From Phasmophobia to Content Warning, it’s tough to beat the experience of sharing the scariest horror games with your friends. But convincing everyone in your crew to buy another new game to play with you can be tough. Enter the Steam Autumn Sale, which has dropped 2024 co-op game Nuclear Nightmare to well under $2. A blend of the frantic chaos of Lethal Company and the constant paranoia of John Carpenter’s The Thing, this terrifying test of your friendship is the perfect way to ring in the winter, and the response has been great, with a new player count high and very positive user reviews.
While the closest comparison point is probably Lethal Company, Nuclear Nightmare is a pretty different take on the horror game format. You and your companions are part of an elite extraction team tasked with recovering classified materials from the Arctic amid a deadly outbreak. The ‘black goo virus’ is a devastating bioweapon that can infect and turn anyone into a threat – even your faithful husky companions. It’s your job to recover the vaccines, but you’ve got limited time to do so before the US government unleashes a nuclear strike on the region to contain the spread.
Like all the best co-op games, Nuclear Nightmare demands you coordinate with your teammates to stay alive. You’ll have to deal with all manner of tasks to complete, enemies to fight or avoid, and items to gather. Fortunately, you can train your pups to help by sending them to scavenge for items, guard you while you work on certain tasks, or alert you to nearby dangers.
There are all manner of weapons to help you out, including the likes of flamethrowers, flare guns, and shotguns, though you’ll have to scavenge the frozen bases for them. As you progress, powerful perks can be unlocked to boost your chances of success, and you can even find snowmobiles and helicopters to give you a better chance at navigating the most treacherous areas of the world.
With the black goo a constant threat, you’ll have to keep a close watch on everyone. Test for potential infections and watch for anomalies – but be warned: while you can get your hands on vaccines, they can only cure one infection. With just five inventory slots per player, you’ll have to carefully manage what you keep on you. Successfully get the supplies, and you can call in the evac chopper and escape before the bombs drop.
First launched into early access in October, the current Steam sale has seen a huge 80% discount on Nuclear Nightmare, and it seems to have worked. In the past 24 hours, the game’s active player count has soared dramatically to a high of more than 8,000. That’s an impressive stat for a small indie creation, and the even better news is that reviews so far are looking fantastic, with 88% of players recommending it.
“Might be the best two-dollar horror game I’ve ever played,” one writes, “I expected another Lethal Company clone. No, this is an entirely fresh take on survival in the snow. It’s hard, it’s complicated, and as long as you have at least three friends to play with it’s a great experience.” Another says, “If you’re a fan of The Thing you’ll love this game.”
Nuclear Nightmare is 80% off on Steam through Wednesday December 4, so expect to pay just $1.39 / £1.17 for your copy. Find it here, and be sure to bring a few friends along with you for the ultimate experience – with support for up to eight players in co-op, there’s plenty of room.
It’s hard to beat the feeling of discovering a hidden gem, so take a look through the best indie games in 2024 to make sure you haven’t missed any others. Or save yourself a few pennies more and try some top free Steam games instead.
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