Immersive sims are one of those types of games that can be really hard to properly define, but when you sit down and play a really good one, you almost immediately understand it. Everybody knows the classics like System Shock and Deus Ex, and more modern titles like Dishonored, but the indie scene has plenty to offer, too. In fact, a new contender joins through early access today. Peripeteia is, to quote its creator, a “first-and-third-person role-playing stealth game taking place in alt-history cyberpunk Poland”.
If you feel like you’ve heard of Peripeteia before, that’s either because you regularly check your dictionary for exotic words, or because you saw that it had a Kickstarter way back in 2021. While the game was originally slated to be released in 2022, things have clearly shifted towards an early access release. Aesthetically, the stealth-lilted FPS game, takes inspiration from the more futuristic and cyberpunk elements of Deus Ex and System Shock. But it also feels like the original Thief, especially given its themes of authoritarian government, and levels built around verticality.
Mechanically, Peripeteia is a combination of shooting, hacking, and jumping all while a breakcore soundtrack encompasses your senses. Honestly, the game looks incredibly strong even before its full release, and there’s even a demo you can try out on Steam right now. But if you’re tempted enough to pick it up, you better do so soon. Peripeteia has an introductory 10% discount in place until Thursday February 28, meaning it’s currently $22.50 / £18.90.
If you aren’t a big fan of early access games, though, creator Ninth Exodus says it’s expecting to properly launch Peripeteia in early 2026. Multiple updates, including new maps, bug fixes, and refinements will arrive in the meantime.
In the unlikely event Peripeteia doesn’t seem like your bag, you could always check out our best cyberpunk games list for something that has a similar vibe, or if you want to go properly retro, there’s always our best old games list to browse too.
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