New Survival Horror Game on Steam Steals Your Heart with Persona’s Presentation and Resident Evil’s Gameplay

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Video game innovation isn’t always about creating entirely new ideas; often, it’s about combining existing ones in fresh ways. A new game coming to Steam does this by blending elements from the Persona and Resident Evil series. The developers describe it as a unique open-world zombie survival horror game with a distinctive illustrated storytelling style, and it looks like it will be a hit with players on Steam.

In the Steam game F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT, you play as a survivor focused on daily tasks like finding supplies and fighting off infected creatures. Similar to the way time progresses in the Persona series, the infected become more powerful each day. This creates a constantly challenging world, blending the exploration and survival horror elements of Resident Evil with a strong narrative focus. F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT emphasizes player choice and immersion through compelling characters, individual stories, and decisions that affect how your group perceives you. It offers a deeper, more engaging experience by combining elements from other popular games.

F.R.A.X: Blackout Releases on Steam in March 2026

Take a Look at F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT’s Feature List

  • CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION – Create your survivor and immerse yourself in a story that is truly your own.
  • OPEN-WORLD EXPLORATION – Explore an infected-overrun Tokyo, entering homes, stores, police stations, and many other buildings. Every place has its own story, its own secrets.
  • EXPLORE, FIGHT, & SURVIVE – Search for supplies, manage your inventory, and fight the infected with melee and ranged combat: blunt and bladed melee weapons, Pistols and Assault Rifles. Go out alone or with your group members.
  • SIMPLE CRAFTING – Scavenge, combine, survive.
  • STORY-DRIVEN GAMEPLAY – Immerse yourself in the world, explore personal stories, interact with a charming cast, and shape how your group sees you.
  • ILLUSTRATED STORYTELLING – Experience the story through drawn cinematic event CGs, expressive character portraits, and immersive text-driven sequences. Expect richly written dialogue, introspective narration, and slow-burn character development woven into the day-to-day of the end of the world.
  • LEVELING & PROGRESSION – The dead grow stronger each day. So must you.

F.R.A.X. BLACKOUT Combines Persona’s Presentation with Visual Novel Storytelling

“Half exploration, half immersion in a deep character-driven story set in a falling Tokyo.”

It’s immediately clear that F.R.A.X. BLACKOUT draws visual inspiration from the anime style of Persona. However, the similarities go beyond just appearances. While both games are set in Tokyo – a basic connection – F.R.A.X. BLACKOUT focuses on characters and their stories in a way that strongly resembles Persona. The main character even looks like it came straight from Persona‘s artwork. The game tells its story like a Visual Novel, featuring detailed, cinematic scenes, expressive characters, and a lot of text. The developers promise a thoughtful experience with well-written conversations and characters that develop gradually as they navigate the end of the world. We haven’t learned much about the characters yet, but one of the first you’ll meet in this zombie apocalypse is Ryou.

Exploring the world of F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT feels reminiscent of the towns in Persona 4 and Persona 5, like Inaba and Tokyo. While the graphics aren’t quite as polished, the game successfully captures that same cozy, familiar atmosphere that the Persona series is known for. F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT feels very much inspired by Persona without directly copying it, which is a promising sign for its upcoming release.

F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT Throws Resident Evil Gameplay into the Mix

“Brutal combat, limited bullets, and a rich story wrapped in a gritty anime aesthetic.”

Good graphics and a compelling story aren’t enough if the gameplay isn’t fun, and F.R.A.X: BLACKOUT‘s gameplay feels very similar to the original Resident Evil games. Players will explore Tokyo, searching houses, shops, police stations, and other buildings for essential items like supplies and ammunition. While the extent of inventory management isn’t fully known yet, it will be a part of the game.

The game also lets players combine items in a basic crafting system. While it probably won’t have typical healing herbs, the limited ammunition, focus on gathering supplies, and crafting all within a zombie apocalypse setting feels very similar to the gameplay of Resident Evil.

Ultimately, F.R.A.X. BLACKOUT tells its story through engaging, visual novel-style cutscenes where players make choices that affect the narrative. Imagine the world of Persona colliding with a zombie outbreak in Tokyo – that’s the atmosphere. Gameplay is reminiscent of Resident Evil, but the game blends these elements in a unique way, creating a fresh experience. Keep an eye out for its release in March 2026 to see how it all comes together.

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2026-01-14 15:05