Total Chaos took me a little time to get into. First off, it seemed like there were no optimizations until the first update. When that first update was released, that’s when everything changed.
Let me give some background. So I have a 3rd Gen Intel clocked @ 3.2ghz i5 with an NVidia 1030 graphics card. Now most out there would say well that’s your problem right there. Most of the time, not. I’ve become expert at twiddling the graphics knobs and turning off VRAM eating “options” and can actually play most games.
Total Chaos just ran like shit no matter what I did. Until that first update anyways. Once that was installed it was like I was playing a whole different game. Running at high frame rates with buttery smooth fast mouse movement with the current settings and it still looks great, just flies, and is slowly turning into one of my all time favorite games. Total Chaos has a first person view interface which is my preferred view, though depending on game over the shoulder can be fine too.
I love the fact that so far the maps are somewhat large and unintuitively navigable. Definitely have to do exploration in this game and check every crack and crevice. Plus some of the “dungeon” or mine areas are very well constructed with non-obvious paths so there’s a map feature to help you along. It shows where you’ve been so you can logically determine which direction you should be going. There’s inside the mine area’s and outside the mine area’s along the coast on the island and so far they are all brilliantly connected which is another part of the game I’m enjoying. Of course there will be keys to look for and puzzles to solve, but that’s one of the things that always keeps games interesting. Gets really good when you memorize the areas and have to backtrack through, sometimes while walking backwards (!) but that’s a specific puzzle I won’t spoil.
The game is definitely gritty and dystopian in the sense I haven’t run into other “survivors” or others on the island yet, not alive anyways. Then there’s the somewhat drab and foreboding color palette being used in the game. Then there’s some kind of fleshy growth in the mines which I haven’t determined the significance of yet. There’s plenty there that wants to kill you though, and one of the plusses of the game is the great combat sequences. You’ll actually have to plan your attacks as the game progresses and gets harder. You need to search all areas thoroughly taking advantage of all your interfaces including map, inventory, and a nice HUD. I’ve been playing without the HUD and just have tried to memorize everything including keystrokes and mouse movements and it’s a joy now that the update made the game just fly. There are important items like health and stamina options on screen and a few others for the really important points, like when your about to starve to death, or need to staunch your bleeding. Oh yes, you need to manage how much you bleed in this game! Oh yeah, and there’s a full blown crafting interface that I am slowly collecting “recipes” and items for. Crafting quickly becomes essential but is not weirdly set up and is fairly straight forward though at first glance the crafting interface can be daunting. I was just about to simply stop playing but the Quality Assurance guys at Trigger Happy Interactive, Black Sheep Studio, Infogrames, Atari and Apogee came through so even guys who use broken potato’s for computers can still game! Now how’s that for a gaming pedigree? Seeing those big players involved in Total Chaos was another thing that really drew me to the game.
Descend into Total Chaos, a gripping survival horror experience that darkens the fragile space between truth and madness.
Setting: The once thriving Fort Oasis feels like a long ago memory; deserted, decayed and too dark for comfort. You’ve wrecked upon its island shore by a sudden storm–its distant past still seems eerily present, but venture inward you must, compelled by cryptic radio transmissions from someone who seems like a friend.
But as you delve deeper into Fort Oasis reality itself becomes twisted and uncertain as you realize your very existence is at stake.
Gameplay: Scavenge for scraps and craft makeshift weapons to defend yourself against the many horrors. Unearth fragments of forgotten lives scattered across the island and piece together the chilling mystery of Fort Oasis’s fate. Each discovery brings you closer to a truth that threatens to shatter your sanity.Key Features:
- Immersive Atmosphere: Explore the nightmarish ruins of Fort Oasis across nine harrowing chapters that plunge you deeper into its oppressive, decaying world.
- Environmental Storytelling: Uncover the island’s darkest secrets and confront your own fractured past through cryptic notes, haunting visuals and unsettling encounters.
- Crafting for Survival: Build and upgrade weapons using scavenged materials to stand a chance against the relentless terrors stalking you.
- Face Nightmarish Foes: Engage in desperate battles against horrific creatures, each with their own deadly behaviors and strategies.
- Resource Management: Navigate a deep inventory system where every item matters. Your survival hinges on careful choices and quick thinking.
Steam Synopsis
There’s this really cool part in the game where you need to take some pills. I think you might be able to get through the section without taking the pills, but I did and I’m glad I did. I think it was 3 red pills, but I could be wrong about that detail. That’s when the game started resembling the cover art. You take those pills and your entire reality shifts into, well, not sure where but it’s super freaky and super awesome visually and the special effects during this moment (I’ve just had one “drug” experience so far as of writing this as I’m on chapter or level 4 iirc currently) actually impressed me.
I downloaded Total Chaos through my XBox Game Pass subscription which runs me $13.99 a month or so and is a really good deal. I usually get a few games a month I can get into and it’s just a really solid value. I think I have access to 300+ games and they rotate as new games come in. Total Chaos was released November of 2025 so is fairly new. Full install takes up 13.88 gigabytes of space.
If you’ve made it this far thanks for taking the time to read this and if your up to it, maybe leave a donation for a guy whose primary source of income is his computer 😉
