Xmas Apocalypse

About

Xmas Apocalypse is a single player casual role playing shooter game. It was developed by gypynkt and was released on December 15, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Xmas Apocalypse" is a third-person shooter set during the zombie apocalypse on Christmas Eve. Santa's sleigh has crashed, and it's up to you to survive until Christmas Day by defeating hordes of undead and other massive creatures. As you progress, unlock new skills and upgrades for your weapons, with a deck-based upgrade system and a Christmas skill tree for permanent stat boosts. Fight to save Christmas in this festive horde-survival roguelite.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Xmas Apocalypse offers a fun and addictive gameplay experience, combining holiday themes with engaging zombie shooting mechanics.
The card-based upgrade system adds strategic depth, allowing for varied builds and encouraging experimentation during runs.
The developer shows a strong commitment to improvement, regularly updating the game and responding to community feedback.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, crashes, and frustrating enemy spawn mechanics that can hinder gameplay.
Progression can feel grindy and unbalanced, with upgrades not significantly impacting gameplay and a lack of variety in weapons and levels.
Some players have reported poor camera angles and control issues, making it difficult to navigate during intense combat situations.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, blending seasonal themes with frantic survival action. The card-based upgrade system adds strategic depth and encourages experimentation, ensuring varied experiences in each run. While the game features smooth shooting mechanics and a fun core loop, some players noted issues with depth, progression speed, and occasional bugs, though regular updates from the developer aim to enhance the overall experience.
- “This combination of seasonal cheer and frantic survival action creates a compelling contrast that keeps the gameplay exciting and full of character.”
- “What really elevates the gameplay is the card-based upgrade system.”
- “Smooth shooting mechanics, rewarding upgrades, variety that actually makes you think about synergies.”
- “Gameplay is extremely simple.”
- “Limited depth even with the painfully slow progression and unlocks; most of the gameplay is tedious at best.”
- “The gameplay itself isn't all that varied, and I've found a handful of perks and weapons that absolutely dominate compared to others.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's graphics feature a charming pixel art aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for retro games, effectively complementing its lighthearted yet challenging gameplay. While the visuals may be low quality, they successfully convey the chaotic action and enhance the overall experience with a cartoony style and energetic soundtrack.
- “From the moment you start, the game’s pixel art aesthetic and quirky tone set the stage for a lighthearted yet challenging experience.”
- “Visually, Xmas Apocalypse embraces a pixel art style that captures the charm and nostalgia of retro games while clearly conveying the chaotic action on screen.”
- “Fun core gameplay loop with a neat cartoony aesthetic and a bunch of cool power-ups.”
- “Visuals, although low quality, are charming and they suit the game.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with players reporting frequent bugs that affect gameplay, such as unintended speed boosts and glitches when aiming after reloading. Despite some improvements in bug fixes, the overall experience remains marred by these persistent technical problems.
- “Buggy - seems like there's a 10% chance after I roll that I start running at the speed of light and lose the ability to shoot.”
- “If this game wasn't super buggy, I would recommend it.”
- “On any controller, if you aim down the sight fast after reloading, it glitches. I died 3 times because of that.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking depth, with slow progression and minimal impact from upgrades. While the game starts off interesting, it quickly devolves into repetitive tasks focused on grinding for achievements, leading to a sense of frustration.
- “Limited depth even with the painfully slow progression and unlocks; most of the gameplay is tedious at best.”
- “Extremely grindy; upgrades don't mean much. I upgraded half of my powers and still feel like I'm at the beginning of the game.”
- “The game is interesting for a few hours, then quickly becomes repetitive and just about grinding for pointless achievements.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts strong replayability due to its unlockable characters, each featuring unique skills and traits, which enhances variety in gameplay. Players find the experience engaging and rewarding, making it a compelling choice for both roguelike enthusiasts and casual gamers, especially during the holiday season.
- “On top of this, the game offers unlockable characters, each with their own starter skills and unique traits, adding further variety and replay value.”
- “Whether you’re a fan of roguelike shooters or simply looking for a fun and festive game to play during the holiday season, Xmas Apocalypse delivers an engaging and replayable experience that’s hard to put down.”
- “The humor touches are nice, and the progression and replayability are quite rewarding!”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised, featuring clever one-liners and amusing scenarios, such as Santa delivering comedic lines while chaos unfolds with hogs and zombies. Players find the humor to be a delightful addition that enhances the overall experience, making it both entertaining and replayable.
- “It's a hilarious twist on this type of game.”
- “I was looking for random games on Steam, saw this absolute masterpiece at $4, and lose my shit laughing every time I see a horde of hogs ram into zombies while Santa delivers the greatest written one-liners of the decade.”
- “Humor touches are nice, and the progression and replayability are quite rewarding!”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's soundtrack is highly praised for its energetic and fitting tracks that enhance the tension and excitement during gameplay, particularly in the context of a unique theme where Santa battles zombie hordes to a cool metal Christmas soundtrack.
- “The game's soundtrack complements the visuals perfectly, with energetic and fitting music tracks that help heighten the tension and excitement of the zombie waves.”
- “Seriously, you make a game about Santa shooting hordes of zombies with a cool metal Christmas soundtrack.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's atmosphere, noting that the combination of audiovisual elements creates a unique experience that balances a festive vibe with thrilling excitement.
- “Together, the audiovisual elements immerse players in a unique atmosphere that manages to feel both festive and thrilling.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is praised for its smooth performance, enhanced balance, and the introduction of new weapons and enemies, contributing to an overall improved gameplay experience.
- “Not only does it run smoothly, there are a bunch of weapon additions, new enemies, and everything feels that teeny bit more balanced... it's great.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, suggesting that the developers prioritized profit over quality and player experience.
- “It feels like a cheap cash grab for the developers.”
- “The monetization system is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I can't enjoy the game when it constantly pushes me to spend more money.”