There are plenty of cyberpunk roguelites on the horizon, but not many make the air itself your enemy. That’s exactly the idea behind Phantom Smog, the upcoming action roguelike from solo developer GmmsDev, which is now set to launch on Steam on July 31. If you’re looking for another fast-paced roguelite to round off the month, this one might be worth keeping an eye on.
The game takes place in a future where a toxic gas known as VX-Nebel has consumed the city. The megacorporation NOVA ATMOS controls what little remains, leaving Kael as the only human immune to the poisonous smog. That immunity also makes him the corporation’s biggest problem, sending players on a mission to hunt down the people responsible for the conspiracy and bring their rule to an end.
While the setting immediately grabs your attention, it’s the gameplay that looks particularly promising.
Rather than relying on procedurally stitched-together environments, Phantom Smog sends you through handcrafted, interconnected maps spread across multiple biomes. Each region introduces its own enemies and bosses, encouraging you to learn their attack patterns while making the most of the permanent upgrades you unlock between runs. As you grow stronger, you’ll be able to develop Kael’s abilities in different ways, giving each attempt its own rhythm as the difficulty steadily ramps up.
Visually, Phantom Smog leans heavily into retro-inspired pixel art wrapped in a cyberpunk aesthetic. Neon-lit streets, industrial environments, and a retrowave-inspired presentation give it a distinctive identity, while the fast-paced combat appears designed to keep you constantly moving between enemy attacks. It’s the kind of visual style that feels right at home in the roguelike genre, combining nostalgic pixel art with a futuristic setting that stands out from the usual fantasy dungeons and medieval castles.
If you’re curious to see how it all comes together before launch, there’s some good news. A playable demo has already been available on Steam since January, giving players the opportunity to sample Kael’s fight against NOVA ATMOS ahead of the full release.
With cyberpunk settings continuing to prove popular and action roguelites showing no signs of slowing down, Phantom Smog arrives at a good time. Its combination of handcrafted level design, permanent progression, boss-focused combat, and a world where every breath feels earned could help it stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.
Whether it becomes your next roguelike obsession remains to be seen, but you won’t have long to find out. Phantom Smog is currently scheduled to launch on Steam on July 31, with full controller support and support for 10 interface languages.