// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Pathogenic say to its virus? You're infecting me with feelings.
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| Developer | Aberrant Labs |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Slug Disco |
| Engine | Godot |
| Platforms | |
| Release | July 14, 2026 |
| Genres | |
| Mode | Single-player |
Pathogenic is a video game developed by Aberrant Labs, and published July 14, 2026 by Slug Disco on Steam for Windows, MacOS, and Linux. The game is a roguelike top-down bullet hell twin-stick shooter in which the player controls a pathogenic microorganism, infecting a host and traveling through interconnected, procedurally generated levels resembling various internal organs and biological structures. The playable pathogen is able to be modified by inserting organelles into slots, which can be moved around to create different effects.
The goal of the game is to kill the human host, portrayed in the intro as a scientist whose leg is cut by a piece of broken glass containing a live pathogen.
Development
[edit]Pathogenic is Aberrant Labs' first release, and was developed by a team of two.[1] A demo was released on itch.io in 2025, and updated several times throughout the course of development.[2][3]
Gameplay
[edit]
Pathogenic offers a tutorial for new players, which explains the controls, and moves through several linear levels, each one explaining an individual gameplay concept, starting with the modification system. The player can pause gameplay outside of combat to modify their pathogen,[4] adding, recycling, and moving around organelles, weapons, and other features such as flagella, which are used as propulsion. Different combinations can have various effects – with some organelles having passive effects, such as increased health – and some providing a boost to other functions, such as weapon damage.
Defeating enemies, which take the form of rival microorganisms and cells, allows the player to pick up DNA, which represents the game's form of experience points. After collecting enough DNA, a "mutation" is triggered, in which the player is required to select a modifier. Some mutations are referred to as "evolutions",[5] which allow the player to choose a new form for their organism, many of which are named after real bacterial morphologies. The player can also collect "cores", which is the game's primary currency, used to purchase items in randomly located upgrade shops.
Organelles and weapons are often presented as a choice between multiple options, with the remaining options disappearing after selecting, a common feature of roguelike video games.
The game's levels are procedurally generated, and the player can move from one section of a level to another via structures reminiscent of capillaries. When moving into an area with enemies present, the path back is blocked until they are defeated, after which the player can move freely or fast travel between areas. Each level features a boss which must be defeated before moving on to the next part of the body, such as from the site of infection – with the first being the skin – to another area, such as the intestines. Defeated bosses drop "plasmid" points, which allow for the selection of permanent upgrades for specific starter forms from a skill tree on the main menu. The goal of the game is to reach the heart and kill the human host, with the difficulty increasing as the player progresses up the body.[6][7] The player can optionally solve puzzles to reach the brain as an additional challenge.[8]
Reception
[edit]The game has been compared to Spore for its customization mechanics,[1] with one reviewer noting that the game "might be the best attempt yet at realising the lost potential of the cell stage".[5] Jon Clarke from Day One gave the game a 9 out of 10, complimenting its soundtrack and gameplay, and noting that it has "some harsh difficulty spikes that can cause frustration".[6] Aaron Zimmerman from Ars Technica compares the game to the The Binding of Isaac and lauds the customization and progression mechanics, while noting the high difficulty and that randomization can make some playthroughs more challenging or less enjoyable.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Pathogenic: Try to Become the Infection Today". Linux Game Consortium. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ "Pathogenic by Slug Disco". itch.io. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Holmes, Mike (2025-11-07). "Pathogenic feels like a playable episode of Kurzgesagt, and the demo just got updated". Rogueliker. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Holmes, Mike (2026-07-17). "Pathogenic is a lovely top-down shooter that splices Spore, Plague Inc. and Innerspace". Rogueliker. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 Valentine, Robin (2026-01-16). "I don't know why everyone's suddenly making games inspired by Spore, but this roguelike twin-stick shooter might be the best attempt yet at realising the lost potential of the cell stage". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- 1 2 Clarke, Jon (2026-07-14). "Pathogenic review". DayOne. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- 1 2 Zimmerman, Aaron (2026-07-31). "Pathogenic review: Damn, it feels good to be a virus". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ Sarkar, Arka (2026-07-19). "How to get into the brain solo in Pathogenic game". Destructoid. Retrieved 2026-07-20.