Move over shooters, this turn-based extraction RPG is now one of my most-anticipated 2023 releases

Key art from Quasimorph
(Image credit: Hypetrain Digital)

Turn-based RPG combat meets an extraction shooter’s tense structure in the upcoming Quasimorph. 

Quasimorph is a top-down space adventure that emulates the nail-biting feeling of extraction shooters such as Escape From Tarkov. That means you’ll enter unforgiving missions with high-risk, high-reward stakes. Die, and you’ll lose the valuable loot gathered during the mission. Live, and you’ll keep all the rewards. But the shooting part of extraction shooters is replaced with turn-based combat instead. Seems like a game for those who enjoy that intense tactical thinking, without needing a quick trigger finger to play.

Quasimorph is set in the far future when corporations have privatised outer space itself and are fighting for control over the Solar System. Adding salt to the metaphorical wound, there’s also a nasty disease spreading across space stations, which is somehow connected to the interdimensional rifts opening up everywhere, inviting even nastier demons into our world. So you’ll cheerily fight ruthless mercenaries, corporate agents, and mutated demons from another world. Yes, please.

That sounds like too much to handle for one lone fighter. Thankfully, you happen to be the boss of a Private Military Company and have access to planet-sized resources, including the ability to “clone the best employees and send them to certain death to probe the weaknesses of your opponents,” according to the game’s Steam page. Maybe we’re the ruthless ones, huh? 

Regardless, the game looks excellent and that unique pitch lands Quasimorph onto my radar of upcoming games. The game happily has a preview chapter available on Steam for free. Called Quasimorph: End Of Dream, the prologue gives you a taste of the tense shootouts and roguelike elements that’ll be part of the full release.

Quasimorph launches in full on August 16th for PC via Steam

In the meantime, take a look at the other upcoming indie games from 2023 and beyond. 

Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.