Xenopurge Review
If you’re an Aliens fan, you owe it to yourself to check out Xenopurge.
Xenopurge. Credit: Traptics / Firesquid
Xenopurge, from developer Traptics and publisher Firesquid, brilliantly draws on the film Aliens to create a tactical auto-battler with horror flavor. Rather than putting you in the boots of the soldiers themselves, it places you in a removed position, commanding missions through a bank of flickering consoles like something ripped straight out of the movie. Your soldiers are reduced to labeled blips on a map, their vitals ticking along the side of the screen, their panic and pain coming through over the radio. When things go wrong, you don’t see it, you hear it; that distance is exactly what makes the game so effective.
You don’t directly control your squad; instead, each unit has set combat behavior that determines how they respond to threats, while you issue commands that tell the team or its members their intended focus as they explore. That design choice reinforces the fantasy of being a commander rather than a frontline hero, and the limited control creates constant tension. You’re always reacting to incomplete information, adapting as best you can to shifting mission conditions, especially when meeting objectives takes too long. Xenos spawn on a timer, and each wave is stronger. That secondhand control can be frustrating. When things start going wrong, they tend to snowball quickly, but that helplessness is part of the appeal.
Xenopurge. Credit: Traptics / Firesquid
Xenopurge. Credit: Traptics / Firesquid
The game leans into a roguelite format. Missions in each campaign are arranged on a branching map, and between deployments, you’ll recruit new soldiers, buy weapons, upgrade stats, and unlock new commands. Losses hurt, progress feels earned, and every decision carries long-term consequences.
Visually, the game commits to immersion by framing everything through in-world consoles, reinforcing the idea that you’re sitting in a command room. You see everything on glowing monitors, and it looks just like Aliens. To me, this was the appeal, and the game nails it. The game encourages using a keyboard to control it, and it definitely enhances the immersion. The developers have clearly put a lot of thought into the game's presentation and experiential aspects.
Xenopurge. Credit: Traptics / Firesquid
Xenopurge stands out by doing less, not more. Its restrained mechanics, indirect control, and commitment to perspective create a uniquely tense tactical experience. While its hands-off command style won’t appeal to everyone, players willing to embrace that uncertainty will have a great time. Especially if they’re an Aliens fan.
Xenopurge is available now on Steam.
Overall Score: 8/10
Played on: PC
