Shadowgrounds Survivor

2007 Frozenbyte Action

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot confirmed

LinuxPlatinum

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic 794

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 591

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today3.5/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Mixed

61%

777 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Shadowgrounds Survivor run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not confirmed

A Mac version is sold. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon.1

LinuxPlatinum

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Platinum, runs perfectly out of the box.3

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Shadowgrounds Survivor lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Shadowgrounds Survivor running today

If the game crashes at startup or after loading a level, install the NVIDIA PhysX Legacy System Software (PCGamingWiki).
For resolutions above 1920×1080, edit screen_width and screen_height in Config\options.txt in the game folder (PCGamingWiki).

Synopsis

Shadowgrounds Survivor is a top-down alien shooter from Frozenbyte, set on the Jupiter moon Ganymede during the same invasion as the original Shadowgrounds. Players switch between three survivors, a marine, a flamethrower-wielding maintenance worker and a sniper, gaining experience and weapon parts to buy upgrades and special abilities as they fight through dark colony levels.

Developer: Frozenbyte
Released: 2007
Genre: Action
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2007 liked the lighting, physics and fluid twin-stick action and the new character skill trees, and the PC version holds a Metascore of 79, but reviews called the story forgettable and the enemy roster too close to the first game. Steam players rate it Mixed, often calling it short and too similar to its predecessor. Players who enjoy it praise the weapon upgrades, local co-op and secrets that unlock replay bonuses, while some recent reviews still report crashes.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3.5/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
No online services were involved and local co-op for up to four players still works (PCGamingWiki).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen works up to 1920×1080 in the options, with higher resolutions set in the config file (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
Controllers are supported in play but not throughout the interface (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists an unresolved crash after loading several levels that the developers could not trace, with only save file and PhysX workarounds (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Movement on the keyboard and aiming with the mouse are simple and responsive, keys can be remapped, and a controller works in play though not in every menu. Source: gamesradar.com, pcgamingwiki.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The options only offer resolutions up to 1920×1080, so higher resolutions and ultrawide need a config file edit, and the interface does not scale for modern displays. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Saving is harsh: few saves or checkpoints, progress gets lost
Progress is saved only between levels because of an engine limitation, so dying or quitting mid-level loses the whole level. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
The run-and-gun play is simple to pick up, with GamesRadar listing its somewhat simplistic gameplay as a fault, and upgrades are bought from clear per-character skill lists. Source: gamesradar.com, worthplaying.com.
Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Worthplaying found it the same game, story and setting with new characters, GamesRadar marked it down as repetitious, and Steam players often call the short campaign samey. Source: worthplaying.com, steamcommunity.com, gamesradar.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
Unlike the fixed view of the first game, the top-down camera can be swung around freely, which Worthplaying called a big gain in freedom. Source: worthplaying.com, steamcommunity.com.