MISERY

I jumped into MISERY expecting a lean Stalker‑inspired romp — what I found was a messy gem: tense scavenging, weird anomalies and a cozy‑ugly bunker loop that clicks in co‑op. If you like extraction‑style raids with friends and sour soviet charm, this scratches that itch, even while it stumbles technically.

Core loop is deliciously simple: a siren gives you 60 seconds to reach your bunker, then you pick a team, venture into procedurally generated towns, bunkers and wastelands during the day and loot like maniacs before returning. You’ll face radiation, anomalies that can both help and kill you, mutants, bandits and surprise emissions that punish bad timing. Artifact hunting adds high‑risk, high‑reward moments and the bunker progression — generators, crafting stations, food and decorating — gives real long‑term goals. Proximity voice chat, a cramped inventory and squad dynamics make runs tense and hilarious in equal measure. On the downside the game is rough: spawning glitches, odd map generation, janky building placement, inconsistent weapon balance and notable FPS drops/optimisation issues crop up in many reports. Still, the sound design, the PS‑style low‑poly look and the moments around the bar trading weird artifacts are unexpectedly charming. The developer is active and the roadmap hints at more features, so what feels like a green but promising survival title could grow substantially.

MISERY is a rough diamond — wildly atmospheric and genuinely fun in co‑op, but currently hampered by technical and balancing issues. Buy if you want chaotic, social survival and can tolerate bugs; otherwise wait for a few more patches.