Back in early 2023, I started working on an article about new Ukrainian games and never expected that this work would stretch over several months and a number of materials. The first part of the article, “Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian Games 2023 (33 games)” was published on February 26, 2023, followed by four more articles, bringing the total number of Ukrainian games to 112 (games already released and those planned for 2023-2025). This is the last, sixth article in this series this year, and it will focus on games that were not included in the previous issues and managed to get to the release in 2023. Links to the previous parts of “Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian Games 2023-2025” can be found at the end of the article.
As I noted earlier, it seems that the full-scale war has become a kind of catalyst that has activated the final separation of the Ukrainian gaming market from the Russian one and at the same time has become the driver of a kind of renaissance in the Ukrainian gaming industry. All of this is somewhat reminiscent of the period of the Ukrainian gaming market’s inception in 1997-2008, but this time without the painful tie to the Russian one, which is very encouraging.
Let’s get to the games themselves. Here are 27 more Ukrainian games released in 2023 (that is, 77 in total in 2023 alone!), in order of release. But first, I want to remind you that not all games need to have S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2-level graphics and not all games that come out are successful.
The Escape: Together
Developer Nightstuff Games
Genre horror, adventure
Release date January 13, 2023 [Early access]
The Escape: Together is a cooperative horror/survival game for 1-3 players. Some scary monster has made its way into your house, and you have to survive and find a way to escape from the dangerous place.
The Escape: Together was released on Steam Early Access at the beginning of the year, and the developers have been actively updating the project. There is a new map, new inventory, animations, and finally Ukrainian localization. The last update to the game was released on October 26, 2023, and the authors also announced that they are working on a new map and PvP mode. Not a bad pace, especially considering that the game seems to be developed by only one person.
The Escape: Together has good player reviews and a good Steam rating of 85/100 (out of 472 reviews, which is a lot). The game costs only 74 UAH on Steam.
Me in the Office
Developer Mykhailo Konokh
Genre action
Release date February 17, 2023
Me in the Office is a comedy action game by Mykhailo Konokh in which the player has to smash a huge three-story office to pieces. A kind of Goat Simulator lite, about a man who is tired of working for a company.
Unfortunately, Me in the Office seems to have gone unnoticed by players; the game has only a few reviews on Steam, which is not enough to even generate a rating.
Mykhailo Konokh is no newcomer, he has been publishing his own games on Steam since 2014. The most popular of all – Fly in the House has mixed reviews. Mykhailo is currently working on his next project, Zra Stories.
AlcoFox
Developer Vetus Corvum
Genre action/platformer
Release date April 10, 2023
AlcoFox is an action/platformer with puzzles and black comedy elements. You play as a fox squirrel who suffers from alcoholism and has to go through a series of tests to change his future.
AlcoFox is the first game by the animation studio Vetus Corvum. The project is praised for its humor and characters, but criticized for its game mechanics. Currently, there are not enough reviews to form a rating.
Brutalism22
Developer Marginal act
Genre horror
Release date April 12, 2023
Brutalism22 is a symbolic philosophical horror about the Russian-Ukrainian war, set in Kyiv at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Kyivans should recognize some symbols of the city from the Soviet brutalist era: the Salyut Hotel, the Flying Saucer on Lybidska Street, and typical 16-story Kyivan “panels.”
Marginal act studio works in the style of either naïve art or primitive surrealism, so you should get used to what their games look like, and since 2017, they have already released 18 projects on Steam.
Brutalism22 has mostly positive player reviews and a Steam rating of 70/100 based on 17 reviews. The game costs 99 UAH.
Expansion
Developer Plazma Studio
Genre real-time strategy
Release date April 14, 2023 [Early access]
Expansion is a real-time tactical strategy game in VR by Ukrainian-Maltese Plazma Studio, which has offices in Kharkiv and Malta. The game features indirect troop control. The gameplay combines action, research, strategy development, formation of combat units, etc. In addition to the multiplayer part, a full-fledged single-player campaign is planned.
A free version of the game, a kind of Early Access, was released on the Meta platform for Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro. The feedback from players is very good. The full release of Expansion on Oculus Quest and Steam is scheduled for the second quarter of 2024.
Forest Fire
Developer Chute Apps
Genre action/RPG
Release date May 3, 2023
Forest Fire is a pixelated roguelike/bullet hell in which you play as a small flame that has to start a huge forest fire and destroy everything around it. The flame must dodge rain clouds and firefighters, gain levels, additional abilities, and more. A kind of free variation on the theme of Vampire Survivor.
Chute Apps is just two people. Canadian Carl Chute and Ukrainian Anastasia Petrenko. They already have two games on Steam and a bunch of projects in the works.
Forest Fire has very positive player reviews and a Steam rating of 88/100 based on 60 reviews.
Chronicles of Vipers
Developer Brenntkopf Studio Kharkiv
Genre first-person shooter
Release date June 20, 2023
Chronicles of Vipers is a first-person shooter inspired by early 2000s games and VHS movies. You play as CIA secret agent Steven “Viper” Rogers. Your task is to rescue all of your colleagues in different parts of Colombia from captivity, as well as to destroy a new threat – the Free Drug Seekers cartel. Is it just me or is the name of the game an allusion to Venom. Codename: Outbreak?
Despite the fact that the game is criticized for its game mechanics, poor weapon feel, stupid NPCs, etc., almost all reviews, only 19 so far, are positive, so the Steam rating of Chronicles of Vipers is very good – 94/100.
In fact, Brenntkopf Studio Kharkiv, which gained the attention of Ukrainian players after the CosmoOdyssey parody series, is a very productive studio that released three games in 2023: CosmoOdyssey 2: Comeback to origin, Chronicles of Vipers, and Son of Perun Kharkiv.
SKY
Developer DIRECTOR’S CUT
Genre strategy
Release date June 27, 2023
An urban planning strategy with Minecraft-like graphics about building an eco-friendly city on a flying island and maintaining balance. An interesting concept that, unfortunately, did not find its player. SKY has a few reviews, which are not enough to form a Steam rating.
SKY developer Ihor Podlesnyi, whose portfolio includes the second game without players, plans to create his next project as part of a team, not alone, and is currently developing concepts for Ukrainian armored vehicles and posting them on YouTube.
Machi: Above the Void
Developer Nasty Cat
Genre puzzle
Release date July 5, 2023
A meditative, but rather challenging puzzle game in the spirit of Japanese-style math crosswords with voxel graphics. There is even multiplayer, which is unusual for games of this kind, but unfortunately there are not many players.
Machi: Above the Void doesn’t have many reviews yet, so it doesn’t have a Steam rating either.
This is the second game released by Nasty Cat this year. Sharded World in the spirit of Vampire Survivors was released in Early Access back in February of 2013 and has many more reviews and players. In addition, the studio is working on another project, Sharded World: Backpack Adventure in the spirit of the popular Backpack Hero.
Catch & Cook: Fishing Adventure
Developer Campfire Studio
Genre arcade, simulator
Release date July 14, 2023
Catch & Cook: Fishing Adventure is a cute action/adventure about fishing, and it seems that after the success of DREDGE and DAVE THE DIVER there will be many more.
In Catch & Cook: Fishing Adventure, you control a small fishing boat, catch fish using different gear, cook new dishes from it, and explore the world around you by completing various tasks. Unlike DREDGE, the Ukrainian game has more sunshine and a much more relaxed atmosphere.
Unlike Campfire Studio’s previous project, the highly successful My Dream Setup, which was released on February 20, 2023, Catch & Cook: Fishing Adventure gathered much fewer players. The game has a very good Steam rating of 81/100 and 32 reviews.
Demon Lord Reincarnation
Developer Graverobber Foundation
Genre role play
Release date July 19, 2023
A turn-based role-playing game in the spirit of classic Might & Magic and more modern Legend of Grimrock with monochrome 3D graphics from the author of last year’s Ringlorn Saga.
Among the features of Demon Lord Reincarnation are 20 different characters that can be added to the party and the ability to continue the game after defeating the Demon Lord, but for him and his army.
Unfortunately, the Ukrainian game is available in English and Japanese only. Demon Lord Reincarnation has mostly positive reviews and a Steam rating of 71/100 out of 74 reviews.
AI Olympius
Developer Lion’s Shade
Genre third-person shooter
Release date July 20, 2023 [Early access]
Finally, a new project from the Lviv studio Lion’s Shade (actually just two people, a husband and wife), authors of the popular futuristic urban planning strategy Cliff Empire (2019), which has sold more than 100 thousand copies.
AI Olympius was conceived 12 years ago, and now the author is finally ready to realize this project. AI Olympius is a story-driven futuristic shooter with the same visual style used in Cliff Empire, but this time with a much more detailed environment. This is not surprising since the game is set in the Cliff Empire universe.
Now all the main mechanics are ready, so the developers decided to release the game in Early Access and finalize it, testing the innovations on players. Currently, there are already 6 out of the planned 20-25 missions. The game will feature split-screen co-op, PvP, Survival, and Arena modes.
AI Olympius does not have many players yet, but the reviews are positive. The Steam rating is 81/100 from 22 reviews. The author has a clear vision of the project development and several successful releases under his belt.
Piero’s Pilgrimage
Developer Pier Plowman
Genre adventure
Release date July 22, 2023
Piero’s Pilgrimage is a very strange surreal experience. The game takes place inside the corpse of a giant dead mermaid, and your character is a cute dog in a funny hat. The game has a very strange visual style and a specific monochrome color scheme.
Piero’s Pilgrimage has mixed reviews and, in general, not enough to form a Steam rating.
Liberator
Developer NoNeed Knights
Genre stealth/action
Release date August 17, 2023
Liberator is a stealth game about shoplifting. The game is interesting because it was created by two teenage girls, Oleksandra Korniychuk and Olga Moskovska, who are taking game development courses and studying Unreal Engine. In fact, Liberator is a “test of the pen” for the girls on Unreal Engine.
The player’s task is to rob the entire store, but there are cameras, sellers, other customers, and anti-theft devices on the goods that still need to be removed so as not to ring on the way out. But you can also level up your character to make the robbery easier.
Liberator is a graduation project in the course, so it’s not available on Steam or other stores, but you can download it for free from the itch.io website.
GameDev Trash
Developer Extela Games
Genre mix
Release date August 18, 2023 [Early access]
GameDev Trash is a rather strange game, with each new level changing the environment and… genre. It’s a shooter, an open-world RPG, a horror, and much more! The game’s plot concerns the modern gaming industry and its peculiarities, and yes, it is a parody. It’s a kind of Ukrainian Evoland powered by Unreal Engine 5 with appropriate graphics detail. The authors offer a real AAA experience at an indie price, at least they say so.
The game was released in Steam’s Early Access, but it will remain there forever, which is also a joke about the specifics of modern gamemaking.
Although it can be interesting, because Extela Games is a division of Lviv-based outsourcing company Extela, which has been developing websites, mobile software, interfaces, etc. for more than 7 years. Extela Games is an expansion into gaming outsourcing, and GameDev Trash is meant to be a demonstration of the developers’ skills. By the way, the company’s website has an announcement of its next project, Twilight.
GameDev Trash has positive reviews and a Steam rating of 81/100 based on 11 reviews.
Z.O.N.A Project X VR
Developer AGaming+
Genre shooter, role-playing game
Release date August 25, 2023
Z.O.N.A Project X VR is almost like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, but in virtual reality. With anomalies, monsters, various weapons, stalkers around the campfire, your own base, etc. It really looks almost like an official VR conversion of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
AGaming+, which develops Z.O.N.A Project X VR, has been developing games for Android and iOS until recently, including 3D action games about the Chernobyl zone – Z.O.N.A Shadow of Lemansk and Z.O.N.A Project X. Since 2019, the studio has been releasing some of its games on Steam VR.
Z.O.N.A Project X VR has very favorable reviews and a Steam rating of 83/100 based on 111 reviews, which is quite a lot for a VR-only project. And AGaming+ is already developing the next VR project – Z.O.N.A: Origin, with much more modern and detailed graphics. The game is set to be released on Steam Early Access in 2024.
Son of Perun Kharkiv
Developer Brenntkopf Studio Kharkiv
Genre shooter, role-playing game
Release date September 1, 2023
Another game from Brenntkopf Studio Kharkiv and this time about Kharkiv, which after the Victory became the Ukrainian Detroit and the most developed city on the planet. The game is set in 2054 in the universe of the studio’s previous project, Cosmodicea. The protagonist of Son of Perun Kharkiv is veteran Andriy Bondarenko, a detective in the Kharkiv Police Department, which is owned by a private corporation. His task is to find the person responsible for the failure of the corporation’s security systems.
Kharkiv’s Cyberpunk was a bit buggy on release, just like the very same Cyberpunk, but the game still has very positive reviews, a Steam rating of 95/100 (42 reviews) and a price tag of only 60 UAH. But don’t expect Cyberpunk 2077-level graphics from Son of Perun Kharkiv, as it’s a traditional Brenntkopf Studio Kharkiv project in terms of visuals.
Solitaire Quest: Garden Story
Developer Playzzy Games
Genre casual card game
Release date September 11, 2023
Playzzy Games is another Ukrainian outsourcing company that has been developing custom iOS, Android, Facebook, Windows, and Mac apps since 2012. Solitaire Quest: Garden Story is the studio’s second game in 10 years to be released under its own brand.
Solitaire Quest: Garden Story is a fairly typical garden-themed card solitaire. There are a lot of similar conditionally free casual games on mobile platforms, but they rarely reach PCs. Perhaps it is because this is an atypical genre for PCs that the game has not yet received enough reviews to form a Steam rating, but almost all of them are positive. The price tag is 124 UAH.
Root of Win
Developer dmytropohorol
Genre puzzle
Release dateSeptember 13, 2023 [Early access]
Root of Win is a 3D single-player/cooperative topography puzzle game with monochrome simplistic graphics. From the description and trailers, it is difficult to understand the nuances of the gameplay and the style of graphics does not help, but only misleads. Perhaps that’s why the game hasn’t gotten many reviews yet, only three in fact, but all of them are positive.
Root Of Win was released in Early Access, and it seemed that the author was going to support it, but in three months the game’s page has not been updated.
Castle Of Void
Developer Determined Fantasy
Genre strategy, Tower Defense
Release date September 18, 2023
Castle Of Void is a fairly traditional 3D fantasy Tower Defense game with unpretentious graphics. An interesting feature of the game is the ability to use monsters as allies. The game also has 15 localizations, and, of course, no Russian one.
But the most interesting thing about Castle Of Void is the age of the developer. Oleksandr, who created Castle Of Void, is only 14 years old and started this game as a course project.
The game has not yet received enough reviews to form a rating, but they are all positive. If you want to support the young developer, Castle Of Void costs only 74 UAH. And actually, don’t forget to write reviews, especially for Ukrainian games.
Russian Warship
DeveloperDmitry Zheltobriukhov
Genre action, Tower Defense
Release date October 20, 2023
Russian Warship is another game visualization of the meme phrase “Russian warship, fuck you!”. In this game, you will literally pelt Russian ships and planes with facts while defending Zmeinyi Island and Crimea. In the game, you can destroy the Crimean Bridge, sink the cruiser Moskva, send a bunch of Russians to a Kobzon concert, and even kill Putin.
Russian Warship should not be confused with the game Russian warriors go f*ck themselves by the teenage team Martian Teapots from Sumy, which was released in the first half of 2022.
Of course, such a memorable game has a very good Steam rating of 97/100 (out of 49 reviews), and it’s completely free.
Strange House
Developer Games4Wonders
Genre adventure
Release date November 3, 2023 [Early access]
Strange House is the story of a guy looking for his missing girlfriend in a gloomy, poor industrial town somewhere on the remote outskirts of the country. There are a lot of industrial plants here that are constantly smoking and often cover the sky with thick smog. Civilization hasn’t reached here well, so despite the modernity, old Soviet-era buildings prevail, as well as all the accompanying structures and life. It’s a kind of voyeuristic Japanese adventurous story with elements of survival in a post-Soviet setting.
Interestingly, looking almost like a 2D game, Strange House actually uses the Unreal Engine. This is the first independent project by Games4Wonders, which previously worked as an outsourcer and also developed content for the Unreal Marketplace.
The game, which was released in the Early Access a month ago, has not yet received enough reviews to form a rating, but those that have (8) are extremely positive. The game costs 74 UAH on Steam.
Lost Hope: Backrooms
Developer mdvd
Genre horror
Release date November 8, 2023 [Early access]
Lost Hope: Backrooms is a horror game based on the creepypasta universe (I had to google it) The Backrooms. The player’s task is to solve riddles and find a way out (if there is one at all) of the intricate mazes of either abandoned office buildings or basements, where several sinister entities roam. In Lost Hope: Backrooms has more than 10 levels with various puzzles and story fragments. There is also support for cooperative play.
Lost Hope: Backrooms already has 20 reviews, mostly positive, but for some reason Steam hasn’t yet rated it.
Space Killer
Developer Two Friends
Genre action/RPG
Release date November 23, 2023
Space Killer is a space action/RPG in the spirit of Vampire Survivors. You destroy enemies, gain experience, collect resources, improve weapons, destroy even more enemies, collect even more resources, and so on. Instead of magic and an enchanted forest, it’s space, energy fields, and lasers.
Space Killer features 6 unique spaceships with extraordinary superpowers, millions of weapons and supplies for ships, 6 different mission types, and more.
This game was developed by only two people in 6 months and costs only 99 UAH. The Steam rating is an incredible 100/100, but so far only based on 18 reviews.
A Twisted Path To Renown
Developer Game-Labs
Genre shooter
Release date December 1, 2023 [Early access]
A PvEvP extraction shooter, i.e. a PvEvP first-person shooter with extraction/robbery mechanics from the Swedish-Ukrainian studio Game-Labs (in May 2021, the Kyiv-based developer was acquired by the Swedish holding Stillfront Group for $32.5 million).
A Twisted Path To Renown is a kind of sequel/spinoff of the studio’s previous game, This Land Is My Land, but this time with PvP and not for the Indians, but for the American colonists. Setting – Wild West in 1899.
The authors promise an incredible crafting system, realistic survival in the wild, hunting, base building, realistic weapons, production chains, and more. It looks even more complicated than Red Dead Redemption 2. And from a visual point of view, the game looks very good, maybe it’s not Rockstar Games’ level yet, but it’s already a pretty modern A-shooter.
A Twisted Path To Renown was released in Early Access on December 1, 2023 and is available for purchase on the game’s own website. This is the version for the studio’s own launcher and is not compatible with Steam. The game doesn’t have a Steam page yet, but it’s likely to appear sometime in 2024.
Ultimate General: American Revolution
Developer Game-Labs
Genre wargame
Release date December 1, 2023 [Early access]
Another game from Kyiv-based Game-Labs. A new part of the popular real-time wargame series Ultimate General. If we count only the land parts, Ultimate General: American Revolution is the third, and if you add the maritime wargames of the Ultimate Admiral series, it is the fifth.
Unlike the first two parts of Ultimate General: Gettysburg (2014) and Ultimate General: Civil War (2017), each of which, by the way, sold more than 200 thousand copies, Ultimate General: American Revolution, as you can see, is dedicated not to the events of the US Civil War, but to the US War of Independence in 1775-1783.
Ultimate General: American Revolution will feature the American and British campaigns of 1775-1776, 1776-1777, 1777-1778, and 1778-1779, for a total of eight annual campaigns. In addition to land battles, the game also features major naval battles and even amphibious landings. There are also many elements of realism, such as delayed unit reports, troop support, food and ammunition, morale, defensive structures, etc.
On December 1, 2023, Ultimate General: American Revolution became available for purchase in Early Access on its own website. Please note that this is the version for the studio’s own launcher and is not compatible with Steam. In the Stream Early Access Ultimate General: American Revolution will be available only in 2024.
In Her Head
Developer Games4Wonders
Genre visual novel
Release date December 8, 2023
Another game from Games4Wonders. In Her Head is a short visual novel about a girl who suffers from social phobia and is afraid of even a simple phone call. Her main problem is the need to call and make an appointment for a haircut. How does it feel when every call seems like a test?
In Her Head has four different endings, and judging by the vertical design of all the screens, it was created for mobile platforms.
Despite the low price of only 50 UAH, the game, which was released 10 days ago, has not yet received any reviews.
We’ll stop here for now to continue in 2024. The author is human, so he probably missed some releases or developers. But we will continue to write about Ukrainian games, so if you are a Ukrainian developer preparing your own project for PC or consoles, write to us, send us news, announcements, and trailers of your games. With a probability of almost 100%, we will publish them on Mezha. For mobile projects, the probability is lower, because we don’t consider ourselves experts in mobile gaming, but it’s definitely not zero, so write to us.
In previous episodes:
«Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian games 2023»
«Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian games 2023. Patch 1.1 (+10 games)»
«Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian Games 2024-2025. Part I (25 games)»
«Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian games 2024-2025. Part II (+ 25 games)»
«Made in Ukraine: Ukrainian Games 2023–2025. Patch 1.2 (+ 19 games)»
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