Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Type: Video Game

Subtypes: Survivors-like, Bullet Heaven

Origin: Funday Games (2025)

SCAN

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a spin-off of the popular co-op first-person extraction mining shooter Deep Rock Galactic, and one of the latest examples of the Survivors-like subgenre popularized by the surprise indie hit and namesake Vampire Survivors. The game is a one player top-down Bullet Heaven / Auto-Shooter / Survivors-like with roguelite elements (i.e., procedurally generated levels, permadeath, but with substantial meta-progression). Players drill into subterranean alien biomes swarming with a menagerie of hostile Starship Trooper-esque insectoid creatures and try to extract as much mineral wealth as possible against a ticking clock.

Note: while the DRG series does feature dwarves as the playable characters, this is not science fantasy. The origin or presence of a traditional fantasy race of dwarves is neither explained nor explored, but, with their reputation for mining, simply the way things are in the world of the game. And mining really is the key differentiator from other Survivors clones, as the gathering of precious resources directly ties into purchasing upgrades for your current run and unlocking permanent buffs. Rock and stone!

ANALYZE

When first booting up the game you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of menu options presented to you (upgrades, gear, milestones, skins, mission types, sectors, modes, characters, biomes, class mods, hazards). Thankfully, most of these are initially locked, allowing you to focus on the core content as more gameplay options are gradually unlocked. You will also likely die a lot at first until you learn the nuances of the game. But once you gain a basic understanding of both the goal and mechanics, you can start to tap into the bullet heaven power fantasy dopamine rush that makes these types of games appealing.

For me, the game that triggered the greatest flow state was Geometry Wars: Galaxies for the Nintendo Wii. The full-body commitment of joystick in one hand and motion-controlled wiimote in the other, along with a hypnotically throbbing electronica soundtrack, allowed for an experience like no other. I could also experience a lesser flow state with Pac-Man Championship Edition. There are times that Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor evokes a similar feeling, but some repetitive gameplay elements and lack of player agency hold it back. 

For starters, every run follows a similar pattern: start mining randomly or looking for a specific resource (incidentally shooting bugs as you go), then a massive swarm appears, then you find a supply beacon that you need to clear space for, then a bullet sponge boss shows up, then you have thirty seconds to reach your drop pod and escape to the next level. If some of these events were randomized rather than linear it would allow for more emergent gameplay. Roguelike GOAT Spelunky comes to mind, in which you had the sense that nearly anything could happen during any given run. Even the ‘Director’ feature in Left 4 Dead (which partially inspired the original Deep Rock Galactic) allowed for much more dynamic experiences.

Also, except for choosing between upgrade options upon level up, you play the entire game with just the left joystick. As an auto-shooter, everything is about movement and positioning. This can be frustrating when a tough boss appears and, depending on your weapons, you can’t even manually target it. As you wait for the boss’s health to be slowly whittled down, the swarms keep getting stronger and stronger. However, as you unlock additional classes, gear, and upgrades, you do have more control over the type of experience you want to have. 

The gameplay loop is generally satisfying, and the screen-filling, eyeball-searing explosion of bullets, resources, biomes, and bursting bugs is worth witnessing. The gradual progression of movement speed, mining speed, pickup radius, weapon damage, firing rate, reload speed, etc., creates a steady feedback loop of forward progress. Boasting high production values and a clear aesthetic, this is probably the strongest competitor and best alternative to Vampire Survivors in an increasingly crowded market.

ALERT

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor appears to have an ESRB rating of “Teen” for Violence, Blood, Use of Tobacco, Drug Reference, and Mild Language. With exploding alien insects and almost cartoony protagonists, the violence feels inconsequential despite the massive quantity of it. Even the ‘permadeath’ is mild as you can immediately start up a new run with the same character no worse for wear.

However, there is an almost constant flow of crude and vulgar dialogue (at least when using the starting class). The character literally shrieks phrases including the words, “d*mn, bad*ss, you ugly son of a b****, hell yeah, bloody hell, see you in hell, you slippery s***,” and so forth. There are also frequent references to drinking beer. This makes it hard to recommend for younger audiences. You can turn the dialogue volume all the way down, but this also eliminates the helpful alerts from your offscreen handler.

ENGAGE

In most video games, being surrounded by literally hundreds or even thousands of enemies swarming around you and attacking from every direction would be nerve-wracking. Resistance would be futile, defeat assured. However, entering into a flow state in this type of game is different–you can experience a state of calm and focus in the midst of utter chaos. 

This reminds me of verses like Psalm 3:6, “I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side” and Psalm 118:11-12, “They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns.” The Bible tells us that when we are surrounded and hard-pressed by our enemies in real life, God can protect us, rescue us, and even give us peace that doesn’t make sense based on the circumstances.

But the Bible also says not to let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths (Ephesians 4:29) and to put away all obscene talk (Colossians 3:8). The frequent crudities and profanities of Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor’s space dwarf protagonists make this experience less rewarding to dig into.