After the success of the HBO series Chernobyl, interest surged around the dramatic events of the late 20th century. That momentum opened the door for media projects to explore a Chernobyl theme in films and video games. Yet many productions failed to deliver believable depictions of a radiation disaster. The games Chernobyl, Escape from Chernobyl, and Chernobyl: Road of Death stand as examples where the premise feels wildly fantastical, penned by imaginative authors rather than grounded in documented history.
Meanwhile, the developers of Chernobyl Liquidators set out to present the horror of the disaster with a level of realism that could stand beside the actual events of April 26, 1986. The question became whether Live Motion Games could surpass the HBO series with a convincing accident-simulation experience, or if the project would drift into a one-off curiosity. Let us examine the Chernobyl Liquidators together.
House flipper in the Chernobyl landscape
Before release, the team described their game as a tense simulator of a genuine nuclear disaster from 1986. They promised challenging moral choices that could influence the fate of many. The project rejected the familiar tropes of mutants, vodka cures, and far-fetched plot devices often seen in other Chernobyl themed works.
The demo for Chernobyl Liquidators showcased the team’s commitment to depicting the aftermath with dignity and precision. Many players added it to their wishlists, hoping for a thoughtful experience. Still, expectations collided with reality when the final version emerged as a different kind of project, leaning toward a layout reminiscent of House Flipper rather than a survival saga set in a radioactive ruin.
Up to your ears in work
The core narrative unfolds through chapters, each introducing distinct gameplay mechanics, bugs, and oddities. The opening mission casts players as curators tasked with extinguishing flames at the foot of the power plant and then attempting a rooftop survey of background radiation. On paper this sounds epic, but the actual gameplay centers on connecting hoses to a hydrant, reloading saves after a shovel malfunctions to collect radioactive debris, and awkwardly jumping between platforms. A sense of misery and dampness lingers in every frame.
In one early mission, a player juggles several hoses connected to a single hydrant while a crowbar scene opens a door. The character even tries to swap a gas mask filter mid-mission. An invisible wall appears and disappears after a reload, and a high jump sends the protagonist tumbling out of the game world, punctuating the rough polish of the project.
Bug with extra hands
Despite the rough edges, the second chapter shifts to a quieter zone where players are asked to clean objects and buildings of residual radiation using simple tools. A dustpan, a brush, a Geiger counter, and a spray bottle become the core kit for this task. The character still faces threats from the environment and must manage stress, health, stamina, and radiation. First aid kits, iodine, and even—believe it or not—vodka appear as items to manage the body’s responses to exposure.
We’ve done some work. Now you can rest
A notable feature is the attempt to weave interaction with the local population into the experience. Dialogues present moral choices that often lead to straightforward quests or item exchanges, but they rarely shift the overarching arc in a meaningful way.
Would you like to visit the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Exclusion Zone?
Evidence Eliminator
The game was promoted as a realistic recollection of heroic liquidators, but the execution leaned toward a spy thriller vibe. The focus drifted toward conspiratorial tones and bureaucratic threats rather than a tribute to the people who faced the disaster head on. The press of the main narrative appears less about courageous responders and more about the concealment of evidence and a controversial shutdown of a key radar installation.
The game offers choices that seem to alter the course of the story, yet the plot remains largely linear and the so-called moral dilemmas mostly function as window dressing for a single path. The intent to deliver immersion through dialogue is undermined by execution, resulting in a disconnect between ambition and delivery.
The introductory sequence reportedly relied on generative tools for visuals, and many of the voice recordings appear uneven in style. The dialogue, largely performed by programmers, sometimes misses the tone that would convincingly carry a serious historical narrative. The overall mood suffers from this mismatch, making the atmosphere feel less authentic than advertised.
The character animations and overall presentation fall short for a project aiming to depict a historical catastrophe with gravity. Comparisons to classic titles reveal a gap in modern animation quality, with the visuals hinting at earlier generations of indie games rather than contemporary standards.
We accidentally found this in the refrigerator. Easter egg or asset forgotten by designers?
After a sequence of cleanup tasks through Pripyat and a stealth segment near the Duga radar, the player encounters diaries and underground archives that echo the era’s secrecy. The mission threads lead to a rooftop sequence, a helicopter, and a final firefighting scene inside the plant. The narrative leans toward a dramatic finale, yet the script remains rooted in tropes that undercut the gravity of real events.
When the developers promised an unvarnished account, many hoped for a sober, eyewitness-inspired portrayal. Instead, the experience channels a thriller vibe that emphasizes conflict with authority rather than the human stories and resilience that defined the disaster response. The result is a narrative that feels more like high-stakes fiction than a documentary-style tribute.
Unfinished misunderstanding
The visuals of Chernobyl Liquidators show a mixed bag at best. The opening scene presents a convincing sense of scale, echoing the HBO treatment, but once the initial sequence ends, the game regresses into a dated feel. The lighting in many interiors lacks depth, and the world often reads as flat. Even when global illumination offers a glimmer of atmosphere, it rarely seals the immersion in enclosed spaces. The overall look falls short of what modern indie titles achieve with similar budgets.
Authentic depictions of the exclusion zone exist in other games, where Pripyat is convincingly realized. In this case, the environment resembles a rustic village rather than a place defined by catastrophe, undermining the intended mood of dread and danger.
Clear problems with understanding relationships
Performance struggles are persistent. The title can stutter and lag even on modest settings, and some locations show frequent loading, interrupting the flow. In larger areas the frame rate dips to cinematic levels that clash with the otherwise narrative-driven moments.
Failed disguise
The project sometimes feels unfinished to the point where even Early Access-like expectations would be too generous. The extras like the extra hands and other interactive glitches are symptoms of a broader polish issue. The combination of bugs, poor animation pacing, and rough voice work makes the overall package hard to recommend, especially for players seeking a respectful and credible historical experience.
Even with a translation into multiple languages, inconsistencies linger. Subtitles may drift into other languages, and some in-game text seems misaligned with the intended historical context. The promise of authenticity struggles beneath these missteps, leaving viewers with a sense that the project did not fully align with its ambitious goals.
Would you like to try Chernobyl Liquidators?
Chernobyl Liquidators lands as a flawed attempt at a House Flipper style experience set in a disaster zone. The result is a game marked by awkward visuals, jagged animations, and a narrative that drifts away from the heroic deeds it seeks to honor. The attempt to weave a new, cranberry-flavored storyline into a real historical event feels at odds with the seriousness of the subject. A disappointing misfire in the eyes of many players and observers alike.
Times