Betrayer. Perhaps you’ve never heard of it, or perhaps you’ve heard its name whispered around the Reddit and gaming forum campfire, as internet yarn spinners tell of a mysterious, horror-inflected RPG created by former developers of Monolith’s FEAR series. Back in 2021, Betrayer vanished from Steam as its creator, Blackpowder Games, seemingly shuttered all operations. Previously lost, Betrayer has suddenly, inexplicably returned, available now as a free game on GOG. With flashes of Skyrim, Dishonored, and Assassin’s Creed, Betrayer is well worth a look, but what is it, exactly?
Originally released back in 2014, Betrayer is an RPG game set in the New World of the 17th century. In 1604, you arrive in Virginia expecting to meet a bustling colony of settlers, but instead find the settlement abandoned and everyone missing.
In traditional immersive sim style, as you explore, you find more clues about what happened and gradually piece together the tragedy that befell your compatriots. There’s a wonderful, eerie atmosphere across the desolate environments, and you’re occasionally confronted by bizarre supernatural forces, as well as Spanish conquistadors.
The Blackpowder team featured several developers who’d previously worked at Monolith, on series like FEAR, No One Lives Forever, and Condemned. After launching Betrayer, however, the studio seemingly closed down, with its social media channels and official website both abandoned since 2014. Betrayer was delisted from Steam in 2021.
But now it’s back, and available for the low, low price of absolutely nothing on GOG. Exactly why Betrayer has suddenly resurfaced remains a mystery, though PCGamesN has contacted its creators to see if they can shine some light on its return. In the meantime, if you want to sample this niche bit of gaming history for yourself, you can get Betrayer here.
Alternatively, scare yourself senseless with some of the other best horror games. You might also want to try the best indie games available on PC.