Project Retrograde: The Becoming is an upcoming narrative-driven action survival game developed by Chinese studio Invercity Game Works. It draws heavy inspiration from Resident Evil-style survival horror, blended with fluid, high-octane gun-fu combat mechanics. The game is set for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, though no specific launch date has been announced. The announcement trailer premiered exclusively on IGN’s YouTube channel, during Tokyo Game Show coverage.
The narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic underground world in 1995, where humanity’s final gamble Project Retrograde has collapsed under the weight of its own failure. An ancient parasite known as L.U.C.A. has shattered what remains of society, driving survivors into a retro-futuristic realm shaped by 90s-era technology, neon-lit ruins, and biomechanical horrors. Players step into the role of a bounty hunter who, in a desperate twist of fate, becomes symbiotic with the L.U.C.A. parasite. This infection grants immense, dangerous powers while threatening to consume the host’s very identity. The story weaves together themes of survival, identity, and buried truths as the protagonist absorbs “combat memories” from defeated hosts, unlocking new abilities and piecing together the origins of the catastrophe. The trailer underscores this atmosphere through cinematic sequences depicting the fall of Project Retrograde, the grotesque mutation of infected hosts, and the bounty hunter’s reluctant union with L.U.C.A., all framed by an ominous narration: “It will save the world… even if it consumes you.” Gameplay highlights include exploring shattered underground cities, manipulating the LUX system—a weather-altering technology capable of conjuring storms or dense fog—to reshape hazards, and scaling towering structures to uncover hidden regions that deepen the mystery of humanity’s downfall.
The trailer emphasizes the game’s core loop of exploration, scavenging, and intense combat within a semi-open world, brought to life through its “Gungfu-centric” system that fuses precise gunplay with martial arts flair. Players can perform acrobatic dodges, mid-air weapon retrievals, and unlock parasitic abilities absorbed from enemies, gradually evolving their character from a standard bounty hunter into specialized archetypes such as a Kung Fu master with fluid melee combos or the Baba Yaga, a ruthless axe-wielding predator. Gameplay highlights showcase adrenaline-fueled third-person shooting with slow-motion dives, ricochet bullets, and dramatic counters like snatching thrown axes mid-air, all while facing a variety of foes ranging from zombie-like infected to grotesque, parasite-driven monstrosities that demand tactical dismemberment. Survival mechanics further deepen the experience, with players scavenging retro-tech ammo and upgrades, managing parasite infection levels to prevent overload, and navigating branching storylines shaped by tough narrative choices. The trailer also teases colossal, multi-phase boss encounters that incorporate environmental interaction, such as unleashing LUX to flood battle arenas. Transitioning in its second half from narrative beats to raw gameplay, the footage places full focus on the fluid, visceral “gun-fu” combat while deliberately withholding HUD and inventory reveals to maintain an air of mystery.