The Killing Antidote

About

The Killing Antidote is a single player role playing game. It was developed by MetalStar Studio and was released on October 5, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

In a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a mutating germ, Jodi, a fearless freelance journalist, uncovers dark secrets while seeking the legendary antidote. This third-person action game combines shooting, melee combat, stealth, and puzzle-solving within a richly detailed and chilling atmosphere. Players can customize Jodi’s appearance and engage in varied combat strategies amidst a landscape filled with mysteries and challenges.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,738 reviews

story133 positive mentions

grinding23 negative mentions

The game features engaging gameplay with satisfying combat mechanics and a variety of weapons.
Character customization is extensive, allowing players to dress the protagonist in numerous outfits and styles.
The game has a strong atmosphere reminiscent of classic survival horror games, with well-designed environments and a compelling narrative.

The game suffers from some frustrating design choices, such as a lack of a map and confusing level layouts that can lead to aimless wandering.
Certain enemy encounters feel unbalanced, with some enemies being overly tanky or capable of one-shotting the player.
The story is currently incomplete, leaving players wanting more context and resolution.

story
528 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
73%
2%
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it engaging yet incomplete, as it currently features only one full chapter and part of a second. While some appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and character development, others criticize the pacing and backtracking required to progress. Overall, the narrative is seen as promising, with potential for expansion, but players are eager for more content and improvements as the game continues to develop.
- “The story is gripping, unraveling slowly through cryptic notes, eerie environmental clues, and disturbing encounters.”
- “The game has some good storytelling through the environment and the lore, that makes the game very immersive.”
- “The story is interesting and the game has great potential.”
- “And don't even get me started on all the backtracking required to progress the story.”
- “They would let you make some progress, then slam on the brake by presenting an obstacle, then make you go somewhere else to retrieve an item or do some tasks, and then backtrack to continue the story, rinse and repeat.”
- “The story is not finished yet, and is not interesting.”
gameplay
368 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The gameplay has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its engaging mechanics, solid shooting, and puzzle-solving elements reminiscent of classic survival horror games like Resident Evil. While some users noted minor frustrations with certain mechanics and enemy behaviors, the overall experience is described as fun, addictive, and enhanced by character customization options. The developers are actively addressing concerns and improving gameplay, indicating a promising future for the game as it continues to evolve.
- “The gameplay is genuinely fun and makes me want to return to this game.”
- “The combat is fantastic, the gameplay overall is super fun and the attention to detail is next level!”
- “The gameplay feels great, with solid mechanics that offer a blend of combat, exploration, and resource management.”
- “The gameplay experience at the end, especially the final fight in the generator room, was quite annoying.”
- “Clunky gameplay and physics: Combat and movement mechanics feel heavy and unresponsive, making it a struggle to engage with enemies or explore the environment.”
- “I've previously given detailed notes on how to improve the actual gameplay and enemy AI, but as ignorant as the devs are, they chose to not care and the gameplay remained frustrating.”
graphics
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
34%
3%
Overall, the graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception. Many players praise the beautiful character designs, impressive lighting, and attention to detail, noting that the visuals are well-optimized even for lower-end systems. However, some critiques highlight issues with level design and texture quality, suggesting that certain environments feel bland or underdeveloped.
- “On PC, the graphics shine, particularly in the character design.”
- “And the visuals are just stunning: lighting, textures, character models — everything is crafted with great attention to detail.”
- “The graphics are fantastic and the gameplay too.”
- “Bad level design in terms of visuals; it's almost white default textured blocks sometimes, and most of the time just grey walls. Light sources are also not very impressive.”
- “Odd halos around moving objects, dithering, and blurred visuals.”
- “The unrealistic proportions and awkward aesthetics only serve to further break immersion, making it hard to take the game’s atmosphere seriously.”
atmosphere
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
51%
6%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively combining detailed environments, impressive graphics, and exceptional sound design to create a sense of unease and dread. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke classic survival horror vibes, reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil, while also noting the impact of small details and atmospheric storytelling. However, some critiques mention that certain visual choices can detract from the overall immersion, and the reliance on jump scares may not fully capture the intended horror atmosphere.
- “Visually, the game impresses — with its dilapidated interiors, blood-smeared hallways, and shadow-drenched environments all working together to maintain a consistent atmosphere of unease.”
- “The game's atmosphere and sound design work together to create an immersive experience that draws you in and refuses to let go.”
- “The horror elements are enhanced by the atmospheric design, where shadows play as much a part in the horror as any enemy does.”
- “The pacing, story, level design, and atmosphere of the game is horrid.”
- “The unrealistic proportions and awkward aesthetics only serve to further break immersion, making it hard to take the game’s atmosphere seriously.”
- “The game also lacks soundtracks or any kind of ambient background music to add to the atmosphere, leaving it mostly reliant on mini-jumpscares from zombie ambushes to give the player a jolt.”
replayability
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
7%
The game boasts high replayability, enhanced by a variety of challenge modes, extensive customization options, and multiple endings based on player choices. Users appreciate the additional content from the Steam Workshop and the ability to unlock outfits and collectibles, which further enrich the gameplay experience. Despite being in early access, the game offers a generous amount of replay value, making it enjoyable for both casual play and more dedicated challenges.
- “Hoping for a sequel and more challenge modes in the future, already has countless hours of content and tons of replayability.”
- “The variety of wardrobe options is astounding; it makes the game's replayability skyrocket through that alone, like an infinite amount of collectibles.”
- “The choices made throughout the game can lead to multiple endings, significantly enhancing replayability.”
- “With multiple endings based on your choices, there’s plenty of replay value.”
- “The story is interesting from what we get to see from the one completed mission so far, and the current available challenge mods add to the replayability.”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
33%
10%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players reporting solid performance, smooth gameplay, and good graphics even on older hardware. However, some users noted occasional visual glitches, stuttering during intense scenes, and minor bugs that could benefit from further polish. Despite these issues, the majority find the optimization impressive, especially for an early-access title, with no significant crashes or game-breaking bugs reported.
- “Honestly, I'd say it's very well optimized with pretty good graphics, sounds, physics, and game mechanics.”
- “Optimization is excellent — not a single crash or freeze the whole time I’ve been playing.”
- “The game is optimized so well that even my weak PC can run it on max settings with ease.”
- “The optimization of this game is so poor, and this game needs a map marker; it is really hard to find the map location.”
- “Even on a decent gaming setup, the game suffers from frame rate drops, stuttering, and bugs, adding to the unfinished feel.”
- “Unreal level of optimization.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
61%
12%
The game's music has received significant criticism for its minimal presence, with many players noting a lack of ambient tracks that could enhance the atmosphere and scare factor. While some appreciate the occasional sound effects and the haunting soundtrack during specific events, the overall consensus is that the absence of consistent background music leaves the experience feeling hollow and less immersive. Players express a desire for more ambient music to enrich the gameplay and maintain tension throughout their journey.
- “The background music fits the scenery.”
- “Combined with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and top-tier voice acting, the immersion is unparalleled.”
- “I like the option for music to turn the game into action survival instead of horror survival.”
- “The game also lacks soundtracks or any kind of ambient background music to add to the atmosphere, leaving it mostly reliant on mini-jumpscares from zombie ambushes to give the player a jolt.”
- “A lack of creepy ambient music takes away quite a bit of the scare factor that this game is already quite lacking in.”
- “Game was fun overall and up to a certain point, but needs a music soundtrack as walking around without any ambient sound is boring and the final gauntlet at the end is super annoying - did not enjoy that last part at all!”
grinding
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring excessive repetition to unlock outfits and complete challenges. While some enjoy the exploration and collection elements, many feel that the grinding mechanics detract from the overall experience, with calls for adjustments to make farming more user-friendly and less monotonous. Despite these criticisms, some players still appreciate the game and hope for future balancing improvements.
- “It's tedious and annoying af.”
- “But the collection of the clothes is actually incredibly tedious.”
- “I think the challenges also reward you with a piece of clothing at the end of it, but you would need to do way too much grinding in order to get them all that way.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
85%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly after updates, though some find the performance solid on PC and Steam Deck. While minor issues like visual glitches and controller support problems exist, they are generally not game-breaking. Overall, players acknowledge the game's early access status and express hope for future improvements, appreciating the fun gameplay despite the current instability.
- “I'm happy to say it runs great on my Steam Deck!”
- “I really can't wait to see the future of TKA; it's got such a great start and continues to get more expansive base content and greater modding support in every major update. The developers are very quick with hotfixing any issues too; for the most part, it is very bug-free.”
- “It's honestly extremely buggy and seems to become more and more buggy with each update (which lately seem to be rare).”
- “This game is a janky, buggy, frustrating mess in my opinion.”
- “There are countless things to fix that seem easy, but for now it feels soulless and buggy.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
85%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn mixed reviews, with some players perceiving it as a potential cash grab due to its early access pricing and development state, while others argue that it offers genuine value and quality beyond initial impressions. Despite concerns about predatory practices and the game's provocative marketing, many players found it enjoyable and worth the investment, though they suggest improvements in gameplay mechanics and overall design to justify its price. Overall, the game's monetization strategy has sparked debate, highlighting the need for transparency and quality assurance in early access titles.
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content, making it accessible for everyone while still providing optional purchases for those who want to enhance their experience.”
- “The developers have struck a great balance with their monetization strategy, ensuring that players can progress without spending money, but also offering meaningful rewards for those who choose to invest.”
- “$30+ for a game in this state feels like a cash grab, especially when considering the steady Patreon support.”
- “If the developers want players to support this game, they’ll need to overhaul the gameplay mechanics, improve the design quality, and rethink the monetization approach.”
- “For now, I do not recommend this cash grab!”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in ragdoll physics leading to funny deaths, quirky sound effects, and humorous references to zombie genre tropes. While some gameplay elements can be frustrating, such as challenging puzzles and the randomness of clothing options, these aspects often result in unintentional comedic moments. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor through its absurdities and character interactions, though some players feel it could benefit from a more intentional comedic approach.
- “Also, ragdoll effects lead to some very funny deaths, but not in a bad way.”
- “There's also random sounds that play on loop when you're just exploring, like a random zombie guy snarling, super loud footsteps, some guy dying, etc. It got pretty funny just listening to them idly play out while I was on my second playthrough.”
- “It's hilarious to run around for 10 seconds and then breathing like you need an inhaler.”
- “I really love this game, but it's just too early to say much. I felt pretty annoyed while playing the chase part where a big monster should break walls for you to advance, but this monster is faster and can one-hit you. This part is not funny; it's pretty awesome in terms of gameplay dynamics but quite annoying. The final orders from the last stage of chapter one are not funny if you don't have resources and waste your money on outfits. Haha, well, to be honest, I had so much fun with that game, but I want to replay the first chapter until I remember the chase part. I think it would be a better idea to wait for the second chapter (laboratory) to be finished. I saw a review that says the zombies are infinite, but I cleared all stages and missed having some zombies on my way. I think it's okay that you can clear the threats from all areas and see that zombies can be killed if you shoot the bodies, but it takes much more damage or bullets. I want to mention that some puzzle codes are pretty strange and unfair; on some puzzles, we have no hints to understand how to interpret the mural, but it's funny to blow your mind and get the code after all.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
37%
25%
Character development in the game is highlighted by a compelling storyline filled with unexpected twists and moral dilemmas that engage players' decision-making. While the character design is praised for its quality and appeal, some critiques point to an overemphasis on hypersexualized portrayals, reflecting broader media trends. Overall, the attention to detail in character design and customization enhances the gaming experience, making it a standout feature.
- “The storyline is filled with unexpected twists, deep character development, and moral dilemmas that challenge players' decisions throughout the game.”
- “The character design is probably the best feature (as you've no doubt read and seen).”
- “I was impressed by the quality of the game; it's outstanding from character design to environment, and this high quality really reveals the pride and attention to detail the developers took in their work.”
- “The character designs and body proportions seem more focused on exaggerated, unrealistic elements, which aligns with what’s known as pornography problematic usage (PPU) in psychology—a tendency to rely on hypersexualized portrayals due to exposure to certain media trends.”
- “I'm really bad with scary games, but the character design, customization, and costumes really appealed to me, so I really did my best to play through the entire story, with many breaks in between.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its bold ambition and emotional depth, engaging players both mentally and emotionally through well-developed characters and a gripping narrative. It explores profound themes of morality and redemption, creating an emotional roller coaster that fosters genuine investment in the story. Overall, it is highly recommended for those seeking immersive and emotionally engaging experiences.
- “Despite these narrative hiccups, the killing antidote stands out for its bold ambition and emotional depth.”
- “The gripping narrative is an emotional roller coaster, delving into profound themes of morality and redemption.”
- “I was genuinely surprised at how emotionally invested I became—it’s rare for a game to balance thrilling twists with such heartfelt depth.”