Into the Underground
The survival horror genre is currently experiencing a renaissance, largely fueled by high-budget remakes of classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. But in the shadow of these giants, indie developers are scavenging for their own piece of the pie. Enter ENTITY: THE BLACK DAY, a project developed solo by Ali Al-Abboodi that was released on January 8, 2026.
Priced at a modest $17.99, ENTITY promises a return to the golden age of third-person shooters—dark corridors, government conspiracies, and biological horrors. After spending about four hours navigating its subterranean labs, it is clear that while this game lacks the polish of a Capcom title, it possesses a scrappy, B-movie charm that is hard to dislike. It is rough, it is janky, but it is also undeniably fun.
The Mission: Adam vs. The Virus
You play as Adam, a former special forces operative sent to investigate a “supposedly abandoned” bio-research facility. The setup is classic genre fare: a viral experiment gone wrong, thousands dead, and a government cover-up that needs exposing.
The narrative won’t win any awards for originality—it is a “greatest hits” compilation of Resident Evil and Metal Gear tropes. However, the game tries to spice things up with its “AI-Driven Protagonist.” Adam isn’t just a silent vessel; he is designed to act as a companion, breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the player.
This mechanic is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, having Adam react to your failures (“You’re making me die out here!”) adds a meta layer of humor that helps alleviate the tension. On the other hand, the delivery is obviously AI-generated. The voice acting is stiff, emotionless, and occasionally cringe-inducing. As one Steam reviewer noted, “The voice over feels like a robot trying to be human.” It breaks immersion just as often as it builds engagement.
Shooting Marshmallows vs. Visceral Takedowns
The gameplay loop combines exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat. The combat is where the game’s “indie jank” is most apparent.
The gunplay feels functional but lacks impact. Shooting enemies can sometimes feel like “shooting a marshmallow,” with little feedback to indicate you are doing damage until the enemy drops. The melee system is similarly floaty, often requiring you to be uncomfortably close to connect a hit.
However, when it works, it can be satisfying. The game includes brutal execution moves for weakened enemies that add a visceral flair to encounters. The boss battles, while occasionally frustrating due to hitbox issues, offer distinct patterns that require you to actually learn and adapt rather than just hold down the trigger.
Resource management is key. Ammo is scarce, forcing you to scavenge materials and craft rounds. It keeps the tension high, ensuring you never feel like a superhero, but rather a survivor scraping by.
The Highlights
Where ENTITY: THE BLACK DAY truly shines is in its environmental design. For a solo developer using Unreal Engine 5, the visuals are impressive. The lighting is moody, casting long shadows down industrial corridors that make every corner feel threatening. The character designs for the monsters are genuinely creepy, blending body horror with sci-fi elements.
The puzzle design is another bright spot. It steps outside the box of “find the blue key for the blue door.” Some puzzles require real-world interaction, such as scanning QR codes with your actual phone to decipher clues. It’s a gimmick, sure, but it’s a clever one that makes the player feel like an active participant in the investigation rather than just a button-pusher.
The Steam Deck Experience
The game is Steam Deck Verified and, for the most part, runs well on the handheld. However, PC players have reported optimization issues, including micro-stutters and enemy “pop-in” where monsters spawn out of thin air or through walls.
The lack of support for Ultrawide monitors is a disappointment for immersion enthusiasts, but given the budget price and team size, it’s a forgivable omission.
Summary
| The Good | The Bad |
| Atmosphere: Great lighting and environmental design create a genuinely spooky vibe. | AI Voice Acting: The dialogue is stiff, robotic, and often breaks immersion. |
| Combat Feel: Guns lack impact (“marshmallow” shooting), and melee is clunky. | Combat Feel: Guns lack impact (“marshmallow” shooting) and melee is clunky. |
| Ambition: The “AI Companion” concept, while flawed in execution, is a fresh idea for the genre. | Technical Jank: Enemy pop-in, micro-stutters, and lack of Ultrawide support. |
| Price/Value: At $17.99, a 4-hour campaign offers decent value for money. | Animations: Movement can look stiff and unnatural, especially during cutscenes. |
| Solo Dev Effort: Impressive scope and visual fidelity for a single developer. |
ENTITY: THE BLACK DAY: ENTITY: THE BLACK DAY is a diamond in the rough—or perhaps a zirconium in the rough. It is an ambitious attempt to create a AAA-style experience on an indie budget. It succeeds in atmosphere and concept but stumbles in combat feel and voice acting. If you go in expecting Resident Evil 4 Remake, you will be disappointed. But if you go in expecting a fun, 4-6 hour indie horror game that tries new things (like breaking the fourth wall and mixing realities) for the price of a movie ticket, you’ll have a good time. It’s a solid 7/10 on the "jank scale"—broken in places, but full of heart. – Flare