Here’s a closer look at trading in Pale Tide. A successful scavenging run doesn’t end when you make it home. Everything you bring back creates another choice: keep it for future runs, or trade it for currency and pick up something you need more.
So, what kind of survival player are you: hoarder or trader?
Wishlist the game on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4683590/Pale_Tide/
You’re scavenging a quiet residential street a few blocks away from your shelter.
So far, it’s been worth it. You found some food, a bit of medicine, and a few tools that would actually be useful back home. Your bag isn’t full yet, but you’re already carrying supplies you really don’t want to lose.
Then you check the wrong car. The alarm starts screaming.
You can hear infected nearby, but you don’t know how many are close enough to react. You have a melee weapon, a few bullets, no vehicle, and your dog with you.
What’s the smartest move?
I’m curious how people here would handle it tactically, especially assuming slow undead-style zombies where noise and numbers are the real problem.
What’s your actual survival move, and why?
For context, I’m part of the team working on Pale Tide, a top-down zombie survival game on Steam, and this kind of situation inspired part of our latest devlog about noise, infected reactions, hostile areas, rescue situations, and knowing when it’s smarter to head back with what you’ve already secured.
Devlog here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4683590/view/687513353583592548
Thanks!
You’re scavenging a quiet residential street a few blocks away from your shelter.
So far, it’s been worth it. You found some food, a bit of medicine, and a few tools that would actually be useful back home. Your bag isn’t full yet, but you’re already carrying supplies you really don’t want to lose.
Then you check the wrong car. The alarm starts screaming.
You can hear infected nearby, but you don’t know how many are close enough to react. You have a melee weapon, a few bullets, no vehicle, and your dog with you.
What’s the smartest move?
I’m curious how people here would handle it tactically, especially assuming slow undead-style zombies where noise and numbers are the real problem.
What’s your actual survival move, and why?
For context, I’m part of the team working on Pale Tide, a top-down zombie survival game on Steam, and this kind of situation inspired part of our latest devlog about noise, infected reactions, hostile areas, rescue situations, and knowing when it’s smarter to head back with what you’ve already secured.
Devlog here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4683590/view/687513353583592548
Thanks!
You’re scavenging a quiet residential street a few blocks away from your shelter.
So far, it’s been worth it. You found some food, a bit of medicine, and a few tools that would actually be useful back home. Your bag isn’t full yet, but you’re already carrying supplies you really don’t want to lose.
Then you check the wrong car. The alarm starts screaming.
You can hear infected nearby, but you don’t know how many are close enough to react. You have a melee weapon, a few bullets, no vehicle, and your dog with you.
What’s the smartest move?
I’m curious how people here would handle it tactically, especially assuming slow undead-style zombies where noise and numbers are the real problem.
What’s your actual survival move, and why?
For context, I’m part of the team working on Pale Tide, a top-down zombie survival game on Steam, and this kind of situation inspired part of our latest devlog about noise, infected reactions, hostile areas, rescue situations, and knowing when it’s smarter to head back with what you’ve already secured.
Devlog here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4683590/view/687513353583592548
Thanks!
I’m part of the team working on Pale Tide, a top-down zombie survival game where you leave a bunker with your dog, scavenge dangerous areas, manage limited supplies, and try to bring back what your community needs.
Our latest devlog is about what can happen outside the bunker: night visibility, infected reacting to noise, hostile survivors, car alarms, contaminated zones, rescue situations, and the moment where heading home becomes the smartest survival choice.
That is something we’re trying to get right. We do not want every moment outside to be constant combat, but we do want players to feel that things can turn if they stop paying attention. A quiet route can become dangerous because of one loud action, one bad detour, or one decision to stay out a little longer.
For anyone curious, we go into more detail in the devlog, especially around how we’re approaching danger outside the bunker, noise, hostile survivors, rescue situations, and the decision to head home before things get worse.
Devlog for context: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4683590/view/687513353583592548
Or game is in a post apocalyptic/zombie setting, what kind of tension works best for you in survival games in general?
Do you prefer danger that builds slowly in the background, or situations where one mistake can suddenly change the whole run?
You don't like zombies? 😉
And are there any questions you’d like us to answer in a future devlog?
Zombie survival question: Your backpack is almost full, and you’re heading back to your shelter after scavenging.
We’re building Pale Tide (to be release on Steam) around that kind of choice: when you’re out scavenging, what is actually worth bringing back to the bunker?
One thing we keep coming back to while designing loot is that “valuable” should not always mean rare. In a zombie outbreak, a can of food, a few bullets, or the right tool can matter more than something that only looks expensive.
And yes, we added a dog in the game, and he has a small safe pouch for the most important items you want to secure if a run goes badly.
And yes, important note: the dog cannot die.
The tension we’re trying to build around every run: what matters most when your backpack is almost full, the bunker still needs supplies, and the situation outside can turn fast?
Curious what would drive your choices in that kind of zombie survival situation.
What would you protect first?
Hey there!
In survival games, do you prefer loot that is immediately useful, or loot that only becomes valuable once you make it back?
I’m asking because we’re working on this balance in Pale Tide, or upcoming game on Steam.
We want players to think beyond rarity. A rare item might be useful, but so might the food that keeps you moving, the ammo that keeps you alive, or the materials the bunker needs next.
If your backpack is almost full, which type of loot do you usually protect first?
For more details, you can check our latest devlog: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/4683590/view/696519918583023164
More importantly, we’d love to hear your thoughts: what actually excites you or motivates you in this kind of survival game? That will help us in balancing the game 💪🏼
And yes, you have a dog in our game. And he has a safe pouch for the most important items you want to secure. And NO, the dog cannot die! 😊
Let us know in the comments ⬇️
Hi everyone,
Welcome back to our Pale Tide devlog series!
In our first devlog, we talked about leaving the bunker and how every expedition begins with preparation. This time, we want to look at what happens once you start filling your backpack.
Before diving into today’s topic, we want to take a moment to say a huge thank you 🙏 to all of you who are following the game and supporting us. Pale Tide has now passed 25,000 wishlists on Steam, and this milestone means a lot to the whole team 🎉
Seeing so many players interested in the game, sharing it, and adding it to their lists is incredibly motivating for us. We’re truly grateful for your support, and we’re excited to keep building this world with you!
Now, let’s dive into today’s devlog: loot, inventory management and choices!
Loot is one of the main reasons you head outside, but in Pale Tide, every item you pick up has weight, purpose, and risk attached to it. Choosing what to carry is part of the tension: do you pack for safety, or make room for what the bunker needs?
Loot, supplies, and other bad ideas
During expeditions, you will be able to find many different types of loot: crafting resources, valuable items, equipment, clothes, weapons, ammunition, and most importantly, food and water.
Every item has a purpose. The hard part is deciding which role matters most right now. During expeditions, you will find different types of loot, each with its own purpose. Food and water help you stay fast, efficient, and strong while you are outside. Medical supplies give you a way to recover when things go wrong. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment help you push through infected encounters, defend yourself, or create a path back home. You will also find crafting resources, clothes, and valuable items that may become important once you bring them back to the bunker.
Together, these resources give you more room to recover from mistakes, stay outside longer, and handle the unexpected.
Other resources matter more once you bring them home. Construction materials can help expand the bunker, support advanced crafting, and push your overall progression forward. Gear and weapons can also be stored for later, which becomes especially useful when you need to re-equip after a bad run… 🧟🪦
Your backpack knows what you did
Inventory in Pale Tide is built around weight, and how much you can carry depends on your equipment. A better backpack, clothes with extra pockets, character progression, and your dog’s gear can all increase your carrying capacity. Each item has its own weight, but the heaviest object is not always the most valuable, so inventory management is about more than filling every slot.
We want that players wonder:
When you go beyond your carrying capacity, your movement slows down. And once you are moving slower, the infected become much more dangerous.
That gives inventory choices a direct impact on the run. A full backpack can be satisfying, but it also changes how safely you can get home.
Greed is heavy
A big part of the extraction loop is deciding when enough is enough. You may start a run with a clear plan, then find something valuable. Then something else. Then one more building worth checking. At that point, your backpack is heavier, you are farther from the bunker, and the risk of losing everything you collected starts to grow.
That is the kind of decision we want to create.
Do you keep pushing and try to fill every bit of space? Or do you extract what you already have and make sure it reaches the bunker?
Both choices can make sense. Playing carefully helps keep your supplies flowing, while taking bigger risks can lead to better rewards. The important part is that players get to make that call.
For extraction fans: how do you usually approach that choice?
Gun or weird painting? choose wisely
Some loot choices should make you pause for a second.
For example, you find a second pistol. It could be useful later if you die and need backup gear stored at the bunker. Then you find a valuable art piece. It might sell for more than the pistol, or maybe less. You will only know once you bring it back and check through the radio.
That creates a different kind of loot decision. You are not only choosing between “useful” and “valuable.” You are choosing between security, curiosity, future planning, and risk.
Maybe the pistol saves your next recovery run. Maybe the art piece gives you enough value to trade for something better. Maybe you should have kept the food instead…. 🤯
We have built Pale Tide around those small moments where each slot in your inventory can change how you think about the whole expedition.
Ask the radio, hope for good news
We have added a radio in the bunker. With the radio, you will be able to check what certain objects might sell for. Over time, players will start learning which items are worth carrying, which ones are situational, and which ones are worth protecting at all costs.
Some item values become clear once you bring them back to the bunker. We like the idea that part of the game’s knowledge comes from experience. The more you scavenge, the more you understand the world. You begin to recognize what matters, what sells well, what supports the bunker, and what you would rather leave behind when space gets tight.
The bunker has needs too
Loot in Pale Tide always connects back to the bunker. Food and water help keep both the player and the survivors in good condition. Construction resources support new rooms, crafting, and upgrades. Equipment and weapons can be stored, giving you a safer way to recover after a failed expedition.
Survivors also play into this layer. Their needs and condition can affect the bunker’s efficiency. A survivor who is exhausted or close to death may work more slowly, which can make progression harder. We are still refining this system, especially around survivor stats and tasks, and player feedback during the demo will be very useful here.
Our goal is to make the bunker feel alive. Every person you bring back can help the community, but they also depend on the supplies you recover. Loot is what turns each expedition into progress for the bunker and the people depending on it.
The good boy pouch
Your dog also plays an important role in inventory management. His inventory acts as an extension of yours, and it can be improved through progression. The most important part is the safe pouch.
Anything stored in your dog’s safe pouch is protected. That makes it the perfect place for rare or critical items. Maybe it is an access card that opens an important door. Maybe it is an item with a low drop rate. Maybe it is your first truly special weapon.
When you find something that feels too important to risk, your dog gives you a way to protect it.
This also creates another layer of decision-making. The pouch has value because space is limited. You still need to choose what deserves that protection.
Losing loot and getting it back
If you die during a run, you lose everything you were carrying, except what was stored in your dog’s safe pouch.
Your backpack stays where you died, and you have a chance to go back and recover it. For now, recovering it is handled through a simple interaction once you reach the backpack.
This is where stored gear in the bunker becomes important. If you kept backup weapons, clothes, and supplies at home, you can prepare a recovery run and try to get your lost backpack back. Heading out with no gear makes that much harder, so planning ahead can save you later.
We want death to carry weight, while still giving players a chance to make a comeback. Losing a backpack should sting. Recovering it should feel tense. Making it home with it should feel like a win.
Alarms, infected, and other bonuses
More dangerous zones will offer better rewards. For example, a police station may contain valuable supplies, weapons, or gear. It may also be full of alarms that can attract dozens of infected, including special infected.
That is the kind of place where preparation matters. You may want better gear. More ammo. More healing. More space. You may also want to think carefully about how much noise you create and how long you spend searching.
Time matters too. While noise from looting itself is not currently the main factor, spending too long in an area gives wandering infected more chances to find you. The longer you stay, the more the situation can shift.
Every item is a choice
We designed the inventory in Pale Tide to make each expedition feel more personal.
Some players will pack carefully and bring extra supplies. Some will stay light and try to maximize loot space. Some will protect rare items in the dog’s pouch. Some will risk a heavier backpack because the bunker needs materials right now.
All of those approaches can create interesting stories. The goal is to make every run feel like a chain of choices: What do I bring? What do I pick up? What do I leave behind? What do I protect? When do I go home?
Every item you bring changes how prepared you are, how much you can loot, and how risky the run becomes.
We will share more about the bunker, survivors, gear, and future expeditions in upcoming devlogs.
Until then, wishlist Pale Tide on Steam, and feel free to tell us what kind of decisions you enjoy most in survival games in the comments!
You've missed our first devlog about what to do before leaving the bunker? Read it now on Steam !
Join the community on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/4683590/Pale_Tide/
When leaving a safe base to scavenge, do you prefer having to carefully prepare your loadout first?
For example, choosing between:
I’m curious because we’re working on this kind of trade-off in our game Pale Tide on Steam. Our idea is that every item you bring helps you survive, but also increases what you risk losing if the expedition goes badly.
Do you find that kind of preparation interesting, or does it feel like boring before the real gameplay starts?
Full devlog is here if anyone wants more context: https://www.reddit.com/r/PaleTide/comments/1v5eww1/pale_tide_devlog_1_leaving_the_bunker/
When leaving a safe base to scavenge, do you prefer having to carefully prepare your loadout first?
For example, choosing between:
I’m curious because we’re working on this kind of trade-off in our game Pale Tide on Steam. Our idea is that every item you bring helps you survive, but also increases what you risk losing if the expedition goes badly.
Do you find that kind of preparation interesting, or does it feel like boring before the real gameplay starts?
Full devlog is here if anyone wants more context: https://www.reddit.com/r/PaleTide/comments/1v5eww1/pale_tide_devlog_1_leaving_the_bunker/
When leaving a safe base to scavenge, do you prefer having to carefully prepare your loadout first?
For example, choosing between:
I’m curious because we’re working on this kind of trade-off in our game Pale Tide on Steam. Our idea is that every item you bring helps you survive, but also increases what you risk losing if the expedition goes badly.
Do you find that kind of preparation interesting, or does it feel like boring before the real gameplay starts?
Full devlog is here if anyone wants more context: https://www.reddit.com/r/PaleTide/comments/1v5eww1/pale_tide_devlog_1_leaving_the_bunker/
Hi everyone,
We’re starting a series of devlogs to take a closer look at Pale Tide’s core gameplay loop and the systems behind it.
For this first article, we wanted to focus on a simple but important moment: leaving the bunker.
In Pale Tide, every expedition begins with preparation. Before stepping outside, you decide what to bring, what to leave behind, and how much you are willing to risk for the people waiting in the bunker.
What you bring outside may keep you alive. What you bring back may keep everyone alive.
Preparing your backpack
Before heading outside, you prepare your inventory. Food, water, medkits, ammunition. The more you take with you, the longer you may be able to survive outside. But every item also has weight, and every item you bring is something you could lose if the run goes wrong.
An empty backpack gives you more room to bring resources back to the bunker, but it also makes the expedition more dangerous. A full backpack gives you more comfort and more options, but it raises the stakes if you die, make too much noise, or get caught in a bad situation.
That is one of the first decisions we want players to think about before every run: Are you preparing to survive, or are you making space for what the bunker needs?
The last radio frequency
Your bunker storage will not always have everything you need. Before leaving, you may also be able to use the radio to trade for missing supplies. The radio relays warnings and trading messages from other survivors still using the national frequency.
It is a practical tool, but also part of the atmosphere we want for Pale Tide. The world outside is broken, but not completely silent. Somewhere out there, other people are still trying to survive too.
Choosing where to go
At the beginning of the game, you will only have access to the first zone. As you progress through the questline, new areas will unlock through skills, technologies, and progression. But reaching a new zone does not mean you should rush into it right away.
In Pale Tide, moving forward too quickly can be dangerous. Taking time to gear up, gather supplies, improve your bunker, and prepare properly can be the difference between a successful expedition and a backpack left behind in the wrong place.
The outside world rewards preparation and decisions.
Noise is a risk
Good gear improves your chances, but staying alive still depends on how you move, how much noise you make, and when you choose to fight or avoid danger. If you are careless, and especially if you are noisy, the infected will notice. Noise can turn a quiet supply expedition into a fight very quickly.
Sometimes, that might be intentional. If you are confident in your weapons, drawing infected toward you can be a way to clear an area or create an opening. But every fight has a cost. You need to stay mindful of your ammo, health, time, supplies, and the attention you attract.
We do not want combat to feel like the only answer. Sometimes fighting is the right call. Sometimes sneaking through is smarter. Sometimes the best decision is to extract before the situation gets worse.
Supplies do not last forever
When you are outside, food and water are among the most important resources to look for.
You may eventually build up a stockpile, hopefully. But the bunker is not just a storage room. Survivors consume resources. Every person you bring back can help your community, but they also depend on the supplies you manage to recover.
This is one of the reasons every expedition matters. You are not just filling an inventory. You are trying to keep a group of people alive long enough to reach something better.
We wanted to add this extra decision-making layer to make the game more strategic and deeper.
Good boy, great backup!
Your dog is more than a companion during expeditions. Some of his features are still being refined, but the goal is for him to play an active role during expeditions. He may help you track items, point you toward survivors, or even draw infected attention so you can sneak through a dangerous area.
He also has one very important function: the safe pouch. Your dog cannot die. Anything you place in his safe pouch is protected, even if the rest of the run goes badly. That makes him a key part of how players manage risk.
If you find something too valuable to lose, the safe pouch gives you a way to protect it.
Death is not the end, unless you die again
If you die during an expedition, your backpack is not immediately gone. You get one chance to retrieve it. But if you die again on the way back, that loot is lost for good.
This is a system we are designing to keep failure meaningful without making every mistake feel like the end. Death should matter. Losing supplies should hurt. But players should also have a chance to take a risk, go back out, and recover what they lost.
Of course, that creates another decision: do you risk another run to recover your backpack, or do you accept the loss and focus on keeping the bunker alive?
Knowing when to turn back
The longer you stay outside, the more dangerous things can become. You may be low on food. Low on water. Hurt. Out of ammo... Too far from safety. And still, there might be one more building to search, one more item nearby, one more reason to keep going before extracting.
That is the kind of tension we want Pale Tide to create. Our goal is not to punish you for exploring. Our goal is to make every choice feel like it has weight. Sometimes, the smartest move is not to push deeper. Sometimes, the smartest move is to slowly get out while you still can.
Survival starts outside
In Pale Tide, every expedition is designed to feed back into the bunker. The resources you recover help expand it. The survivors you rescue can open new possibilities. The tools and weapons you unlock help you reach deeper, more dangerous areas. In the end, every expedition is part of a larger goal: keeping your community alive long enough to reach a safer place.
We will share more about the bunker, survivors, gear, and future expeditions in upcoming devlogs. Until then, wishlist Pale Tide on Steam.
What part of the game you would like us to cover next?
Welcome to this Pale Tide FAQ!
Here, we answer the most common questions about the game and what to expect as development continues.
Pale Tide is still in development, so some details may change over time. If they do, we’ll update this article to keep the information clear and accurate.
If your question is not covered below, feel free to ask it in the comments. We’ll do our best to answer when we can.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/4683590/Pale_Tide/
🧟 What is Pale Tide?
Pale Tide is a top-down zombie extraction survival game where you and your dog venture into deadly infected zones, scavenge what you can, rescue survivors, and make it back to a hidden bunker before the horde overwhelms you.
Every run is a risk. Every resource matters. And sometimes, knowing when to leave is what keeps everyone alive.
🐕 Can the dog die?
Nope! The dog cannot die. Your dog is part of the journey, by your side as you explore infected zones, return to the bunker, and prepare for what is coming.
You will also be able to customize your dog and your character for survival, and style.
🏠 What do you do in the bunker?
The bunker is your shelter, your base, and the reason every expedition matters.
After each run, you return with resources that can help you upgrade your gear, improve the bunker, support your crew, and prepare for the next expedition.
But supplies are limited. Every upgrade costs materials. Every survivor you bring back adds value, but also pressure. The bunker only survives if you make it back with what it needs.
🧭 What happens during expeditions?
You leave the bunker and explore infected zones filled with abandoned supplies, rare equipment, weapons, materials, secrets, and deadly threats.
The deeper you go, the better the rewards can be. But danger increases too.
You will need to decide when to keep pushing, when to rescue survivors, and when to extract before greed, panic, or one bad decision costs you everything.
👥 Can you rescue survivors?
Yes! During your expeditions, you can find stranded survivors and bring them back to the bunker. Rescuing survivors can unlock new missions, specialized equipment, and valuable support for future runs.
But saving someone is never a free decision. It can mean staying outside longer, carrying more risk, or giving up other resources.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you bring back is not in your backpack.
🌊 What is the Pale Tide?
The Pale Tide is the largest horde ever witnessed, a massive wave of infected flooding the region.
Your goal is not just to survive one more run. It is to prepare your escape before the Pale Tide arrives.
One zombie is manageable. The horde is another story.
🎮 Is Pale Tide single-player?
Yes! Pale Tide a single-player experience.
🤝 Will there be co-op?
Co-op is not planned for the initial release, but it is something we are very interested in exploring as part of the post-launch roadmap, depending on the game’s reception and community feedback.
🎮 Is there a demo available?
We are working on a demo, but we cannot confirm its release date yet.
Wishlist Pale Tide on Steam to be notified when the demo becomes available.
📅 When will the game release?
We are aiming at a release in the first half of 2027.
💻 What platforms will Pale Tide release on?
Pale Tide is currently planned for PC via Steam.
Steam Deck will most likely be compatible on release day. We are considering porting the game on consoles, but or focus at the moment is the PC version.
⚙️ Which engine are you using?
Unity 6
🌍 Which languages will the game support?
Pale Tide will support for the following languages on Steam:
The game will be fully localized in English: with interface, full audio, and subtitles.
The other languages will include interface and subtitles.
You don't find your language ? Let us know in the comments. We will consider whether we could add it for you, but we do not promise ;)
🎮 Will the game support controllers?
Yes 😀
🚂 Will Pale Tide run on Steam Deck?
Yes, we will make sure the game is compatible with Steam Deck at launch.
We know this is an important question for many players. We will share more once Steam Deck testing is far enough along.
🔫 Is Pale Tide more about fighting or surviving?
Both, but survival always comes first.
You will fight infected enemies, use different weapons and tools, and upgrade your gear to survive more dangerous zones. But Pale Tide is not just about killing zombies.
Sometimes fighting is the right choice. Sometimes running is smarter. And sometimes extracting early with a half-full backpack is better than losing everything.
🎒 Do you lose resources if you fail a run?
When you die, you have one chance to recover the loot from your last run. But if you die again before making it back, that loot is gone for good. Your dog’s safe pouch gives you a way to protect your most valuable items, even when everything else is at risk.
The game is built around risk, reward, and extraction, so making it back alive is a key part of the experience. Exact loss rules will be confirmed later.
🛠️ Can you upgrade your equipment?
Yes! You will be able to scavenge weapons, materials, supplies, and rare equipment, then upgrade your loadout to explore deeper and more dangerous areas.
Better gear can improve your chances, but it will not make you invincible.
🧱 Can you upgrade the bunker?
Yes! You can expand and upgrade your underground shelter to support your growing group of survivors. Every resource you bring home can help keep the community alive and prepare for future expeditions.
🩸 How violent is the game?
Pale Tide is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Players will encounter frequent combat situations involving weapons and infected enemies.
The game uses a stylized polygonal art style and does not aim for hyper-realistic visuals or graphic gore.
If your question is not covered in this FAQ, please it in the comments!
Hey everyone,
Jonas from Aberratic studio here We’ve published a FAQ for Pale Tide on Steam to answer some of the main questions about the game, including expeditions, the bunker, survivors, your dog, loot recovery, platforms, and the upcoming demo.
We’d also like to hear any questions we may not have answered yet. If anything is unclear, or if there’s something you’d like us to explain better, feel free to ask in the comments.
We’ll keep updating the FAQ as development continues.
Thank you!
Welcome to this Pale Tide FAQ!
Here, we answer the most common questions about our game Pale Tide https://store.steampowered.com/app/4683590/Pale_Tide/ and what to expect as development continues.
Pale Tide is still in development, so some details may change over time. If they do, we’ll update this article to keep the information clear and accurate.
If your question is not covered below, feel free to ask it in the comments or Steam discussions. We’ll do our best to answer when we can.
🧟 What is Pale Tide?
Pale Tide is a top-down zombie extraction survival game where you and your dog venture into deadly infected zones, scavenge what you can, rescue survivors, and make it back to a hidden bunker before the horde overwhelms you.
Every run is a risk. Every resource matters. And sometimes, knowing when to leave is what keeps everyone alive.
🐕 Can the dog die?
Nope! The dog cannot die. Your dog is part of the journey, by your side as you explore infected zones, return to the bunker, and prepare for what is coming.
You will also be able to customize your dog and your character for survival, and style.
🏠 What do you do in the bunker?
The bunker is your shelter, your base, and the reason every expedition matters.
After each run, you return with resources that can help you upgrade your gear, improve the bunker, support your crew, and prepare for the next expedition.
But supplies are limited. Every upgrade costs materials. Every survivor you bring back adds value, but also pressure. The bunker only survives if you make it back with what it needs.
🧭 What happens during expeditions?
You leave the bunker and explore infected zones filled with abandoned supplies, rare equipment, weapons, materials, secrets, and deadly threats.
The deeper you go, the better the rewards can be. But danger increases too.
You will need to decide when to keep pushing, when to rescue survivors, and when to extract before greed, panic, or one bad decision costs you everything.
👥 Can you rescue survivors?
Yes! During your expeditions, you can find stranded survivors and bring them back to the bunker. Rescuing survivors can unlock new missions, specialized equipment, and valuable support for future runs.
But saving someone is never a free decision. It can mean staying outside longer, carrying more risk, or giving up other resources.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you bring back is not in your backpack.
🌊 What is the Pale Tide?
The Pale Tide is the largest horde ever witnessed, a massive wave of infected flooding the region.
Your goal is not just to survive one more run. It is to prepare your escape before the Pale Tide arrives.
One zombie is manageable. The horde is another story.
🎮 Is Pale Tide single-player?
Yes! Pale Tide a single-player experience.
🤝 Will there be co-op?
Co-op is not planned for the initial release, but it is something we are very interested in exploring as part of the post-launch roadmap, depending on the game’s reception and community feedback.
🎮 Is there a demo available?
We are working on a demo, but we cannot confirm its release date yet.
Wishlist Pale Tide on Steam to be notified when the demo becomes available.
📅 When will the game release?
We are aiming at a release in the first half of 2027.
💻 What platforms will Pale Tide release on?
Pale Tide is currently planned for PC via Steam. Steam Deck will most likely be compatible on release day. We are considering porting the game on consoles, but or focus at the moment is the PC version.
⚙️ Which engine are you using?
Unity 6
🌍 Which languages will the game support?
Pale Tide will support for the following languages on Steam:
The game will be fully localized in English: with interface, full audio, and subtitles. The other languages will include interface and subtitles.
You don't find your language ? Let us know in the comments. We will consider whether we could add it for you, but we do not promise ;)
🎮 Will the game support controllers?
Yes 😀
🚂 Will Pale Tide run on Steam Deck?
Yes, we will make sure the game is compatible with Steam Deck at launch.
We know this is an important question for many players. We will share more once Steam Deck testing is far enough along.
🔫 Is Pale Tide more about fighting or surviving?
Both, but survival always comes first.
You will fight infected enemies, use different weapons and tools, and upgrade your gear to survive more dangerous zones. But Pale Tide is not just about killing zombies.
Sometimes fighting is the right choice. Sometimes running is smarter. And sometimes extracting early with a half-full backpack is better than losing everything.
🎒 Do you lose resources if you fail a run?
When you die, you have one chance to recover the loot from your last run. But if you die again before making it back, that loot is gone for good. Your dog’s safe pouch gives you a way to protect your most valuable items, even when everything else is at risk.
The game is built around risk, reward, and extraction, so making it back alive is a key part of the experience. Exact loss rules will be confirmed later.
🛠️ Can you upgrade your equipment?
Yes! You will be able to scavenge weapons, materials, supplies, and rare equipment, then upgrade your loadout to explore deeper and more dangerous areas.
Better gear can improve your chances, but it will not make you invincible.
🧱 Can you upgrade the bunker?
Yes! You can expand and upgrade your underground shelter to support your growing group of survivors. Every resource you bring home can help keep the community alive and prepare for future expeditions.
🩸 How violent is the game?
Pale Tide is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. Players will encounter frequent combat situations involving weapons and infected enemies.
The game uses a stylized polygonal art style and does not aim for hyper-realistic visuals or graphic gore.
🧑🎨 Can I create video content or fanart?
Yes, absolutely!
We love seeing what players create. Feel free to share videos, clips, fanart, theories, memes, streams, videos, or anything inspired by Pale Tide.
If you post something, tag us so we can see it and potentially share it with the community.
📣 How can I support the game?
The best ways to support Pale Tide are:
Any question, let us know in the comments! :)
We're obviously kidding... mostly. 😅
One thing that surprised us after our latest reveal was how much attention a companion character can generate.
We spent months working on gameplay systems, environments, progression, and all the things developers usually obsess over.
Yet one thing consistently stood out in the comments: the dog.
Since so many people asked about him, we figured we'd share the inspiration behind the character: our programmer and his dog, who became the references for the trailer's survivor and canine companion.
We originally included the dog because we thought it would create interesting gameplay opportunities and strengthen the player's emotional attachment to the world. We didn't expect it to become such a focal point of the community reaction.
Looking back, it's a good reminder that players don't always connect most strongly with the things we spend the most time building.
For context, this was for the announcement of Pale Tide, our top-down zombie extraction survival game. The reveal generated more than 15,000 wishlists in less than 5 days, which gave us a fairly large sample of reactions to look at.
We always knew we'd have a dog in the game because we're dog people ourselves. 🐕🦺
(I mean, some team members do have cats don't get me wrong)
We didn't expect him to steal the spotlight quite this much, but we're definitely not complaining. 😄
Hi everyone ! 👋
This monday we announced Pale Tide, our top-down zombie extraction survival game at the MIX Showcase. 🧟♂️
It's gameplay is heavily inspired by Escape from Duckov's. You'll scavenge infected zones alongside your loyal dog, rescue survivors, giver them jobs and upgrade your bunker while you search for a way to escape (or survive ??) the largest horde ever witnessed soon flooding the region.
Pale Tide is a top-down zombie extraction survival game where you and your dog scavenge dangerous infected zones for supplies, rescue survivors, upgrade your bunker, and prepare for the largest horde ever witnessed flooding the region. 🧟
🐕 We're a small indie team from Belgium, so if you'd like to support the project, please consider:
To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below and tell us:
What is your favorite zombie game of all time?
Winner will be chosen on june 10th !
Good luck, and thank you for your support! 🍻
Hi everyone !
Yesterday we announced to the world our top-down zombie extraction survival game. 🧟♂️
It's heavily inspired by Escape from Duckov's gameplay. You'll scavenge infected zones alongside your loyal dog, rescue survivors, giver them jobs and upgrade your bunker while you search for a way to survive the largest horde ever witnessed soon flooding the region.
We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback. If it looks interestingto you, the Steam page is now live! 🙌
