The demo for Deserter is now live on Steam. Based on my hands-on time with the game, here is a look at the mechanics and potential of this dystopian stealth RPG.
The game is currently scheduled for release in Q4 2026, though a specific date hasn’t been announced yet. If you’re interested in the series, I’d recommend playing Deserter: Prologue first to get a better handle on the overarching story.
1. Core Gameplay
- Stealth and Theft: You play as John Holden, a thief surviving in the city by planning heists. You have to carefully map out your moves to avoid traps and surveillance.
- Freedom of Planning: You have total freedom to design and pull off your heists. This ranges from picking your entry point to using the environment to create distractions.
2. Character Progression
- Skills and Talents: There are nearly 100 different skills and talents. This variety allows you to build a unique playstyle.
- Eight Skill Categories: Skills are divided into Lock Picking, Forced Entry, Electronics, Pickpocketing, Stealth, Confrontation, Charisma, and Survival.
- Specialization: Each category has multiple branches for specialized play. Naturally, these require skill points to unlock.
3. Tools and Gear
- Varied Equipment: Tools like lockpicks, crowbars, grappling hooks, and explosives help you get the job done.
- Environmental Interaction: You can use your surroundings to find or make alternate routes. You might stick to the shadows or make noise to lure guards away.
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Hands-on Impressions
I wasn’t actually familiar with this series or even this specific genre before. However, after playing the latest demo, I’m impressed. When I have the time, I definitely plan to check out the prologue and other titles from AskaLot Games.
This game is heavy on strategy and skill. It’s the kind of experience that actually makes you use your brain. Even though enemy vision cones are visible for reference, it is still incredibly easy to trip an alarm if you aren’t careful.
Managing the Search and Detection
The real challenge isn’t just figuring out how to get through a level. Knowing how to lose the guards once you’ve been spotted is the key. Enemies follow fixed routes or patrol patterns. Therefore, you have to time your moves perfectly or use obstacles to stay out of sight.
One thing worth mentioning is the stamina system. Early in the game, your stamina is very limited since you haven’t upgraded your skills yet. If you’re caught, you can sprint for a short burst. However, you can’t maintain that high speed for long. Fortunately, stamina regenerates automatically. This lets you maneuver around enemies, but the best strategy is always to avoid being detected at all.
Map Exploration and NPCs
The map design is really engaging, and you can enter most rooms. Since the core of the game is stealthy theft, this adds a lot of incentive to explore. Many rooms also have NPCs inside. This cranks up the difficulty because getting caught mid-theft usually leads to an arrest.
As for escaping after a successful job, you have plenty of freedom. You can plan a clean exit path in advance. Alternatively, you can just try to make a break for it.
Planning and Saving Your Progress
The game supports wide camera rotation and free zooming. This helps a lot when you’re scouting the environment and planning your next move. There is also a pause feature that lets you move the camera and study the terrain while time is stopped. This is incredibly useful for the tougher levels.
The saving system is also very user-friendly. You can manually save at almost any time except during dialogue. This means you don’t have to stress about failing a mission. Saving right before a complex maneuver gives you a much-needed safety net.
Overall, these mechanics come together to create a stealth RPG experience that is both freeform and highly strategic. It’s a great fit for players who enjoy deep role-playing and immersive sims.
Note: This article is based on the DEMO version. The final release may vary.
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