When big budget games release annually or even quarterly at the state the video game industry is in, sometimes many of use do not truly realize the amount of resources put into what the respected game delivers. Even for smaller teams, these studios aim to offer an authentic experience parallel to what you would find from developers backed by large publishers. According to Paul Cousins, the Creative Lead at Funder Games, he expressed this determination with the upcoming project Dead Fury.

What Dead Fury is tackles the core attractions of titles like The Last of Us, Days Gone, DayZ, and World War Z while still delivering a cohesive and unique experience separate from its influences. When speaking with Cousins at PAX East this weekend, he voiced his ambition to bring a AAA experience to Dead Fury while the game is virtually developed by himself. He does explain there was some outside help as well along the way, but he oversees the entire project.

Upon getting my hands on Dead Fury, I was surprised to find how refined the game is in its state – especially the gunplay. While it is expected that many showcased titles at events are still a work in progress, Dead Fury manages to effectively execute one of the most realistic gun mechanics I’ve played. Although it is evident other aspects of the game are still being operated on, any time you use a gun feels extremely fine-tuned.

While there he discussed with me that the well-involved storyline crafted for Dead Fury will be “weaved through the gameplay”. As you progress, portions of the plot will reveal itself. Cousins further explained that the game is divided between different segments including exploration, stealth, and horde battles. The synopsis for the game reads:

“On its return journey to Earth from Mars, a probe analyzing samples of potential life identifies a significant biological hazard and alerts mission control. The lead scientist for the mission recommends aborting via self-destructing the probe, but the corporation funding the mission overruled this and instead voted to continue, concerned about the financial loss.”

“The lead scientist fought to overturn this but could not, and in the final moments before landing back on Earth, he self-destructed the probe on its final approach. Unfortunately, the robust virus (Panspermia) quickly spread around the globe, carried by water vapor high in the earth’s atmosphere, eventually infecting all mankind.

“The Jezaro Virus, more commonly referred to as “Dead Fury” renders the infected initially delirious, eventually becoming violent and zombie-like. Some survivors believe a level of consciousness remains deep inside the victim, though most are more worried about surviving the huge hordes the Dead Fury form.”

Elaborating more on the stealth aspect specifically, Cousins went on to explain that there is an emphasis on this gameplay element parallel to how refined the gunplay is already. When opportunity arises, players will have the ability to use sound to their advantage. Of course, silencers for weapons are the biggest priority, however, traps can also be set to emit audible noise for infected to follow as well.

Despite the differences between the core gameplay and stealth, Cousins wants a healthy equilibrium between the two. This gives players not only the choice in how to pursue situations, but also keeps the overall experience fresh and enlightening to keep you playing. When asked about how the game’s gun mechanics are already close to perfect, he told that was intentional for more users to show interest in Dead Fury.

Although he is very transparent about where the motivation initially sprouted for Dead Fury, he explains that the approach for the gameplay is where the project stands out. For the most part, the references offered one gameplay aspect: tight gunplay or involved stealth. Cousins aims to offer both in Dead Fury which gives a variable experience that can appeal to a broader audience.

On the showfloor, I asked about the history of Dead Fury briefly and Cousins answered with the backstory for the project. Searching online for the game does not offer much aside from the Steam listing and a Gamejolt page. The page was the initial forum for the game years prior showcasing a former build of the game; even listing the game as a T Rating then. He explains the latest version of the game is embracing a mature rating if it was not evident already.

He also went on to elaborate that the prior iterations were more so prototypes for Dead Fury compared to now which is closer to the final version. From the number of gameplay videos online, those helped provide feedback that went on to expand mechanics and implement other additions like improved systems, tightening gameplay, and polished graphics.

Looking ahead, Cousins did share some ambitions for Dead Fury beyond the base release. He told that multiplayer is certainly an aspect to be expected for the title. Additionally, one user even suggested a ‘play the zombie mode’ which Cousins already told to be in the pipeline. Currently, a beta is said to release later on in 2022.

If you are interested in more on Dead Fury, Rectify Gaming encourages you to wishlist the game by heading here.

Dead Fury is listed for a 2022 release on PC.