Desktop Survivors 98 was not only a sneaky surprise hit for us, but also another booth on the show floor that was almost impossible to miss. Just as Desktop Survivors 98 is heavily themed around Windows 98, the fake grass lined booth anchored by a bookshelf full of knickknacks of a very specific era welcomed you towards playing this very new game on very old computers. Thankfully, the good vibes didn’t end with the presentation of the booth as Desktop Survivors 98 immediately clicked as something we think could be a big breakout indie hit– or at least something Mike and I dump dozens upon dozens of hours into instead of being productive.
Evocative of similar games in the genre, Desktop Survivors 98 takes its theming to the maximum on just about every aspect of its design. You play as your mouse cursor, traversing your actual desktop as you maneuver around enemies, leveling up to acquire new abilities and weapons based around familiar Windows icons, and unlocking pathways to new rooms as you hope to survive a never-ending onslaught of enemies. It somehow felt like a flash game I’d crash my parents’ computer trying to play in the 90s mixed with Vampire Survivors but while somehow also feeling fresh and unique as its own little triumph. I literally don’t have to wait to play this as both Mike and I purchased limited physical copies from the booth that weekend but you also don’t have to wait much longer as Desktop Survivors 98 launches on Steam this month.
Pass The Controller 