Some games never leave your mind, even years after you first played them. One of them is Pathologic 2, a re-imagining of creator Ice-Pick Lodge’s 2005 debut, Pathologic. Set within a rural society wracked by plague and descending into chaos as its citizens embrace either an industrial future or a return to the traditions of their past, Pathologic 2 is packed full of not just haunting imagery and constant tension, but sharp dialog that illuminates a mysterious and ultimately harrowing plot. Best of all, it’s currently available on a steep Steam discount that makes it less than $10 USD to pick up.
Pathologic 2 is hard to boil down into a single genre, but its suffocating atmosphere and ever present sense of danger often sees it categorized as a horror game. This is fair enough, even if it doesn’t entirely summarize the other aspects of Pathologic 2 that make it stand out, like its survival and bartering systems, which see players making desperate trades with other townspeople to access food, medicine, and, when violence is required, weapons.
The game’s take on the process of social change and of how communities respond to threats ranging from political revolutions to public health crises is just as striking as its look and sound. While its systems might seem obtuse and its level of difficulty a bit too harsh, stick with Pathologic 2 long enough and it reveals itself to be one of the best videogames ever made.
It’s funny and horrifying, beautiful and grotesque, frustrating and deeply satisfying. It’s also 75% (or $8.74 USD/£7.37) on Steam right now as part of publisher TinyBuild’s Everything Must Go Sale, which runs until this Saturday, March 2. Grab it now before the discount disappears by clicking right here.
For more like Pathologic 2, check out our choices for the top survival games and adventure games.
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