Set in a place that’s already been lost, To the Basement: Before hits Xbox, dropping you into a dark, contaminated bunker where the mission is simple on paper – go deeper, find what’s left, and survive long enough to bring it back.
Now available on Xbox Series X|S (Optimised), Xbox One and PC in three versions priced at £4.19 each, this latest from Desert Water Games and HugePixel delivers a tight, arcade-style experience built around precision flying, hazards and a steadily rising sense of pressure.
This one has previously been kicking around on Steam, where it’s gathered up some positive reviews.
At A Glance
- Game: To the Basement: Before
- Developer: HugePixel
- Publisher: Desert Water Games
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S (Optimised), Xbox One, PC
- Price: £4.19
- Game Type: Arcade / Side-Scrolling
A Descent That Gets More Dangerous The Deeper You Go
You take control of one of the last functioning drones, untouched by a spreading virus, tasked with navigating the depths of an infected bunker. It’s a premise that keeps things focused, but the real challenge comes from how that journey unfolds.
Each level tightens the screws. Corridors become more hazardous, traps more frequent, and obstacles more difficult to read in the darkness. Movement is everything here – careful manoeuvring, quick reactions and a steady hand are the difference between progress and crashing out.
There’s a small twist in your favour though. The drone’s enhanced vision allows it to detect elements that would otherwise remain hidden, occasionally giving you a crucial edge in an environment designed to catch you off guard.
Arcade Simplicity With A Harsh Edge
At its heart, To the Basement: Before is a straightforward side-scrolling arcade game, but it doesn’t take long for that simplicity to turn unforgiving.
You’re constantly threading through tight spaces, avoiding environmental hazards and adapting to new threats as they appear. Boss encounters – corrupted machines and warped structures – break up the pacing, demanding a bit more awareness and control as the challenge spikes.
As you may expect of a game with this budget price point, To the Basement: Before doesn’t try to do too much. Instead, it sticks closely to its core idea – guiding a fragile drone through increasingly dangerous environments – and builds tension through level design rather than complexity.
A Quiet Test Of Precision
To the Basement: Before isn’t loud or flashy, but it doesn’t need to be.
Its strength lies in that steady descent, the growing sense of danger, and the simple act of trying to make it just a little bit further each time. If you’re after a small, challenging arcade experience that leans on precision and atmosphere, this is one worth diving into.
You’ll find three versions of To the Basement: Before on the Xbox Store. There’s one that is fully optimised for Xbox Series X|S, another that is playable on Xbox One, and a final drop that is Windows PC focused.
