Nightmare Frontier on Steam combines turn-based tactics and extraction mechanics in a dark Western atmosphere. In the meantime, a lot of looting and leveling happens.
What kind of game is this? Developer Ice Code Games, who is also behind games like Hard West 2 and Rogue Waters, refers to his new game as a “Tactical Extraction Looter”. It is set to be released in the summer of 2025 on Steam, where there is already a shop page.
You can watch the trailer for Nightmare Frontier here:
The American Dream Turns into a Nightmare
What is the game about? In Nightmare Frontier, you reclaim a town plagued by nightmares that have come to life. These nightmares are also called “Dreadweavers”, which could be translated into German as “Schreckensweber”.
The game places you in the USA of the early 1900s. Visually, it still reminds a lot of the Wild West, just in a darker tone – similar to what you might know from Hunt: Showdown 1896. However, Nightmare Frontier dares to take a more cartoonish look in comparison.
In terms of gameplay, you can expect turn-based tactical battles against the various monsters in the game. You will fight these battles with a group of looters. During the fights, it’s important to use their special abilities wisely. Some examples:
- One character causes area damage with his shotgun, so he should always have as many enemies in the line of fire as possible.
- You can shove enemies and deal damage to multiple foes at once. However, they can do the same to you.
Along the way, you collect loot – including new weapons and equipment – and unlock new abilities. You will use a talent tree for this purpose. This way, you improve your characters with each successful encounter.
Currently, extraction games are very much in vogue – at least among game developers. New genre mixes that weren’t previously on the radar are constantly emerging. For instance, a developer is currently working on an action RPG on Steam that mixes Diablo with… Escape from Tarkov?
