Dreadweave Early Access Review: Does the Tarkov-Meets-"Stranger Things" Hybrid Deliver?

DeadGrass Games finally dropped Dreadweave into early access on Steam, and I have been glued to my screen trying to figure out if this thing is as good as it looks. The indie studio spent years cooking up this extraction shooter with horror elements, and honestly, the wait might have been worth it. Does the game actually deliver on its promise of blending Tarkov-style tension with “Stranger Things” vibes, or is it just another early access game that will fizzle out in a few months? I have put a solid handful of hours into it already, and I have some thoughts that might help you decide whether to jump in or wait it out.

DeadGrass Games Takes A Big Swing

The premise of Dreadweave drops you into a post-Soviet world that has been torn apart by some reality-bending catastrophe, with mutants running wild and a dark parallel dimension called the Other Side lurking just out of reach. When you die in the real world, the game does not just send you back to the lobby; it throws you into the Other Side for one last chance to fight your way back to safety.

Dreadweave gives you hideout expansion, three skill trees, trading, quests, and equipment maintenance, all of which feel ripped straight from Tarkov but with a creepy horror filter layered on top. DeadGrass Games clearly studied the extraction shooter formula and adapted it into something that feels fresh, because the game doesn’t just copy and paste; it actually tries to do its own thing.

The survival elements like managing temperature, health, and inventory weight add a layer of stress that keeps you on edge during every run. From what I have seen so far, Dreadweave has some rough edges, but the foundation is solid enough to build something special.

What Works And What Needs Work

A character from Dreadweave lying dead in the snow. — Image of Dreadweave, Courtesy of Deadgrass Games.

The combat in Dreadweave feels tense and deliberate, which is exactly what you want from an extraction shooter, but the horror elements really set it apart from the competition. The Other Side mechanic is easily the coolest part of Dreadweave, because it turns death into a second chance rather than a frustrating reset that makes you want to uninstall.

That said, the game is still rough around the edges, with some janky animations and occasional performance hiccups that I hope DeadGrass Games smooths out over time. The developers were upfront about their early access approach, saying on Steam, “We’re a small team building something we believe in, and early access is part of that process. Dates will shift, plans will change, and some of the best ideas will come from you. That’s the point: we’re figuring out Dreadweave together.”

That kind of honesty goes a long way, because it sets realistic expectations and shows they actually care about the community. The launch discount makes Dreadweave an easy recommendation for anyone who enjoys single-player extraction games with a horror twist.

The Roadmap And Future Plans

DeadGrass Games has laid out a roadmap that stretches about a year ahead, with plans to add new districts, story missions, factions, weapons, and monsters to Dreadweave. The studio seems committed to expanding the game based on player feedback, which is exactly what early access should be about. Dreadweave currently has a solid core loop, but the real test will be whether DeadGrass Games can deliver on their promises and keep the content coming.

From what I have read, the team is treating Dreadweave as a living project that will evolve alongside its community. The horror extraction shooter genre is still relatively niche, but Dreadweave has the potential to carve out its own space if the developers stay the course. I am cautiously optimistic about where Dreadweave is headed, because the bones are good and the vision is clear.

Should You Jump Into Dreadweave Now

If you are a fan of extraction shooters and you do not mind a few rough patches, Dreadweave is worth checking out right now. The horror elements give it a unique identity that sets it apart from the usual military sims, and the Other Side mechanic is genuinely clever. That said, if you prefer polished experiences, you might want to wait a few months and see how DeadGrass Games handles updates and fixes.

Dreadweave has a lot of potential, but early access is always a gamble, and not every studio follows through on their roadmap. From my time with the game, I think it’s already fun enough to recommend, especially with the discount they are offering at launch. DeadGrass Games has built something interesting here, and I am genuinely curious to see how Dreadweave evolves over the next year.

Dreadweave is currently available on Steam for $8.99 (a 10% discount) until July 31. The regular price is $9.99.