There is a very specific kind of itch that survival horror fans have been trying to scratch for decades. What if Resident Evil played like a tactics game? What if the dread of those early PS1 classics, the limited ammo and the creaking tension around every corner, was layered on top of deliberate, chess-like turn-based combat? That is exactly what Colombian two-person indie studio Team Vultures has spent the last four years building. Vultures: Scavengers of Death hits Steam on April 28, published by Firesquid Games, and it is already turning heads.

“Somehow it managed to not just meet, but exceed the unrealistic expectations of the Resident Evil-meets-tactics spin-off I’ve dreamed of for almost 30 years… like-minded genre fans should run, not sneak, to check it out as soon as humanly possible.”— MATT KAROGLOU, CHEAT CODE CENTRAL

That is not a blurb from a casual observer. That is someone who has been waiting thirty years for this exact game. When a reviewer says a title exceeded expectations they had carried since childhood, you pay attention.

Welcome to Salento Valley

The setting does a lot of heavy lifting here. Salento Valley was once a bustling city. Now it is a desolate ruin left in the wake of a biohazard disaster — think the hollowed-out urban decay of classic survival horror, except you are picking through it one tactical turn at a time. As a VULTURES operative, you will face escalating threats as you navigate the wreckage. Horrifying mutants and biological abominations lurk in the dark, waiting for something warm to stumble through.

Your mission is not just to survive. It is to extract a target and get out alive. That clear objective creates constant pressure. Every fight you choose is a fight that could cost you resources you cannot afford to lose. Sometimes the smartest move is to not engage at all.

Choose your operative

Before each mission you select one of two agents, each with a fundamentally different approach to surviving the ruins.

OPERATIVE ALPHA – Leopoldo

A disciplined operative driven by duty and a personal code of justice. Built for physical control — move, push, and jump over objects to manipulate the environment in your favor. He is the bruiser who fights smart, not just hard.

OPERATIVE BETA – Amber

An analytical tactician who thrives under pressure. Her grappling gun lets her traverse the environment vertically and reposition enemies, making her a master of spatial control. High skill ceiling, high reward.

The choice is not cosmetic. Each agent changes how you approach every problem in the field. Both are fully customizable before you drop into a mission, letting you tailor your loadout to your playstyle and the objective ahead.

The PS1 DNA is real

Team Vultures has been transparent about their inspirations: Resident Evil and Parasite Eve, the foundational survival horror franchises that defined the PS1 era. Vultures does not just name-drop those influences. It commits to their design philosophy. Resources are scarce. The atmosphere is oppressive. Every door might be locked and every room a potential trap.

The retro aesthetic is structural, not decorative. The game takes the limited, tense mechanics of that era and filters them through a turn-based lens, which actually amplifies the dread. When you are sitting in a turn-based game deciding whether to spend your last rifle round on an enemy or try to slip past them unnoticed, the tension hits differently than anything real-time combat can replicate.

WHAT YOU ARE UP AGAINST OUT THERE

  • Aim for vital spots or disable enemies to slow them down — every combat choice has weight
  • Ammo and health packs are finite; scavenge carefully or run dry at the worst possible moment
  • Your arsenal ranges from pistols and rifles to knives and a katana
  • Locked doors, access codes, and dying technology block your path — exploration is not optional
  • Sneak past threats or engage on your own terms — both are legitimate tactics
  • Extract relics, notes, and items to piece together the path to a cure

A two-person studio, four years, one real vision

It is worth appreciating what is behind this game. Mateo and Giovanni, the entirety of Team Vultures, have been making games and software together for over nine years. They are known for experimental mechanics and a retro, unconventional artistic sensibility. Their work has occasionally carried threads of social and political critique, questioning consumer society in ways that linger after the credits roll. These are not two people chasing a genre trend. They have something to say, and they have chosen survival horror as their canvas.

Publisher Firesquid Games, which focuses on strategy titles that modernize classic genres, is a natural fit for what Team Vultures has built. The pairing of a thoughtful indie team and a genre-focused publisher gives this one a real shot at finding the audience it deserves.

Should you wishlist it now?

If you are a fan of Resident Evil, Parasite Eve, or tactical RPGs with genuine tension — yes, absolutely. Vultures: Scavengers of Death arrives April 28 as a full launch, not Early Access. The vision is already complete. There is no waiting for it to come together.

Four years of development, a glowing early review from someone who has been dreaming of this game for three decades, and a design philosophy rooted in some of the most beloved horror games ever made. This one has earned your attention.

Vultures: Scavengers of Death launches on Steam April 28, 2025.