C.A.S.T. (CHERNOZEM ANOMALY STRIKE TEAM)

Developer: Ascension Studio | Publisher: Ascension Studio | Release Date: 2025 | Genre: 3rd Person Shooter / PVE | Website: N/A | Purchase: Steam

The exclusion zone surrounding the mysterious Chernozem Anomaly is not a place for the faint of heart. Strange creatures roam the landscape, reality itself appears unstable, and every expedition into the anomaly carries the risk of never returning. Thankfully, that’s exactly why the C.A.S.T. organization exists. C.A.S.T., short for Chernozem Anomaly Strike Team, places players in the boots of elite operatives tasked with venturing into these dangerous regions to complete missions, gather resources, and hopefully make it back alive.

At first glance, C.A.S.T. looks like it might simply be another co-op shooter inspired by games such as Deep Rock Galactic, Risk of Rain 2, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.. While it certainly borrows elements from all three, it quickly establishes its own identity through its emphasis on teamwork, randomized mission modifiers, and a satisfying progression system that constantly encourages “just one more run.”

The premise is straightforward. Players select a class, choose a mission, and descend into hostile zones filled with enemies, objectives, and environmental hazards. Successfully completing missions rewards resources that can be used to unlock new equipment, upgrades, and progression options for future runs. It is a familiar loop, but one that proves surprisingly addictive thanks to the variety introduced by the game’s procedural elements.

One of the highlights of C.A.S.T. is its selection of character classes. Rather than merely altering statistics, each class fundamentally changes how players approach combat and teamwork. Some excel at dishing out damage from a distance, while others focus on survivability, crowd control, support abilities, or deploying useful equipment. No class feels completely redundant, and when playing with friends, building a balanced squad becomes an important part of success.

The game really shines when played cooperatively. While it is technically possible to tackle missions solo, C.A.S.T. is clearly designed around teamwork. Coordinating abilities, covering teammates, reviving fallen squad members, and adapting to unexpected situations create the type of memorable moments that are difficult to replicate in purely single-player experiences. Some of our favorite sessions involved situations where everything appeared to be going horribly wrong before the team somehow scraped together a miraculous extraction.

Adding to the unpredictability are the random modifiers that influence each mission. Before deployment, players are often presented with conditions that alter how a run unfolds. Some increase enemy aggression, while others introduce environmental hazards, boost rewards, alter visibility, or create entirely new challenges. These modifiers do a great job of ensuring that even familiar levels rarely play out exactly the same way twice. One mission might be a relatively straightforward objective run, while the next becomes a desperate fight for survival against overwhelming odds.

The modifiers also help maintain long-term replayability. Without them, players would likely begin memorizing optimal routes and strategies fairly quickly. Instead, each deployment requires at least some degree of adaptation, which keeps the experience fresh even after dozens of hours.

Combat itself is fast, responsive, and satisfying. Weapons have a decent amount of variety, and the enemies force players to remain mobile rather than simply standing their ground and firing. The game strikes a nice balance between arcade action and tactical decision-making. Ammunition management, positioning, and ability usage all matter, but never to the point where the experience becomes overly punishing.

The mission design is generally strong as well. Most maps feature distinct layouts, objectives, and environmental themes that help prevent the game from feeling repetitive. Some missions focus on exploration and resource gathering, while others revolve around activating equipment or eliminating specific threats. The variety helps maintain momentum throughout longer play sessions.

That being said, not every location is equally enjoyable. The swamp region, in particular, stands out as the weakest area in the game. While the murky atmosphere initially seems appealing, the level often feels sluggish compared to some of the environments elsewhere. Awkward terrain and less interesting navigation make it one of the few areas where the pacing occasionally drags. It’s not a terrible map by any means, but it lacks the excitement and flow found in some of the game’s stronger locations. Fortunately, most of the other environments fare much better. The castle, wasteland, water purification facility, and more offer a good mix of visual variety and gameplay opportunities. 

Visually, C.A.S.T. does a solid job of bringing its anomaly-ravaged world to life. The environments may not push modern hardware to its limits, but they are atmospheric and packed with detail. The influence of games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is especially apparent in the abandoned structures and hostile landscapes. Lighting effects and weather conditions add further atmosphere, particularly during tense nighttime missions.

The audio design complements the visuals nicely. Weapons sound appropriately powerful, enemy noises are distinctive enough to immediately identify threats, and the ambient soundscape helps sell the dangerous nature of the anomaly zones. The soundtrack tends to stay in the background for most of the experience, but it ramps up effectively during intense encounters.

One aspect that deserves recognition is how the developers have continued supporting the game after release. Additional content updates have introduced new features, balance adjustments, improvements, and fresh challenges that help keep the experience engaging. In a genre where replayability is crucial, continued support goes a long way toward ensuring players have reasons to return.

Of course, C.A.S.T. is not without flaws. Some progression elements can feel a little grindy, especially when chasing specific upgrades. The procedural systems occasionally create difficulty spikes that feel harsher than intended, and certain mission objectives become repetitive after extended play sessions. However, these issues are relatively minor compared to the strengths of the overall package.

What impressed us most about C.A.S.T. was how consistently fun it remained over time. Many cooperative shooters deliver a strong first impression but quickly run out of surprises. Thanks to its class variety, mission modifiers, progression systems, and ongoing updates, C.A.S.T. manages to avoid this trap and remains enjoyable long after the novelty wears off.