Interesting Steam games seemingly appear every day lately. Whether players are searching for a new soulslike, a silly friendslop game to play with their friends, or a Vampire Survivors<\/em>-like experience, Valve\u2019s storefront has them covered. And it\u2019s that final category that is especially busy as of late, with many indie developers taking inspiration from poncle\u2019s hit roguelike in the years since its 2022 debut. While fans wait for the proper spin-off game Vampire Crawlers<\/em> to release later this year, they have plenty of unofficial successors that try to remember the tenets of Survivors<\/em>: easy-to-learn gameplay, satisfying progression, and massive build freedom. These are some of the elements that will be present in a game called Erosion<\/strong><\/em>, but it has more to offer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Taking heavy inspiration from just Vampire Survivors<\/em> would be a surefire way to create a good game, but Erosion<\/em> developer Plot Twist seems to have been inspired by Arkane Lyon\u2019s Deathloop<\/em> as well. The 2021 release shines for its titular concept, which sees likable characters like Colt trapped in a cycle where they repeat the same day endlessly. To break the loop, players have to kill eight targets in the same day, something that requires learning patterns, devising strategies to be efficient and kill multiple targets at once, and learning every detail of the world. Erosion<\/em> may be taking its time manipulation in a different direction \u2014 only the main character remains the same after death, with the rest of the world thrown forward a decade \u2014 but it\u2019s shaping up to be a defining feature of the Steam title.<\/p>\n According to Erosion<\/em>\u2019s Steam Page, the game is set to launch in Q2 2026. Players can sign up for a playtest if they\u2019re interested.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Explore a roguelike open world where your actions reshape the timeline\u2026 Collect 100+ weapons and abilities, demolish destructible voxel dungeons, and more.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n Deathloop<\/em>\u2019s core gimmick focused on the world around Colt staying the same while he gained knowledge and power, but in Erosion<\/em>, the opposite is true. Every death throws the world forward an entire decade, which makes the game wildly unpredictable. On one hand, players may help an NPC and be rewarded for it 10 years later, with the character in a better place and remembering what the hero did to help. On the other hand, dying to trigger these rewards can be risky, as a once-peaceful town gamers regularly visited for supplies could be replaced with a hostile cult\u2019s base. Narratively, deaths aren\u2019t encouraged, either. Living the same day forever like in Deathloop<\/em> may sound torturous, but in Erosion<\/em>, dying means that the protagonist loses 10 years with their daughter \u2014 a much greater downside to failure.<\/p>\n As shown in the trailer for Erosion<\/em>, deaths can see players reaching their daughter in her teen years, mid-life, or on her deathbed, with her shown dying in the protagonist\u2019s arms because he took too long to rescue her in one bit of footage.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n This strong narrative hook should also make the open-world more interesting to explore, as players will notice significant changes in each decade. Players can \u201cmaster full timeline control\u201d and destruction mechanics to transform the map to their liking, with the open-world itself seeming impressively fleshed out. Players can drive a vehicle, \u201cjoin a cult,\u201d gamble, and fish to their heart\u2019s content. Duels and bounties are present as well for those who are seeking more of the top-down shooting the game offers, with side quests that \u201cgrant permanent upgrades and reshape the future.\u201d These permanent upgrades are likely weapons and skills, which is where the Vampire influence comes into play.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A huge part of Vampire Survivors<\/em>\u2019 popularity comes from the staggering amount of depth the title offers. Despite a shockingly low price tag, players will keep having new experiences within the \u201cbullet heaven\u201d game for hours on end, with build variety always being talked about as a clear high point. Naturally, freedom to approach combat from many different angles is going to be essential to any Vampire Survivors<\/em>-like projects clicking with gamers, and it seems like Erosion<\/em> is well aware of that expectation. It\u2019s promised \u201cendless\u201d possibilities, and while it remains to be seen if that bold claim actually proves true, there does seem to be a whole lot of content on offer.<\/p>\n In addition to \u201c100+ skills and modifiers\u201d for buildcrafters to experiment with, Erosion<\/em> has \u201cdozens of weapons\u201d \u2014 some of which stick out like a sore thumb. Sure, there are guns like one would expect from a game with a Western setting, but there are several wackier concepts highlighted by Plot Twist. Players can use a ritual bow that is powered with their own blood, a homing smart gun, or even a launcher that shoots \u201cbouncy eggs\u201d called the Ebony Rooster. As for the abilities, a few standouts are mentioned, like cloning oneself, deploying an army of turrets, and commanding an army of cat combatants. Though the premise of Erosion<\/em> is quite serious \u2014 it\u2019s like a reverse of the Sloclap game Sifu<\/em>, where the protagonist is avoiding death to stop a loved one from aging as opposed to himself \u2014 the game will seemingly offer plenty of humor as well. Being able to build around a chicken launcher and cat army, die, and restart 10 years later in a changed world (with an entirely different build, no less) sounds spectacular.<\/p>\n Erosion<\/em> is incredibly ambitious; an open-world roguelike that changes upon death and remembers player choices, while also offering side activities and deep buildcrafting, would be difficult to pull off for even a veteran AAA studio with a huge budget. It\u2019s surely a big undertaking for Plot Twist, whose experience is limited to the moderately well-received metroidvania called The Last Case of Benedict Fox<\/em>. Still, by leaning into a voxel art visual style, the focus can be kept on making sure all the mechanics planned for Erosion<\/em> gel well together. While the characters hopping up and down are adorable, it seems like the world will offer plenty of danger to contrast this charm. If Erosion<\/em> turns out to be as good as it looks, it could be Plot Twist\u2019s breakout hit, putting it on the map as a developer to watch closely for years to come.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n Erosion Features at a Glance
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\n How Erosion Flips Deathloop on Its Head
\n <\/h2>\n\n Erosion Sounds Like a Dream Come True For Fans of Vampire Survivors
\n <\/h2>\n\n Erosion is a Bold Experiment That Will Hopefully Pay Off
\n <\/h3>\n![\"erosion-poker\"](\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/erosion-poker.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2\"\/)
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