This horror game just got a large update, has 90% positive reviews, and is 10% off on Steam

Escape the Backrooms has suddenly become the co-op horror headline on Steam, and for good reason: the game’s 1.0 launch pushed thousands of players into a creeping, maze-like nightmare that rewards teamwork, nerves, and terrible lighting choices. OpenCritic reported player peaks in the tens of thousands during the initial launch window, while SteamDB shows active sessions in the thousands at various checkpoints, with an all-time peak of 48,879.

At its simplest, Escape the Backrooms is a 1-4 player cooperative experience built around exploration, limited resources, and sudden threat encounters. What sets it apart is the mix: procedural maps, handcrafted set pieces, and a clear co-op loop that is both fun and challenging. Teams must explore, gather clues, manage limited resources, and avoid entities designed to punish lone wanderers. The variety of levels keeps runs fresh, while proximity-based voice and emergent AI encounters create glorious “what the hell just happened” moments.

Within hours of its 1.0 patch, the game trended on Steam, and community channels filled with “scared” highlight reels and reaction threads. Reviews show generally positive reception for the pace and atmosphere, albeit some players flagged occasional server queues and matchmaking lags during peak hours. This is typical for breakout launches, but developers appear responsive, issuing patches to stabilize servers and tweak AI behavior based on feedback.

If you plan to jump in, a few things might be worth considering ahead of making a purchase. For starters, one can expect matchmaking wait times to be all over the place, especially during times when the game’s player count dips to lower levels. It might be advisable to use private lobbies if one wants an easier time with the learning curve, and to assign simple roles before a run, such as a scout, a resource holder, and cover players, if one wants to play the game just with friends. Communication is the game’s currency, and clear callouts matter more than reflexes.

For now, the game’s momentum is mostly about atmosphere and teamwork, but if the developers keep patching server issues and balancing encounters, the title could cement itself as a co-op horror staple well beyond the spooky season. At $7 a pop, it is arguably one of the more affordable titles you can grab in its genre currently, and one with a 90 percent rating, too.