Drifters: Loot the Galaxy

Drifters: Loot the Galaxy is a free-to-play, multiplayer hero shooter set in a sci-fi universe where players take on the roles of mercenaries with unique abilities. Developed by Blind Squirrel Entertainment, the game features fast-paced combat, dynamic movement with jetpacks and grappling hooks, and team-based gameplay across various modes like deathmatch and capture the flag. Players can choose from eight distinct heroes, each with specialized skills, to compete in 5v5 battles while navigating a comic book-inspired, atmospheric world.

Drifters: Loot the Galaxy: Review

Introduction

In the crowded pantheon of hero shooters, few titles embody the chaotic allure of interstellar piracy quite like Drifters: Loot the Galaxy. Released by the port specialists-turned-ambitious developers at Blind Squirrel Entertainment, this free-to-play romboozle promised a symphony of gravity-defying movement and vibrant heist-based chaos. Yet, despite its audacious vision and technical polish, the game vanished into the void of forgotten Early Access experiments, leaving behind a curious legacy of unrealized potential. This review will dissect Drifters‘ ambitious DNA—from its origins as a studio’s bold leap into original IP to its fragmented execution—to determine whether it was a stellar supernova or a cosmic footnote.

Development History & Context

Blind Squirrel Entertainment, previously celebrated for meticulous port work on titles like BioShock Collection and Prey, took a monumental risk with Drifters: Loot the Galaxy. This was their first internally created intellectual property (IP), self-published as a Games-as-a-Service (GaaS) title—a bold pivot from their established role. Unveiled in 2020 and entering Steam Early Access on April 15, 2021, the project was pitched as a showcase for Unreal Engine 4’s capabilities, emphasizing dynamic physics and responsive combat. The studio’s vision, as articulated across their site and press materials, was to create a game where movement was the core mechanic: a frantic ballet of jetpacks, grappling hooks, and low-gravity traversal. Technologically, they prioritized a client-server architecture spanning multiple data centers to combat latency—a critical need for a fast-paced PvP title. However, this ambition collided with the brutal economics of the live-service market. The game was announced for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, but the latter two platforms were quietly cancelled post-Early Access launch, a tacit admission of resource constraints. The gaming landscape in 2021 was saturated with hero shooters (Overwatch, Paladins, Apex Legends), making it an inopportune moment for a newcomer to carve space, especially without a publisher or massive marketing push.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Drifters presents a narrative that is less a cohesive plot and more a thematic vignette—a pulp sci-fi framework for its mercenary mayhem. Players assume the role of “Drifters”: morally ambiguous intergalactic raiders barreling through the galaxy’s seediest sectors. Their sole motivation? Profit. As described by the game’s promotional materials, they answer the whims of shadowy employers (like the enigmatic bar owner who acts as a quest-giver), engaging in ruthless battles over “cosmic booty.” The tone is unapologetically cartoonish, evoking the swagger of Han Solo and the greed of Firefly’s crew, but stripped of nuance. Character archetypes are functional rather than fleshed out—standard hero shooter fare like tanks, healers, and supports—each with rote backstories that emphasize their greed or combat prowess. Dialogue is sparse and utilitarian, serving only to trigger objectives or quip in combat. Thematically, the game leans into anarchic capitalism, where alliances are transactional and treasure is the only true north star. Yet, the narrative never transcends its role as a pretext for shooting and looting. The setting, while visually striking, lacks depth; the “seediest depths of the universe” feel more like a collection of colorful arenas than a lived world. This intentional superficiality, while aligning with the game’s arcadey spirit, ultimately renders the narrative a disposable accessory to the gameplay.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Drifters‘ gameplay is a masterclass in controlled chaos, built around three interconnected pillars: movement, character abilities, and loot-driven objectives.

Movement Systems

The game’s singular innovation is its “Driftpac” jetpack system—a high-powered thruster enabling rapid verticality, strafing, and aerial drifting. Combined with a grappling hook that allows players to latch onto surfaces and zip across multi-level maps, these tools create a fluid, dimension-shifting combat dance. Movement isn’t just traversal; it’s a tactical weapon. A Drifter can blast away to dodge attacks, grapple to flank enemies, or drift around corners to surprise foes. This system rewards spatial awareness and reflexes, making every firefight feel like a dynamic three-dimensional chess match. However, the steep learning curve alienated newcomers, while veterans reported occasional jank—like hook physics occasionally clipping through geometry.

Character Progression & Abilities

At launch, eight heroes were available, each fitting into established archetypes: tanks (e.g., a hulking bruiser), healers (a support drone specialist), damage dealers (a laser-sword duelist), and hybrids. Unique abilities (e.g., a deployable energy shield or a healing grenade) encouraged team composition, but the core gameplay loop was derivative of Overwatch and Paladins. Progression was tied to in-match “loot”—scattered currency that upgraded abilities mid-battle. For instance, collecting shards might increase a hero’s damage or reduce cooldowns, creating a tangible, if temporary, power spike. This system added a layer of risk-reward: players had to balance looting for upgrades against securing objectives. Yet, the economy felt shallow, with upgrades often feeling incremental rather than transformative. Weapons, too, offered illusory choice—shotguns or rifles with identical base damage but fire-rate or spread variations, emphasizing style over substance.

Core Modes & UI

The game launched with five 5v5 modes, all variations on classics: Team Deathmatch, Capture the Payload (a “heist” objective), King of the Hill, and a hybrid mode. Matches were fast-paced but often marred by UI inefficiencies—cluttered loot counters and ability hotkeys that drowned in the chaos. The real flaw, however, was the matchmaking system. Blind Squirrel’s backend couldn’t sustain a player base, leading to interminable queue times even for core modes. This crippled the “Game as a Service” model, which relied on player retention for content updates.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Drifters excels in its sensory presentation, crafting a universe that is both comic-book absurdity and tactile. The art direction, in collaboration with Vault Comics, is a standout: a vibrant, cel-shaded aesthetic with exaggerated character designs and environments that evoke retro sci-fi pulp. Maps like the neon-drenched space station Smuggler’s Den or the asteroid field Valley of Rust are playgrounds for movement, with multi-level platforms, floating debris, and gravity wells that beg for traversal. The comic-book style isn’t merely aesthetic—it informs gameplay, with exaggerated animations for hook-swinging and jetpack bursts that feed into the arcadey feel. Sound design complements this perfectly: a thumping, synth-driven score underscores action, while weapon effects—from the zap of plasma rifles to the thwump of a shotgun blast—provide satisfying audio feedback. Voice acting leans into the game’s irreverent tone, with one-liners dripping with mercenary swagger. Yet, the world-building remains skin-deep. Lore snippets are relegated to loading screens, and the galaxy feels like a backdrop rather than a character. This deliberate minimalism, while focusing the experience on gameplay, leaves the setting feeling sterile and unexplored.

Reception & Legacy

Upon its Early Access debut, Drifters received mixed reviews, with a Steam “Mixed” rating of 58/100 from 139 reviews by November 2025. Critics praised its movement mechanics and art style but lamented its shallow content and technical flaws. Players echoed these sentiments, with complaints about long queues, a low player base, and a lack of post-launch updates. One Steam user’s post—“Is this game dead already?”—captured the zeitgeist. Commercially, the game failed to gain traction. Its cancellation on consoles and stagnation in Early Access signaled a retreat for Blind Squirrel, which refocused on port work. Yet, Drifters left a modest legacy. Its grappling hook and jetpack systems influenced indie titles like Loot River (2022), which embraced similar verticality. In the broader shooter landscape, it stands as a cautionary tale: a technically sound GaaS title undone by timing, marketing, and a failure to sustain community engagement. It’s remembered not as a pioneer, but as a “what if”—a glimpse of a game that could have carved a niche if given more time and support.

Conclusion

Drifters: Loot the Galaxy is a microcosm of studio ambition and market reality. Blind Squirrel crafted a technically proficient, visually arresting hero shooter with movement mechanics that still feel fresh. Its core loop of jetpacks, grappling hooks, and loot-driven objectives is a testament to the studio’s engineering prowess. Yet, the game’s narrative thinness, derivative hero design, and catastrophic failure to sustain a player base prevent it from rising above its Early Access purgatory. It’s a “maybe next time” title—one whose strengths are overshadowed by its place in a crowded genre and an unforgiving release window. In the annals of video game history, Drifters will be remembered not as a classic, but as a bold, flawed experiment: a spacefaring scoundrel with a heart of gold but a pocket full of empty promises. For players seeking a glimpse of unrealized potential, it’s a cosmic curio; for the industry, it’s a reminder that in the live-service galaxy, even the most dazzling drifters can lose their way.