"Adrenaline Rampage innovates on the “survivors genre” in ways that prove the genre is still wide open to innovation, and that further subgenres are a matter of when and not if."
We were supplied with a free key for the purposes of writing this review, however our opinions are entirely our own.
The action roguelike-survivor-like genre is more popular now than perhaps ever before, and as a result dozens of well-made, and hundreds of terrible, clones have been released in the last few years, to the point that it is becoming difficult to spot the good among the bad, and such is the case with Adrenaline Rampage, a truly unique and wonderful take on the genre that is essentially unseen by the wider gaming community, having been buried by other titles, and peaked at just 12 concurrent players on Steam.
At the time of writing this review no one is playing it on steam, and I have seen nothing that indicates many people are playing right now on console either.
While Adrenaline Rampage is not better than Vampire Survivors, it does not have to be, as not only is there room for more than the “very best” in every genre, but Adrenaline Rampage makes enough changes to the formula, such as the addition of 2D platforming and horde mechanics, that it has earned the right to be viewed not as a clone, but a new sub-genre in its own right.
Unfortunately, to become the head of a new sub-genre, a game needs mass-market exposure, which is one thing that Adrenaline Rampage simply does not have, and honestly that is a real shame, as Adrenaline Rampage deserves to be seen and played by a much larger audience.
While it is a little pricey for the genre at around $14.99, it is a game very much worth playing, especially if the developer “swallows their pride” and reduces the price of the game to around $4.99, a figure much more palatable for games of this type.
Will reducing the price make Adrenaline Rampage an overnight success?
No, that ship has sailed and sunk out at sea, but it could get a few more people playing it, and perhaps ensure there is enough public awareness that a potential sequel, or spin-off using the same mechanics, has a chance at success.
Adrenaline Rampage nails every aspect of what it takes to be a well-made survivor-like title, with exceptional in-game and meta progression.
While I would have preferred more weapons and upgrades available from the start, (and a larger pool overall) there are enough unique weapons, items, and abilities to keep things fresh long enough that players will get their money’s worth, even at the current “inflated” price of $14.99.
However survivor-like games are a dime a dozen, and what makes Adrenaline Rampage stand out is how they have turned a traditionally top-down genre into one with more verticality, with solid platforming and horde mechanics, in addition to replacing the “progression menu” with an interactive player hub that allows players to unlock new abilities and mechanics using currency collected from both successful and unsuccessful runs, something which I feel is very important, as it allows players to improve at a steady pace, even if they are struggling to complete a certain level.
While most survivor-like games have similar systems, some do not, and basically force players to replay the same missions endlessly until they “get good enough” to bypass it, instead of allowing them to improve their character incrementally via currency and XP earned from failed runs until they are able to bypass it more easily.
Adrenaline Rampage is the type of game most, if not all, survivor-like fans would enjoy, and it is unfortunate that most will never even hear of it, let alone get a chance to play it.
Adrenaline Rampage is an action rogue-like game developed and published by Midhard Games, it released on 18 October 2025, and is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Adrenaline Rampage supports the following peripherals:
Adrenaline Rampage is rated PEGI 16+ and contains:
I really enjoyed my time with Adrenaline Rampage, it is a great game, and one I feel deserves to be played, however I just cannot recommend it at the current price point, which I feel is excessive for the genre.
Ultimately Adrenaline Rampage is worth playing, but I suggest waiting for a sale, which will likely be soon and fairly steep considering how poorly Adrenaline Rampage sold, and just how seemingly few people are aware that it exists.
We found Adrenaline Rampage to be a good game, meaning it is likely to be enjoyable for most players, despite having a few areas that could be improved upon.
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