Xenopurge has a great concept and a good start for a tense tactical auto-battler

Xenopurge puts you in the command chair overseeing marines running around various buildings, as you take down the alien threat. Note: a key was provided to GamingOnLinux.

Here you're not running around with them and you don't directly control them. Instead, you watch on your screen as they engage in the mission automatically, with you being able to give out various orders to redirect them. It's a clever and interesting concept, which is clearly inspired by the Aliens film series and the gameplay style is a bit reminiscent of Duskers.

You start off by picking a squad, and the select to go through various missions on a node-based map. A map type you may be familiar with from the likes of FTL and Slay the Spire. Each node being a different type of encounter from exploring and fighting aliens to upgrading your marines.

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It's surprising just how tense it can become as you progress through it. Especially once you got a few upgrades going, you really don't want to watch your marines fall to the aliens. Hearing their remarks over voice comms really brings it all to life. Especially so, since all you can do is watch, issue orders and basically hope for the best.

Personally, I found the gameplay loop quite satisfying but due to the graphical style it clearly won't be for everyone. It's quite simplistic but in a way I still found to be rather engaging. It's funny how quickly I sit up in my chair as soon as a red dot appears while my marines are off exploring.

With it now in Early Access its journey has only just begun, and I hope to see a lot more from this one. They've said the current focus is on:

• Full Steam Deck Compatibility
• Optimisation
• Accessibility options and Settings(Screen effects, Resolutions etc)
• Keybindings
• Steam Cloud Save

Game Highlights:

• Tactical game with Sci-fi horror / tension: A tense, squad-based tactical where you’re leading your troops to hunt and exterminate alien threats in the depths of space. Inspired by the likes of Alien & Space Hulk.
• Recruit and equip your squadron: Through the progression of the mission, take the opportunity to recruit new members and equip them to create a team that matches your command style.
• Quick, Engaging Sessions – Playable in Short Bursts: Designed for fast, intense tactical runs, Xenopurge allows players to jump in and complete a mission in around 20 minutes. This makes it easy to pick up and play, whether you have time for a single mission or an extended session.
• Accessible Controls: Designed to be as intuitive and accessible as possible, with the options to use keyboard, controller or mouse input. Remains smooth and responsive with simple, readable UI.

"Xenopurge is built around the fantasy of being inside a command room — directing missions, adapting to unpredictable dangers, and feeling the weight of every decision," said Michalis Papagathangelou, designer at Traptics. "Our goal is to simulate that experience as closely and accurately as possible. Launching into Early Access allows us to collaborate directly with our community and evolve the game together."

It runs to perfectly on Desktop Linux with Proton 9.0-4.