Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a short update on where Better Than Dead is right now, and how its core experience is taking shape.

The first rounds of playtesting have concluded.
Over the past weeks, I’ve been reviewing feedback and applying adjustments to the core gameplay.
A new round of playtests is currently being prepared.

One clear pattern emerged across nearly every level.

Encounters tend to begin under heavy pressure, then gradually settle into a more controlled rhythm as movement, space, and timing start to align. The experience is built around this shift… from instability to a deliberate, physical flow of violence.

Better Than Dead follows an untrained woman driven by raw revenge.

The experience starts in chaos.
You’re not prepared.
You react badly.
You survive by instinct.

But if you push through, something shifts.

Panic gradually gives way to momentum. As encounters unfold, movement and positioning become more deliberate, and control starts to emerge.

Current Focus

Development is currently focused on:

• Expanding and refining existing levels

• Building new locations

• Improving environmental detail and realism

• Adding new gameplay mechanics

A significant amount of work is going into the construction of each level.

Each environment is unique and purpose-built, with a strong focus on recreating 90s Hong Kong spaces as faithfully as possible.

A new update is planned soon., and the playtest will reopen to a new group of players.

The playtest is intentionally kept small and closed. This allows feedback and bug reports to be reviewed carefully, and changes to be implemented quickly without unnecessary noise.

Starting with upcoming updates, access will rotate more consistently. Each new build will open to a fresh group of players, keeping the test focused while allowing more people to take part over time.

Thank you to everyone following the project…
the Discord community, the playtesters, and everyone who has taken the time to share feedback.
All of it directly helps improve the game.

If you haven’t already, adding Better Than Dead to your Steam wishlist really helps and keeps the project moving forward.

-Montegallo

Dev Update October: The First Playtest

The last couple of months have been all about development, fixing a ton of bugs, improving performance and optimization, enemy AI, and starting to add polish around the edges: intro sequence, main menu, atmosphere touches, and other details that tie everything together.

I also ended up creating a completely new level that wasn’t planned at first, a Hong Kong massage parlor, tense and full of close-quarter fights.

But the biggest step forward has been starting the first closed playtest of Better Than Dead on Discord. Working solo means I usually test everything myself, so getting real feedback from players has been a huge help.

I’m happy with how things are going... the game runs smoothly, even on Steam Deck. Guess working on a seven-year-old PC does have its benefits.

I’ll keep running new playtest rounds over the next month, tightening the gunfights, and pushing balance and pacing based on player feedback.

Join the Discord if you want to help shape the game and take part in the playtest and don’t forget to wishlist Better Than Dead on Steam if you haven’t yet.

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Better Than Dead is developed solo and published by MicroProse.