Steam hosts many Survivors-like games that each approach the genre from a different angle, but few are as bold as Dark Light: Survivor in mixing the formula with Helldivers and DOOM-inspired features. From the developer of Dark Light, a Dead Cells-inspired Metroidvania on Steam, Dark Light: Survivor appears to be pushing the franchise in a new direction by venturing into action roguelike and bullet hell territory.
Dark Light: Survivor‘s atmosphere may seem slightly generic at first glance, with its gloomy post-apocalyptic world, frequent rain, and abandoned towns. However, beneath this familiar setup lies a range of creative ideas and intriguing inspirations that make Dark Light: Survivor a game that fans of several different genres should keep an eye on as it approaches its early access release.
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Dark Light: Survivor Shares Core Gameplay With Vampire Survivors
At its core, Dark Light: Survivor is an action roguelike game with bullet hell elements, throwing players into steadily intensifying waves of enemies that attack from every direction. Survival depends on the weapons, armor, and gear found during a run or earned through leveling up. This setup will feel immediately familiar to fans of action roguelikes, especially those who have spent time with Vampire Survivors. Dark Light: Survivor shares several gameplay elements with Poncle’s hit, including:
- RNG-influenced enemy drops
- XP-focused boosters and upgrades
- Gradually increasing enemy waves
- Unique characters with specialized abilities
- Mini-boss encounters
For those comparing the two games’ visuals, Dark Light: Survivor is clearly a departure from Vampire Survivors‘ pixel-art style. That said, the upcoming third-person shooter includes a pixel-art mode that transforms the entire world into a retro-style shooter. While this still does not make it visually similar to Vampire Survivors, it does help narrow the aesthetic gap.
Dark Light: Survivor’s Helldivers-Like Gunplay and Setting Come with an Intriguing Twist
A single match can play out as both a TPS and a top-down shooter.
One of Dark Light: Survivor‘s creative features is the ability to switch freely between top-down and third-person perspectives. This means a single match can play out as both a TPS and a top-down shooter. In its top-down mode, the game strongly resembles the original Helldivers, especially in its twin-stick shooting and dark sci-fi atmosphere. Beyond that, it also shares several similarities with Arrowhead Game Studios’ shooter series, including:
- Protagonists that give off clear Helldivers vibes
- Weapon designs reminiscent of the original Helldivers
- Hack-and-slash elements that Helldivers is known for
The hack-and-slash side of Dark Light: Survivor plays a significant role in its gameplay. Players can wield melee weapons that pair with power-ups to produce different effects and damage types. These melee options become especially important in the late game, when enemy hordes grow overwhelming, and the combat space tightens.
While the developer has not officially acknowledged any Helldivers or DOOM influence during the game’s development, it has described Dark Light: Survivor as a blend of Returnal and Vampire Survivors.
Dark Light: Survivor’s DOOM-Esque Enemies Add Tension to Gameplay
Each round in Dark Light: Survivor begins with minor enemies, mostly zombie-like creatures with limited movement. As the run goes on, enemy numbers increase, their behavior becomes more aggressive, and mini-bosses and final bosses begin to appear. These tougher enemies look heavily inspired by iconic DOOM designs, resembling demonic creatures that feel straight out of hell.
That said, Dark Light: Survivor‘s narrative has nothing to do with hell or demons. According to developer Mirari&Co., the game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans can travel between different universes within a “shattered multiverse.” As a result, the DOOM-esque enemies players encounter are better described as anomalies rather than actual demons.
Steam Users Can Try Dark Light: Survivor for Free
Fans of gory, high-replay-value games are in luck, as Dark Light: Survivor already has a free demo available on Steam. The demo lets players experience a short slice of the game that showcases its core gameplay systems, offering a solid sense of whether the full release will be their cup of coffee. While the demo features limited locations and locks some classes, it still provides plenty to explore for fans of the genre.
What to Expect from Dark Light: Survivor in 2026
Some features planned for post-early-access updates include:
- More in-depth character progression mechanics
- New abilities and an expanded skill tree
- Additional enemy types
- New weapons and gear
- New locations and biomes
Dark Light: Survivor was already one of the most anticipated third-person shooters on Steam in 2025. However, it now appears the game won’t release until sometime in Q1 2026. According to the developer, the initial launch will mark the start of the early-access phase, during which development will continue, and updates will be released regularly.
