Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Preview (Steam Early Access)

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is back with a solo twist, and this early access preview is pure Hoxxes havoc. In this survivor-style auto-shooter, you’ll wield the full arsenal of Deep Rock Galactic against swarms of alien bugs, mine for riches, and upgrade your gear in fast-paced, roguelike runs. Gert Lush Gaming dives deep into the chaos, exploring how one dwarf can reshape the battlefield and your expectations in this addictive early build.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Preview Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 1.95GB Download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Full controller support.
  • Graphics settings – display, display mode, resolution, anti-aliasing, v-sync, max frame rate, gamma, and render scale slider.
  • Milestones act like the game’s own in-game achievements and give rewards. (You can see the reward beforehand.)
  • Four Dwarf types, with the scout being the only one unlocked initially.
  • The game plays like a Vampire Saviours, wherein you don’t control what and when you shoot your weapons; hitting a loot bug and mining happens automatically when you come into contact with them.
  • Each location in an area has five levels, where getting into the pod takes you to the next level.
  • Each level has a bar, and as you kill bugs, it fills up and triggers events such as the elite bugs (needed to end the level and trigger the pod), events such as swarms, and helpful pod drops with a level-up item in it.
  • Earn exp by picking up the fragments that drop from enemies and level up.
  • Each time you level up, you get to choose one of three random upgrades (optional re-roll paying with collected gold)
  • Selecting the same gun in a level up levels guns level up, and as you upgrade the gun, the better it gets, but also eventually you unlock the ability to add modifiers and perks to the weapon.
  • You have two weapons and a grenade type for a base loadout.
  • Plays on an isometric view.
  • Very impressive, stressful enemy count on screen.
  • Feels very polished, especially for performance.
  • The game is highly addictive as finishing and starting runs very quickly.
  • You keep collecting gems/ore, and it’s used as currency to buy permanent state upgrades.
  • Unlock new weapons and items to have them possibly appear in future runs.
  • The final level of a location is a huge boss encounter.
  • When the pod is triggered (after you kill the elite/boss), you have 30 seconds to get in it, or you are left behind.
  • Every character you unlock plays completely differently.
  • Mining helps you create your routes, tactics, and strangle points in a level.
  • You get random optional side missions for extra rewards.
  • In between location areas, you can spend red crystals and gold on upgrades in the shop.
  • Red candy heals you when collected.
  • You can see the ores and minerals clearly before mining them.
  • You have a mini-map that fills in as you play.
  • The game allows you to play how you want. For example, you could go in and just focus on levelling up a particular gun to unlock perks and buffs to it for later runs.
  • Artefacts are given from the supply pod that drops, and are bigger item buffs, like a chance to find gold when mining or knock enemies back, etc.
  • Loot bugs can be mined for loot.
  • Has satisfying noises and sounds.
  • Three unique locations to unlock, each with a handful of areas and stages.
  • Enviromental hazards.
  • Clear, easy-to-read user interface and HUD.
  • You can pause the game.
  • The controls could not be simpler.
  • All level perks have a rarity level and show what they do.
  • When the boss or elite is spawned, the bugs grow in strength and numbers as you let time pass.
  • You have a voice-over guy who helps but also gets progressively annoyed when you take too long.
  • Your character will do shout-outs randomly.
  • Every run is random.
  • Elemental attacks can be equipped, usually from mods on weapons and grenades, such as kinetic and lightning.
  • Any bug with a health bar above its head drops more eco fragments.
  • Different bug types like spitters, flying, and even exploding ones.
  • You are always making progress, whether it be collecting X amount of minerals, levelling up a gun to 12 to enable mods in the future, or just getting gold and valuable Intel.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Preview Cons:

  • No tutorials.
  • You cannot change any controller settings.
  • Slow starter as the default class and weapons/upgrades are not ideal, and it keeps the slow pace.
  • No camera control, which can sometimes get annoying.
  • A slight crack between two areas makes it unpassable despite clearly looking fine.
  • Very addictive and can cause a loss of productivity in other tasks in life, and render you a roguelike zombie.
  • Only a small pool of enemy types until the later locations.
  • You get the same two or three bonus materials.
  • Doesn’t have a hub area, which is very poignant in the original game.
  • Trying to remember which material is for which upgrade.
  • All the locations are unlocked, and their requirements are not clear.

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Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor:

Developer: Funday Games

Publisher: Ghost Ship Games

Store Links –

Steam Early Access

Preview Update Log

  • 22 September 2025 – Refreshed SEO content by updating the title, meta description, and opening paragraph.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Preview

Jim Smale

Score so far
85%

Summary

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview – The Thrills and Highlights of Gameplay:
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview throws you into a solo survivor-style auto-shooter where one dwarf takes on the full wrath of Planet Hoxxes. You’re armed with two weapons, a grenade type, and a growing arsenal of upgrades that evolve with each run. The game’s isometric view captures the chaos as swarms of bugs flood the screen, triggering events, elite encounters, and boss fights. Mining is automatic, but tactically creating choke points and routes is key. Every run is random, fast-paced, and rewarding, with permanent upgrades, weapon mods, and milestone-based progression keeping the loop addictive and satisfying.

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview – Where It Falls Short: Key Negatives:
Despite its polish, Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview stumbles in a few areas. There’s no tutorial, no hub area, and controller settings are locked. The early game feels slow, with limited weapon and class options, and the lack of camera control can be frustrating. Enemy variety is thin until later stages, and material tracking for upgrades is unclear. While the game is dangerously addictive, it can easily derail productivity and turn you into a roguelike zombie.

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview – Immersive Story and Narrative Elements:
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview doesn’t lean heavily on narrative, but it injects personality through voice-over commentary and random shout-outs from your dwarf. The annoyed voice-over adds charm and urgency, especially when you’re dawdling mid-swarm. While it lacks a traditional story arc, the game’s structure and character variety offer enough flavour to keep things engaging.

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview – Visual and Performance Aspects:
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview runs impressively well, even with absurd enemy counts on screen. Graphics are decent, with clear UI, readable HUD, and visible ore/mineral indicators. The sound design is satisfying, from loot bug crunches to weapon blasts. With full controller support and a range of graphics settings, it’s surprisingly polished for early access.

Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview – Overall Verdict: Is It Worth Playing?:
Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview is a chaotic, addictive auto-shooter that nails the roguelike loop. It’s easy to pick up, hard to put down, and constantly throws new upgrades, weapons, and modifiers your way. While it has rough edges and lacks some quality-of-life features, the core gameplay is strong enough to keep you coming back for “just one more run.”

Back of the Box Quotes:

“Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Preview turns roguelike repetition into a tactical bug-blasting obsession.”

85%

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!

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