Twisted Tower, a long-awaited horror game, has just launched on Steam. With first-person horror gameplay at its forefront, Twisted Tower wears its BioShock inspirations on its sleeve, but this newly released Steam game trades in the underwater locales of Rapture for an arguably even creepier setting.
Despite not having a new entry in 13 years, the BioShock franchise has continued to be incredibly influential. Itself inspired by immersive sci-fi RPGs like System Shock and Deus Ex, the original BioShock‘s unique blend of tense horror and first-person action has gone on to inspire a wealth of titles in the last decade or so, with some notable examples being Prey, Atomic Heart, and SOMA. While Take-Two Interactive has continued to reiterate that a new BioShock is in development, that long-awaited sequel is still nowhere to be seen, which means that fans need to look elsewhere to scratch that BioShock itch.
BioShock-Like Twister Tower is Out Now on Steam
Announced back in September 2023, Twisted Tower is a first-person horror game that features a setting “reminiscent of BioShock and Disney World,” according to the game’s Steam page. Like many BioShock-inspired titles on Steam, Twisted Tower gained quite a bit of traction following its announcement, thanks in no small part to the game’s creepy amusement park-themed enemies and obstacles. But while many BioShock-likes make the rounds online, few are endorsed by one of the series’ main creators.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Back in February 2025, Twisted Tower released a free demo as part of Steam Next Fest. This demo caught the attention of Ken Levine, Irrational Games co-founder and director of both BioShock and BioShock Infinite, who publicly highlighted Twisted Tower on Twitter and called its creator, Thomas Brush, a “great guy.” Flash forward a little over a year and Twisted Tower is finally out on Steam.
Released on August 18, Twisted Tower has received glowing reviews from critics. Over on OpenCritic, Twisted Tower is sitting at a Top Critic Average of 87, and a recommendation score of 89%. It’s a similar story on Steam, with the horror game currently holding an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ user score from 719 reviews. Many of these reviews, both from critics and from general Steam players, highlight Twisted Tower‘s BioShock-inspired visual style and atmosphere, and cite them as some of the game’s best elements. That said, many reviews also warn would-be players that Twisted Tower feels like more of a straightforward horror shooter than BioShock, as opposed to a sort of immersive sim with RPG elements.
Those wanting to scratch that BioShock itch can pick up Twisted Tower on Steam now and make use of its limited-time introductory offer. Until September 1, Steam users can grab Twisted Tower for $13.49, which is a 10% reduction from its usual price of $14.99. Twisted Tower also has a ‘Verified’ Steam Deck rating, for those wanting a BioShock-like experience on the go.
