Stories from the Outbreak by Coldwild Games

Coldwild Games is a small game studio from Latvia led by the programmer Vladimir Slav. The studio aims to experiment with genres and treat games as art aesthetically, while putting good gameplay first. An ethical approach to game-making means that Coldwild Games never dabble with loot-box and casino mechanics and share their profits amongst all employees. Stories from the Outbreak is their seventh and largest game yet.

«The year is 2020. The new disease has been sweeping through the world for some weeks. Zombies rise from the dead and attack humans. You wake up in your apartment in the city of Riga and turn the radio on. The order has completely collapsed, and the streets are not safe. The police and the army will not protect you. There is one last ferry heading out to Iceland from the western shore. You can only rely on yourself now,» says the studio’s introduction to the game. Players will be able to lead a group of survivors from Riga towards a ferry leaving from Liepāja, scavenge for supplies, fight zombies, and decide the fate of their crew.

Just like the previous projects by Coldwild Games, Stories from the Outbreak also features a pixelated art style. The game is based around a rather realistic map of Riga and has many locations that will be immediately recognisable for Rigans — the typical architecture of Soviet micro districts, Riga Congress Hall, the television tower, etc. The players get to assemble a team from various characters, who have not only unique skills and roles in the team, but also their own tempers and opinions. The social environment of the game plays upon the theme of collaborating in a polarised society.

Stories from the Outbreak will be available on the gaming platform Steam from March 27. Other games from the studio include a cosy fishing game Luna’s Fishing Garden, an exploration and base-building game Merchant of the Skies, as well as a short interactive story Late Bird.