Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor drops you into the molten madness of Hoxxes IV with nothing but grit, guns, and a whole lot of bugs. This solo auto-shooter spins the beloved co-op chaos of Deep Rock Galactic into a roguelike fever dream where mining is automatic, but survival is anything but. With randomised cave layouts, relentless swarms, and a top-down perspective that turns every run into a tactical dance of destruction, this is a fresh dive into the franchise’s darkest depths. One dwarf. One mission. Endless carnage.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Review Pros:

• Decent graphics.
• 3.38GB Download size.
• Steam achievements. This includes hundreds more since the early access period. 
• Full native 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.) 
• 3 save slots amd any saves from the early access build will be accessible. 
• Gear loadout is an additional layer of customisation where you get to equip different rarities of gear items that can change your stats and add buffs to a run. You can get them from playing, upgrade them, and sell them. 
• Roguelike survival gameplay. 
• Tutorial pop-ups as you play. 
• Five game modes – Main missions, Masteries, anomaly dives, vanguard contracts, and lethal operations. 
• Masteries is a mode where you use either a set weapon, a class mod or a particular biome. Each has its own entry and set of rewards. 
• Anomaly dives are random-modifier-influenced runs. 
• Vanguard contracts are difficult dives with random mutators. 
• Lethal operation is a higher difficulty run and has negative modifiers. 
• Main missions are elimination (you go level by level, as explained here, with boss fights), and escort duty (where you have to farm oil for it to move the drill, and you have all new objectives in this mode). 
• Four Dwarf types, with the scout being the only one unlocked initially. You then unlock a further three sub-classes for each one, where you get a different gun, and your stats change. Don’t worry, you’ll see all this beforehand. 
• 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 or the most common one is you just get a screen full of bugs! 
• 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 are very quick.
• You keep collecting gems/ore, and it’s used as currency to buy permanent state upgrades, and this is your continuous currency; you don’t lose it upon dying. 
• 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 amd it’s game over. 
• 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 amd shows points of interest. 
• 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 a bit of extra rare loot, and there is also a huge special bug-like creature that tries to run away all the time; he gives a ton of materials for levelling up. 
• Has satisfying noises and sounds, and your miner always gives it a bit of mouth. 
• Three unique locations to unlock, each with a handful of areas and stages.
• Enviromental hazards are a huge deal, from the lava rocks to the spiky plants. 
• Clear, easy-to-read user interface and HUD.
• You can pause the game.
• The controls could not be simpler, just move around with the stick. 
• 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.
• 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.
• For me, this is one of the best examples of a roguelike, as it has many game variations and they all offer something unique but also offer a lot of depth. (pun intended) 
• The structure of the modes has changed and is more streamlined than in its early access days. 

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Review Cons:

• Tutorials are bare minimum. 
• 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.
• I was hoping it would have more things from the original game, like cutscenes and more of a story, but that’s not really here. 
• All the dives and runs are not connected and standalone, so it’s just a vehicle for doing runs. 

Related Post: Rock and Roll: Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Digs Into Early Access

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Official Website: 

Developer: Funday Games

Publisher: Ghost Ship Publishing

Store Link:

Steam