Derelikt is a wonderfully grim throwback with satisfying shooting and a space station worth exploring
Derelikt looks like a game I might have found on a dusty PlayStation disc, and I mean that as a compliment. Its low-poly models, crunched textures, and wobbly surfaces immediately took me back to the PS1 era. More importantly, behind that deliberately rough exterior is a fun sci-fi shooter that gives me plenty of reasons to poke around its dark corridors.
You play as a crew member aboard a research station near Saturn, where a strange asteroid has attracted the kind of scientific attention that can only end badly. Things go to hell, aliens show up, and suddenly the plan involves saving the crew, blowing up the station, and getting out alive. Whether all of that actually happens is something you will have to find out for yourself.
The premise is familiar, but I enjoyed being stuck in this particular nightmare. The station feels like a place that had a purpose before everything went wrong, and its oppressive atmosphere kept me moving cautiously even when I had a decent supply of ammunition. It reminded me of exploring the disastrous facility in KVARK, another retro shooter that understands how much a strong sense of place can add to blasting monsters.
Shooting is straightforward, and that works in Derelikt's favor. Point your gun at something unpleasant, pull the trigger, and deal with whatever comes next. The weapons feel good to use, and there are enough of them to keep encounters interesting. You start with familiar options like a pistol, assault rifle, and shotgun before the arsenal gets a little weirder.
There is a Tesla gun, a grenade launcher, and a weapon that reminded me of Half-Life's insect-firing gun, sending bouncing little nasties toward enemies. Finding a new weapon gave me something to look forward to beyond simply reaching the next objective. I also appreciated having plenty of ammo around. It meant I could actually enjoy the arsenal rather than spend the entire game saving my favorite toys for an encounter that might never come.
Derelikt is more than a corridor full of things to shoot, though. There is a little immersive sim flavor in how it asks you to pay attention to the station. Notes and details in the environment can hold the codes you need, so a locked door becomes a reason to look around and piece things together instead of waiting for a waypoint to hand over the answer.
Some routes are blocked until you find the right equipment, too. C4, for example, can blow open certain doors and turn an obstacle you passed earlier into an invitation to explore. That pleasure of returning with the right tool also made Silver Pines so rewarding, even if Derelikt wraps its exploration in a very different kind of horror. I liked having a reason to remember those barriers and wonder what was behind them.
Most of the code hunting was fun, but one puzzle involving hitting pans in the right order took me far too long. Fuck that pan puzzle. Eventually getting through it felt good, but I spent more time staring at those things than I would have liked. Still, I appreciate that Derelikt occasionally asks me to stop shooting and use my brain, even when my brain clearly needs a little extra time.
The default controller layout, however, takes some getting used to. I played on PS5, and the aiming and firing arrangement felt odd. Aiming is on L1 and firing is on R2, while L2 handles sprinting. My hands kept expecting a more familiar pairing. Circle uses a health item, while crouching is on R3, so years of muscle memory had me reaching for healing when I meant to duck.
Cycling through weapons with the D-pad can also be awkward when the thing you want is several presses away. I wish the default layout felt more intuitive out of the box and that I could change it to suit my muscle memory. Having a lot of cool weapons is great; getting to the right one quickly should feel just as good.
The visuals do a lot of heavy lifting for the atmosphere. Warped textures and chunky geometry give the station that unmistakable old-school look, while the darkness makes every stretch of corridor feel a little less welcoming. Derelikt commits to the aesthetic without letting it become the only interesting thing about the game. I genuinely enjoyed just being in this grimy, unsettling space, even when I knew something horrible was probably waiting ahead.
It can be a little too dark, though. During my playthrough, the flashlight switching off became more annoying than scary, especially when I was trying to see where I was going.
Derelikt gave me exactly the kind of sci-fi horror trip I wanted: a creepy station, satisfying guns, secrets worth looking for, and a glorious PS1-inspired look. The controls and that damn pan puzzle tested my patience, but neither stopped me from having a great time exploring the station and fighting my way through it. If you have a soft spot for old-school shooters with a little mystery and exploration, this one is well worth a look. Thanks for reading!
