Serum, an upcoming single-player, first-person survival game, created by Game Island and published by Toplitz Production, is yet to get a release date, but MKAU Gaming was invited to take part in a playtest version of the build, so we’ll be going through my initial thoughts on the development so far.

Players will take control of Adam after signing up for scientific experiments, and as he makes his way home on what was meant to be his last day on the job, something happens and he awakens in a sewer. Adam, along with the other test subjects, has been exposed to hazardous chemicals, and to maintain their health, they have to inject a serum every few minutes. This is made slightly easier thanks to a timer display that’s been surgically implanted into his left arm, and you’ll need to keep a close eye on the timer to avoid a fatal ending.

When you first wake up, you can find another test subject who has passed away. Thankfully, they have a vial of serum on them to get you started, and as you progress, you’ll find a radio that lets you contact a lab worker by the name of Richard. He’ll help guide you to a safe location and offer advice on how to craft serums to extend your timer, but he can sometimes seem shady, cutting transmissions short and not wanting other staff to know that he’s talking to you.

Your timer will stop once you enter the first safe space, letting you take the time to loot and craft without worrying about your health. Richard will direct you to key objects, such as a respawn machine that works as a checkpoint, but you can also deposit excess time, giving you a bit of a boost should you need to revive.

The first item you learn to craft is the Serum, and it’s arguably the most important. As you collect the native plants you’ll need to create this, you’ll also find a blueprint for a machete, and this will come in very handy – you’ll encounter mutated animals and humans as you progress the story.

As part of a horrific experiment, you’ll need to travel through different testing zones to make your escape, and each area seems to have been created for a different test. Each zone is a different biome, and each has a variant of the serum you can learn to craft.

The starting area resembles a forest, filled with a variety of fauna, with rabbits and other non-lethal critters scattered about. The game’s combat picks up in the second zone, which feels more like an outback or desert-like biome, and it’s here that you’ll come across mutated bugs and the odd human enemies, all of which will be hostile.

Gameplay in Serum can be quite the challenge, given the need to manage the timer, defend yourself against mutants, and recover any loot you dropped when you die. Managing your timer is quite easy thanks to an easy-to-pick-up-and-play control scheme. You’ll just have to remember to hit the TAB key to bring this up.

The different biomes offer some amazing scenery to explore, changing from a dark sewer to bright forests and barren deserts, offering a nice amount of variety to your experience, but the sound can feel a little underwhelming. Ambient sounds feel a little lacking at the moment, and the majority of voice lines come from radio communications with Richard. with the occasional line from Adam as he describes the environments.

Serum looks to be a very promising game, and the unique concept will offer fans of the survival genre a truly challenging experience. No longer will you be spending your waking hours farming and hoarding ingredients. Every moment counts.

Written by: Shane Walsh