BODY: The post-Soviet wasteland is getting crowded. On May 1, 2026, publisher ModernWolf announced ZERO Sievert 2, a sequel to Underdog's cult-favorite top-down extraction shooter โ and this time, you don't have to brave the irradiated zone alone.
The original ZERO Sievert, released into Steam Early Access in late 2022, carved out a devoted niche by translating the tense, loot-and-extract gameplay loop of Escape from Tarkov into a moody 2D pixel-art format. Its blend of Stalker-inspired atmosphere, deep weapon modding, and unforgiving PvE encounters earned it strong reviews and a steady cult following on Steam.
The sequel marks a significant visual leap: the original's flat 2D pixel sprites have been replaced with a 2.5D presentation that adds depth and lighting while preserving the overhead tactical view that defined the first game. Underdog โ still a tiny indie studio led by solo developer "CABO" โ is once again at the helm of development.
The headline addition is cooperative multiplayer for up to four players. Where the original was a strictly solo affair, ZERO Sievert 2 lets squads coordinate raids into the contaminated zone together, a long-requested feature that fundamentally changes the calculus of risk, loot, and extraction tension. No release window has been announced yet.
The insider take
In Japan, the ZERO Sievert community has been quietly active on Japanese-language forums and Steam curator pages, where the game's old-school PC RPG sensibilities and Stalker DNA earned it comparisons to Metro and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl โ both of which have small but passionate followings here despite limited official localization. With Tarkov-likes mostly bouncing off the Japanese mainstream because of their FPS-heavy controls, the top-down format makes ZERO Sievert unusually approachable for Japanese players, and 4Gamer's prominent coverage of the sequel suggests the publisher sees real upside in this market.
Originally reported by 4Gamer.net โ ๆๆฐ่จไบ (Japanese).