Volatiles, made by Team Instant Defeat and released by 11 bit studios, is a pixel-art rogue-lite survival shooter viewed from above. Its twin-stick combat pits you against hordes as you expand the map one tile at a time, while the story follows a test subject rebuilding their mind after something went wrong inside it.
Quick answer: Volatiles is a Steam-bound rogue-lite where you fight swarms of mutant and eldritch creatures while expanding the arena with placeable grid tiles. No release date is currently confirmed, and it can be wishlisted now.
The core loop: fight, level up, place a tile
Each run starts small. You hold a single square of ground surrounded by a void, fending off creatures until you reach a level up. Clearing waves and gaining levels is what lets you grow the map instead of simply making your character stronger.
When you level, new tiles appear around the one you occupy, each marked with a numeric modifier such as +0 or +1. Dropping a tile into place reveals fresh terrain: extra rooms, barricades, loot chests, and larger structures like a ruined church. The layout you assemble becomes the battlefield, so building outward can open escape routes or just as easily create more ground for enemies to pour through.
Combat itself is fast and crowded. You move across bridges and through laboratory corridors while firing on swarms, using explosive barrels, laser turrets, and choke points on narrow crossings to thin the horde. Larger threats show up too, including a massive tentacled creature that spreads across the arena.
Playable characters
Three survivors are shown, each with their own leveling track and skill kit rather than a shared build.
| Character | Name | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Jaeger | Brandon Hank | Offensive gunfighter |
| Researcher | Talia Lum | Tech and perks |
| Mechanic | Rex Vortesco | Melee support |
Jaeger leans into attack, with skills unlocking across levels: a 15% attack rate bonus early, an additional revive, a jump attack, active reload, and critical-damage and critical-chance boosts higher up the tree.
Researcher is the science class, built around systems rather than raw damage. Her upgrades touch weapon mod recharge time, perk dispenser benefits, and experience gains, including enhanced level boosters at the top end.
Mechanic is a small-town tinkerer dragged into the nightmare, fighting with a wrench that deals 30 damage at medium speed. He is framed as a support survivor who keeps others alive rather than chasing kills.
Weapons and perks
Progression runs through weapon dispensers and player perks that you buy from in-run menus. Two examples are shown, with prices listed in the game’s own currency.
| Unlock | Type | Effect | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | Weapon dispenser | 120 damage, low fire rate | 0 |
| Electric Projectiles | Player perk | 30% chance for 40% electric damage | 13 |
The Rifle is described as a reliable long-range option, strong against single targets but weak against large groups of small enemies. Electric Projectiles is an elemental passive that adds a chance to deal bonus electric damage on your shots, shown in the footage as blue bolts arcing into oncoming creatures.
The story and setting
A scientist narrator speaks directly to the protagonist, who floats inside a glowing containment vat deep in a retro-futuristic lab. The voice explains that it saw “unsettling things” inside the subject’s head, things that do not belong in a human mind, and that the mind now has to be rebuilt piece by piece. That line doubles as the pitch for the tile-building loop.
The narrator is identified in-game as Dr. Bramwell, who interrupts combat with a dialogue box reading, “Forgive me… I believe some explanations are in order.” White-coated staff are seen gathered around the vat, and the voiceover closes by asking how else they could help the subject, framing the experiments as a treatment the protagonist is expected to cooperate with.
Those story beats play out across the same spaces you fight in, from churchyards full of graves to underground facility corridors.
Platform and availability
Volatiles is announced for PC via Steam, where it ends with an “Add to Wishlist” prompt. There is no confirmed release date or time yet, so the only concrete next step for interested players is to wishlist it and wait for a dated announcement from Team Instant Defeat and 11 bit studios.
