for being generic, forgettable, and poorly integrated into gameplay. Many players noted a lack of variety and presence in the soundtrack, particularly during critical moments, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the audio mixing and thematic consistency of the music need improvement to enhance immersion and match the game's energetic tone.
- “The music, like the ones during crescendo events and victory screens, is upbeat and fits the tone of the retro futuristic aesthetic well.”
- “Shooting zombie/alien things with various types of sci-fi blasters to a disco soundtrack is an excellent way to spend an evening with your three closest pals!”
- “I'm a sucker for 70's aesthetics, and the game nails that to a tee, from the music to the level design, architecture, and atmosphere.”
- “Menu is also 'empty'; no background music like L4D2 menu music.”
- “Besides some ambient music, there is no music.”
- “The music does not match the in-game environment.”
optimization
65 mentions
22 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, including drastic frame rate drops and stuttering, even on high-end systems. While some users report improved performance after updates, others still encounter lag and poor optimization, particularly during intense gameplay moments. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, it requires further optimization to provide a consistently smooth experience across various hardware configurations.
- “The game runs much better, so I can say that it's well optimized; my FPS dropped only a few times during a horde or flasher.”
- “The game is beautiful and well-led in the matters of optimization and stylistic choices - I found myself constantly praising the environment design and aesthetic of Anacrusis with my friends when we played through it.”
- “Art style is fantastic, gunplay/gameplay is good, unique maps, pretty well optimized, and overall an enjoyable experience.”
- “Horrible optimization, continual lag spikes and rubberbanding.”
- “The game is very unoptimized; the campaign isn't finished, there's not a lot to actually do in the game, gameplay systems very much so can change out of nowhere since a lot is still highly WIP, and the modding scene is still in its infancy.”
- “On the technical side of things, it's appalling to see that the optimization is absolutely terrible, frame drops below 30fps in huge horde fights with everything set to low; this is a damn joke.”
replayability
42 mentions
26 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the randomized perks, procedural level generation, and custom campaign options that enhance replay value, others criticize the lack of meaningful progression, variety in enemies and weapons, and repetitive gameplay that diminishes long-term interest. The versus mode and community-driven content offer additional replay potential, but many feel the game currently lacks the depth and engagement needed for sustained play. Overall, the game's replayability is seen as promising but heavily reliant on future updates and improvements.
- “The procedural level generation ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, increasing replayability and challenge.”
- “Allowing players to have full customization power over maps, cosmetics, and challenges adds endless replayability potential to the game.”
- “Even in the current partially-complete state it's in, what's available so far is extremely fun and replayable to progress through.”
- “Sadly, that replay value is underscored by the game's issues.”
- “Games get boring really fast; there's no real replayability, just a difficulty scaling. You will constantly ask yourself, 'Am I even going the right way?'”
- “There are no new interesting features, so the 'infinitely-replayable fight against alien hordes' will really only get repetitive and tedious after an hour or two.”
humor
31 mentions
97 % positive mentions
-6 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the witty banter and lighthearted moments, while others find the attempts at humor flat and lacking in engaging dialogue. Many reviews highlight the contrast between the game's comedic potential and its execution, noting that character interactions often fall short of expectations, leading to a less entertaining experience. Overall, while there are moments of humor that resonate, they are often overshadowed by a lack of depth and character expression.
- “Anacrusis, a cooperative first-person shooter set in a retro-futuristic sci-fi world, is an absolute blast that harmonizes thrilling action with a dose of humor and unique gameplay mechanics.”
- “The witty banter and humorous dialogues between characters make for a lighthearted and entertaining experience.”
- “There's a lot to love here; even in early access, Anacrusis keeps impressing me with its simplistic yet hilariously fun gameplay loop.”
- “It is actually okay despite the characters being ugly, unfunny, and unbearable as they usually are in newer western games. Sadly, it never got popular; even with workshop support, there are no custom campaigns or anything like that, so once you finish the official maps, that's it.”
- “The humor falls flat and feels forced, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off.”
atmosphere
27 mentions
48 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its visually stunning environments and nostalgic 1960s-style design, while others criticize it for lacking immersion and dynamic sound effects. Many players feel that the game fails to capture the rich atmosphere of similar titles like Left 4 Dead, citing issues with level design and a sense of emptiness. Overall, while there are elements of good atmosphere, significant improvements are needed to enhance immersion and tension.
- “The ship's interiors are beautifully detailed, creating an immersive atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.”
- “The atmosphere and environment of the game is great.”
- “I'm a sucker for 70's aesthetics, and the Anacrusis nails that to a tee, from the music to the level design, architecture, and atmosphere.”
- “While the game's description makes you think that you will be reliving the experience of L4D, in reality all this game managed to do is grow my appreciation for L4D's map design, atmosphere, weapons, and enemies.”
- “The level design is terrible and un-intuitive, the world is boring and empty, and the atmosphere is non-existent.”
- “It is completely sterile in atmosphere.”
stability
23 mentions
9 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs such as enemy spawning issues, clipping through objects, and a malfunctioning matchmaking system. While some users find the gameplay enjoyable despite these flaws, many describe the experience as clunky and unfinished, suggesting that it feels like a low-quality clone of Left 4 Dead. Overall, the game is seen as a buggy mess that requires significant improvements to reach its potential.
- “Normal enemies will often fall in your face from the ceiling (not in a 'surprise!' way, but a buggy way). They'll also spawn inside walls or, if they happen to actually be within the playspace, they'll run through a wall and disappear.”
- “It is far too janky, buggy, and clunky to recommend now.”
- “Other bugs include a placed turret appearing at the other end of a room on one occasion, various animation glitches, being thrown into matches even after closing matchmaking, and seemingly random crashes that would occur at the end of a level.”
monetization
13 mentions
8 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with some players labeling it a "soulless cash grab" that exploits the legacy of Left 4 Dead, while others appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the potential for future content. Critics express concern over the introduction of ads and seasonal content that may lead to time-gated features, reminiscent of practices seen in other games. Overall, the game's monetization strategy appears to be a contentious point, with players divided on its impact on gameplay and community engagement.
- “The replay value for this game is pretty good; it's a nice casual game to play while talking to friends. If you want more of a challenge, there's the weekly challenge mode and also the weekly challenges from the season pass (don't worry, there are no microtransactions!).”
- “It's a soulless cash grab that tries to piggyback off the success of Left 4 Dead, but is forever doomed to live in its shadow.”
- “Unlike what people said about Back 4 Blood, this is truly a cash grab on L4D's success, as a large amount of the draw from what I've seen is that it's got Chet Faliszek, the writer of L4D, as the head of this game!”
- “So that's almost certain going to be bad... 'seasons' allow for microtransactions/battle passes and/or content to be time-gated and be removed from the game at little notice (like what Bungie has repeatedly done to Destiny 2).”
grinding
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, leading to boredom and frustration. Despite its potential for fun, the lack of engaging mechanics and the over-reliance on grindy progression detracts from the overall experience, making it feel bloated and less enjoyable compared to similar titles like Left 4 Dead 2.
- “Not deep wannabe story, grindy progression system, a game overbloated with modern mechanics etc etc.”
- “I don't know how you could have made this game feel so tedious, but you did, and I was genuinely bored going through the first episode.”
- “While being the most faithful game to Left 4 Dead ever to be released to date, it struggles from tedious and repetitive gameplay mechanics that don’t reach a similar amount of quality of Left 4 Dead 2, released 13 years ago, which will take away its replayability if left in such a state.”
character development
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is marked by a retrofuturism theme that resonates well with the 80s aesthetic, featuring distinct and likable characters with unique personalities and designs. However, some players feel that while the character design is appealing, the interactions among characters lack depth and can feel stale. Overall, the character design is a highlight, but the development of character relationships and dynamics could use improvement.
- “The retrofuturism theme of the game is a fun idea, and the character design for the player characters hits the spot for me.”
- “Oh yeah, I do really like the 80s look; I think it suits the sci-fi setting and blends the world and character designs well.”
- “It had thrilling, exciting, suspenseful music that fit the current situation, likable characters with very unique, specific personalities, attitudes, and clothes that distinctly stood out.”
- “The character design looks lazy.”
- “The characters lack depth and meaningful development throughout the game.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game's design and characters, highlighting a contrast between the lighthearted, nostalgic aesthetic and the darker themes of gameplay. The presence of optimistic characters like the coach adds a wholesome touch, while the retro-futuristic setting evokes a sense of fun, despite the underlying heartbreak of the zombie apocalypse. Overall, the emotional experience is characterized by a blend of enjoyment and melancholy, keeping players engaged even amidst the chaos.
- “You have Coach, the wholesome small-town PE coach who has a similar role to Bill but with a lot more optimism and lightheartedness.”
- “In L4D2, they had different faces and clothes, which made me feel sorry for them a bit.”
- “Heartbreaking.”