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Press release:
Munich, Germany — February 22, 2024.
The Munich-based (Germany) indie games publisher Lesser Evil and Turku-based (Finland) indie games developer Rockodile, are today super thrilled and glad to announce that they have just released the full version (v1.0) of their arcade-style drone sim “Death from Above“ (the full version of the game is available right now for PC via Steam, GOG, and EGS).

Set during the Russia-Ukraine war, Death From Above immerses players in the role of a Ukrainian drone operator. On a mission deep behind enemy lines, you’re tasked with surveilling the battlefield, driving off the invaders and destroying enemy equipment — all part of the fight for the freedom of Ukraine.

Funded on Kickstarter and later released in Early Access in May 2023, Death From Above has since garnered nearly universal acclaim, scoring 96% positive reviews from players on Steam. The full release comes with a slew of improvements, including new missions and a full-story campaign, as well as hidden Easter eggs and plenty of satire.

Death From Above is at the forefront of Lesser Evil’s mission to produce games that tackle real-world issues. Launched on the second anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Death From Above also supports a vital cause, as Lesser Evil commits to donate at least 30% of its proceeds to charitable organizations in Ukraine.

Lesser Evil CEO Hendrik Lesser said:

“After two years of continuous Russian aggression and countless atrocities, the world must be reminded that we cannot allow Putin and his thugs to triumph. As financial and materiel support for Ukraine begins to waver in parliament buildings around the globe, we must step up as the warriors of the virtual battlefield and fight him wherever we can.

“We will not stand idly by as hard won freedoms are obliterated by totalitarianism. Ukraine must be free.”

Lesser Evil and Rockodile have already donated more than €10,000 to Ukrainian charities Come Back Alive and Army of Drones during Death From Above’s Early Access phase. The teams vowed to up donations to 70% of the proceeds once the game recoups initial development costs.

Death From Above is a product of collaboration with the Ukrainian community, featuring significant contributions by Octobear Knight Games. Lesser Evil has also partnered with Ukrainian military tech companies Aerorozvidka and GIS Arta, and commissioned an exclusive title track from Ukrainian rock band Antytila, as well as music from Ukrainian artists Surface Tension, Odarka Zyrko and Go_A.

Especially investigative players might even discover a very special performance from Antytila in the game itself.

Death From Above also set a landmark by becoming the first game on Steam to offer a Crimean Tatar localization. The work on the localization involved members of the indigenous population of Crimea, Ukraine, which is currently occupied by Russian forces.

On 24th February, Death From Above will be hosted at the academic conference ‘Games in War’ in the city of Gdańsk, where our development team members, together with industry professionals, will debate together on how to foster a deeper understanding of how interactive media serves as a lens through which historical events are portrayed and interpreted.

Support a cause that makes a real difference! Death From Above is available now on Steam, GoG and the Epic Games Store!.

Death From Above 1.0 updates:

New Missions

Completed Storyline

New Game+ Mode

New Achievements

New Languages

Factsheet

Developer: Rockodile

Publisher: Lesser Evil

Platforms: PC

Genre: Arcade-style combat drone sim

Early Access Release: May 25, 2023

Official Release: February 22, 2024

Links

Press Kit: impress.games/press-kit/lesser-evil/death-from-above

Website: lesserevil.games

Steam page: store.steampowered.com/app/2300160/Death_From_Above/

YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCEuNfpu1jZIWod6RusaRWNw

Twitter: twitter.com/LesserEvilPub

Facebook: facebook.com/lesserevilgames/

Media quotes

“[Death From Above] is groundbreaking in broaching a serious conversation among gamers and game developers.” — Dean Takahashi, GamesBeat

“Satire is finally an effective means of countering the ubiquitous Russian information warriors. The Russian troll will be defeated at its own game.”, Der Standard

“Want to contribute to Ukraine’s war effort? In these games you can”, The Economist

“Gaming company boss Hendrik Lesser announces a new drone fighting game – and demands more attitude from his industry colleagues.” — Markus Böhm, Der Spiegel

“At the same time, the point of it isn’t profit, so much so that Lesser floats the idea of making the publisher a formal non-profit or foundation in the future.” — Brendan Sinclair, GamesIndustry.biz

About Lesser Evil
We are Lesser Evil. We are uncompromisingly anti-authoritarian, anti-racist, and pro-democracy. We publish video games with clear political or social intent and messaging. Video games are this century’s most widespread, impactful, and important cultural medium. As works of human expression, they should be emotional and make the player feel something.