Athanasia enters Early Access, bringing dinosaur-filled immersive sim action

If you have been waiting for a game that blends the tense atmosphere of Dino Crisis with the mechanical depth of System Shock, you might want to take a look at Athanasia. Developed by Momentum Games and published by Black Lantern Collective, the title officially launches into Early Access today. This first-person immersive sim transports players to a remote, dinosaur-infested scientific facility located in South America.

As reported by Rock Paper Shotgun, players step into the role of intrepid researcher Carmen Flores. The gameplay leans heavily into the established tropes of the immersive sim genre, featuring gun-metal corridors lit by strip lighting and waist-high vents. Players must navigate these dangerous environments while managing an inventory crammed with tools and craftable objects, hacking control panels, and uncovering the facility’s history through audio logs and hidden secret routes.

The title, which is derived from the Greek word meaning deathless, hints at a narrative involving ancient terrors. The Steam page teases that the game centers on a terrible truth and ancestral nightmares that have plagued humanity for ages. While the developer plans for a full release in 2027, the current Early Access version provides immediate access to three of the six planned map areas, along with the majority of the intended item and enemy types. Momentum Games has indicated that while their primary focus is delivering their current promises, they may add further items, areas, or enemies based on community feedback and the speed of development.

For those looking to engage with the game now, the initial focus of the dinosaur encounters appears to be combat-heavy, though the developers have not yet demonstrated complex predator behavior like decoying tactics for the velociraptors. Interested players can dive into the Early Access version today to experience this homage to classic survival horror as the development team works toward the final 2027 milestone.

Why it matters

For fans of classic survival horror and immersive sims, Athanasia serves as a direct homage to beloved, dormant franchises. Because the game is entering an Early Access phase, the developer’s trajectory will be heavily influenced by community feedback, potentially leading to the addition of more items, areas, and enemies beyond the core roadmap. Those interested in the genre should keep an eye on how the AI, specifically the dinosaur encounters, evolves as the project moves toward its full launch. Whether this title manages to deliver a fresh take on these prehistoric threats remains to be seen as the project advances.