A grim tale of survival horror arrives on Steam with the Next Fest demo for Apogee’s Total Chaos

Total Chaos is here, or at least a demo for it, bringing what might be a sharp new survival horror experience to PC fans.

Totally

A first-person adventure, Total Chaos sets players in the boots of a lost Coastguardsman, who’s having a worse tour than the crew of the S.S. Minnow. He’s found himself washed up on the shores of a gloomy island, one that’s anything but deserted.

Instead of sandy beaches and palm trees, this one’s home to a series of lurking horrors. Man/monster hybrids stalk the locale, including the abandoned mine that seems to be at the center of it all. And these beasts sound like they’ll be testing the limits of sanity, and blurring the lines of reality and hallucination.

Awaken to a living nightmare as a wayward Coastguardman, adrift at sea and slipping into a fractured reality. Take refuge on the haunted shores of Fort Oasis, a long-abandoned coal mining community cloaked in mist and decay. Venture ahead with only one guide: a distant, crackling voice on a walkie-talkie. But can it be trusted?

The remnants of a forgotten world now hide unspeakable horrors in the shadows. Navigate warped sights and eerie echoes while scavenging for vital supplies and crafting materials in abandoned apartments, crumbling facilities, rusted corridors, and foreboding graveyards. 

Survive a psychologically damaging gauntlet of grotesque human-monster hybrids. Move unpredictably as the abominations observe player behavior, mimicking movements and attack patterns. Keep a tight grip on reality… Monitor health, fatigue, bleeding wounds, and hunger while the Madness system warps the mind. Hallucinations blur the line between real and unreal, as shifting walls and hidden passageways reveal valuable loot… guarded by horrors best left undiscovered.

Apogee press release

Along with all of the above, which is a lot already, Total Chaos also tasks players with finding their arsenal. Visitors to the Fort Oasis will have to scrounge through the wreckage of the past not only for notes and letters that piece the game’s story together, but also for melee weaponry and throwables like bricks and bottles. As you can see in the trailer too, there are guns, but don’t expect them to be plentiful, so make sure you save them for the worst of the worst.

Demo now, retail creeps out this summer

With a timed-demo out now for Steam (playable period ends on March 3rd), Apogee has also released news that Total Chaos will be getting a story-based DLC expansion dubbed “Epilogue”. No word on pricing for that, but it’ll feature “an extended narrative, unexplored locations, and a never-before-seen tenth chapter”, according to the publisher. But wait, there’s even more Total Chaos news as, if you’re up for the scare, the title will have a VR edition. Players equipped with compatible virtual reality headsets will be able to get into the action by grabbing Total Chaos: VR Edition.

While there’s no date listed for the expansion just yet, it looks like both Total Chaos and Total Chaos: VR Edition will be out and ready to bring some terror to your summertime, on July 24th, 2025.