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DRAINUS on Steam

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This is a side-scrolling shooting game in which you take control of the "Drainus", the Kharlal Empire's most cutting-edge fighter with the ability to absorb energy bullets, and take down the enemy ships zipping through space.

DRAINUS is a action, shoot 'em up and indie game developed by Team Ladybug and WSS playground and published by WSS playground and Alliance Arts.
Released on May 22nd 2022 is available on Windows, Steam Deck and Steam Machine.

It has received 947 reviews of which 910 were positive and 37 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.0 out of 10. 😍

The game is currently priced at 12.49€ on Steam.


The Steam community has classified DRAINUS into these genres:

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at DRAINUS through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *: Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
  • Processor: Intel Core2 Duo or higher
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Open GL compliant video card
  • Storage: 200 MB available space

Steam Price & Best Deals

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

5 hours played
Aug. 2026
This game is the "anomaly" of Team Ladybug, as it's their only title to date not belonging to the Metroidvania genre (and even before the team proper was formed, the engine was also used for Pharaoh Rebirth ). It's also their first time not using an already existing IP. It was apparently a passion project, released the very moment it was announced. And most importantly, it's excellent. Of course, right from the start the visual quality can't go unnoticed, with an amazing takeoff sequence that may look 3D at first, but is in truth all made with 2D planes. There are some low-poly 3D elements; it's not clear to me whether it's real-time 3D or 3D objects that have then been converted into frames for sprites, but the result is impressive in any case, given how well they mesh with the pixel art. Everything moves very smoothly, the animation is excellent, like the ring-shaped rig that generates the Reflector field getting quickly into position and back, and the quantity of fine details is sometimes even amazing. Look no further than the trailer highlighting the mechanical armadillo (which is just a mid-level boss), and a boss ship turning into a dragon's head. The only reservation that could be levied at the graphics is the variety of the palette, but the colors also help enemy attacks stand out. The Reflector mechanic is very fun, with situations designed to make the most use of it, as the Kharlal Empire's army really loves to make use of laser cannons that would be otherwise impassable. Among my favourite situations are tight spaces where you may be ambushed by small ships even from behind, only for the enemies' own firepower to be turned against them, wiping them out. We are used to upgrade systems being available only between levels, and it can be done that way here too, but you can also pause at any time to buy upgrades and adjust the ship's loadout. Some purists may not like this, but it's clear the developers wanted the game to be very accessible and not just for hardcore players. The ability to not be affected by collisions with the scenario, which can be turned on and off even during a level, is a further indication of that. There are only six levels, but they must be played through twice, with even a narrative reason for that, thanks to a story that won't receive any writing awards but is quite serviceable and invites the players to look for recordings in the levels—some are out there for the taking, others are left behind by enemies—to get more details on the story. By the second loop, with further upgrades unlocked and the ability to replay levels and collect energy tanks at will, the ship is likely going to be even a bit overpowered. A further facilitation comes from how energy works, as all power-ups must be lost before the ship can be destroyed; there are up to six, one is a shield that tanks further hits, and the game is quite generous with power-up items. It's been not rare for me to come back from situations that seemed compromised. At the very least, expert players are rewarded for completion with the unlocking of the Ridiculous difficulty level and the Arcade mode, where the ship goes down with a single shot and the upgrade screen can be called only once per level. There's an extended ending that can be unlocked, but the conditions for that aren't really clear and I've seen contrasting reports about them. Any slightly noticeable flaws feel like nitpicks compared to the overall package. Drainus is really great both to watch and to play, and I can see myself replaying it in the future simply for the fun of it.
4 hours played
April 2026
A Little Gem This reminded me of Gradius from back in the day. (Yes I am showing my age here) However I love the little story it has but I enjoyed the over all game play and style. Just wish it had a couple more levels and some more power ups to choose from but over all I say well worth picking up.
3 hours played
March 2026
This game gets a lot easier when you realize it doesn't require you to be good. You just need to be judicious with when and how you're bad, whether that's passing up opportunities to recharge because you know you'll get hit, letting enemies flee rather than chasing them, or spamming super bombs until the boss finally goes down, There are no achievements for score, so your final ranking is between you and your conscience.
5 hours played
Feb. 2026
An incredible shoot-em-up with fantastic gameplay, visual style and music! Drainus is a more casual shmup, with accessibility being one of its main standouts in the genre, this isn't the original Darius or Gradius where it's essentially game over if you lose your upgrades. Drainus always gives you a way to bounce back! One of the things I adore about Drainus is the customisation to your experience, how hardcore do you REALLY want it? but even then it's still FAR more forgiving than most and that's due to the wonderful absorb mechanic allowing you to absorb bullets and fire a hit back! as well as being able to change your equipment on the fly. The story in this game is pretty good too, told through short cutscenes and data disks you find within the levels. I recommend this to any shoot-em-up fan who wants another excellent game in their collection!
4 hours played
Dec. 2025
A fun, casual shmup that is relaxing to play, has cool level design and a fun absorb mechanic. Maybe not the game for you if you're looking for ultra-sweaty no-hit-sitting-on-a-9"-d!ldo-while-blindfolded runs, it's not a super challenging shmup.

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Frequently Asked Questions

DRAINUS is currently priced at 12.49€ on Steam.

No, DRAINUS is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 12.49€ on Steam.

Yes, DRAINUS received 910 positive votes out of a total of 947 achieving an impressive rating of 9.02.
😍

DRAINUS was developed by Team Ladybug and WSS playground and published by WSS playground and Alliance Arts.

Yes, DRAINUS is playable and fully supported on Windows.

No, DRAINUS is not playable on MacOS.

No, DRAINUS is not playable on Linux.

Yes, DRAINUS is playable and fully supported on Steam Deck.

Yes, DRAINUS is playable and fully supported on Steam Machine.

No, DRAINUS does not support VR.

DRAINUS is a single-player game.

Yes, there is a DLC available for DRAINUS. Explore additional content available for DRAINUS on Steam.

No, DRAINUS does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

No, DRAINUS does not support Steam Remote Play.

Yes, DRAINUS is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for DRAINUS.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 16 September 2026 04:22 UTC
SteamSpy data 20 September 2026 10:44 UTC
Steam price 27 September 2026 02:28 UTC
Steam reviews 26 September 2026 09:50 UTC

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about DRAINUS, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about DRAINUS
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of DRAINUS concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck DRAINUS compatibility
DRAINUS
Rating
9.0
910
37
Game modes
Features
Online players
3
Developer
Team Ladybug, WSS playground
Publisher
WSS playground, Alliance Arts
Release 22 May 2022
Platforms