We’ve moved past the days where isometric games were just “niche throwbacks” for people who still have their original Fallout discs gathering dust. Now, in 2026, the genre is hitting a fever pitch, and right at the center of that storm is a project that feels like a love letter written in neon and radioactive sludge: BioSynth: Rising. Developed by the small but clearly ambitious team at Neptune Games, this title is basically what happens when you take the tactical depth of Baldur’s Gate 3 and shove it into a gritty, high-tech blender with the dystopian vibes of Cyberpunk 2077.
Welcome to the Slums of Etheita
The game doesn’t exactly start with a cozy tutorial in a sun-drenched village. Instead, you’re dropped into Etheita, a sprawling metropolis where the air is probably 40% smog and the local government has been replaced by corporate greed and bounty hunters. The hook is simple but effective: you’re just an ordinary person who suddenly realizes they are being hunted by some very dangerous people. You don’t know why, you don’t know who they are, and you definitely don’t know how to survive a cyberpunk dystopia. It’s a classic “wrong place, wrong time” setup that quickly spirals into a massive, non-linear story where your choices actually matter. And when I say choices, I don’t mean picking between “good guy” and “slightly meaner guy” options; the reputation system ensures that the world reacts to your actions in ways that can permanently shut down quests or open up wild new alliances.
Tactical Combat That’ll Make You Sweat
If you’re the type of player who likes to spend twenty minutes planning a single turn, you’re going to feel right at home here. The turn-based combat is built on a robust system of action points, but it’s the environmental interactions that really steal the show. This isn’t just about clicking on an enemy until their health bar disappears. In BioSynth: Rising, the battlefield is a weapon. You can blow up radioactive barrels to melt a squad of mutants, drop electrical wires into puddles to stun a robotic guard, or even use verticality to your advantage by shove-pulling enemies off high-rise balconies. The tactical freedom is refreshing, especially when you realize that every encounter can be approached in a dozen different ways depending on your party composition and how much you’re willing to set the scenery on fire.
Building Your Perfect Team of Misfits
Character customization is where the game really shows its “crunchy” RPG roots. With multiple classes and deep skill trees, you aren’t just locked into a specific role. You can mix and match abilities to create some truly broken—and hilarious—builds. Plus, you get to recruit a party of up to four companions, each with their own baggage and “free will.” That last part is important because, in this world, robots and synths are treated as individuals with their own rights and emotions. This adds a fascinating layer to the writing, as you’re not just managing stats; you’re managing personalities. You might find yourself arguing with a dapper, dressed-up robot about the ethics of a particular quest, only to have your bio-engineered mutant tank decide he’s had enough and start a bar fight.
The Road to Launch and the 2026 Hype
It’s been a long journey for Neptune Games—they’ve been grinding away at this since 2020—but the recent Kickstarter relaunch in March 2026 has proven that the hype is very real. The team has been incredibly transparent about their vision, even dropping a beefy playable demo so people can see the evolution of the game for themselves. They’ve added new equipment slots for quick items like drugs and bombs, refined the visuals to lean into that “grim” 90s aesthetic, and polished the isometric view to look sharp on modern screens. It’s clear that they aren’t interested in making a generic clone of what’s already out there. They want to create a world that sucks you in and leaves a lasting scar, much like the legendary RPGs that inspired them.
Is It Worth Your Time?
If you’re a fan of bio-engineering gone wrong, complex tactical puzzles, and a world where every NPC probably has a hidden agenda, then the answer is a resounding yes. BioSynth: Rising manages to feel nostalgic without being dated, offering a fresh take on the “man vs. machine” trope with a heavy dose of biopunk weirdness. Whether you’re a veteran of the original Fallout games or a newcomer who just finished their third playthrough of Wasteland 3, there is something here that will grab you by the throat. It’s gritty, it’s challenging, and it’s a testament to what a small team can achieve with a clear vision and a lot of passion.
