▶ The first work by Dutch independent indie studio, Cablehook Games
▶ A survival RTS against swarming alien lifeforms… 96% positive demo ratings
Dutch indie developer CableHook Games released the survival real-time strategy game ‘Here Comes The Swarm’ as an early access PC (Steam) version on March 5th.
The game is currently on sale for a limited time at a 10% discount to celebrate its launch, priced at $17.99 (regularly $19.99 / €19.99 / £16.99). Based on Steam tags, it’s a hybrid strategy game combining elements of strategy, survival, base-building, colony simulation, RTS, tower defense, and roguelite.
A love letter to the RTS genre… A debut title released after seven years.
“Here Comes The Swarm” took seven years to develop. Cablehook Games began developing the game as a side hustle alongside their corporate job, and what began as a small experiment born from a pure passion for the RTS genre gradually evolved into a fully realized project.
The development team describes this title as “our love letter to the RTS genre,” aiming to faithfully embody the strategic depth, meaningful decision-making, and tension of large-scale battles.
The Planet-Eating Swarm vs. Humanity’s Last Stand
The game takes place on the planet Ulora, a planet already largely overrun by the Swarm, an alien species possessing a hive-consciousness. Players assume the role of leader of humanity’s last stronghold, tasked with expanding their settlement, securing resources, and fending off the relentless onslaught of the Swarm.
Once the defense is successful, the counterattack begins. Players must dispatch expeditions beyond the safe zone to directly strike the source of the infection. The Swarm’s greatest threat lies in its sheer numbers. Thousands of enemies constantly press the defenses, and a single defensive failure can lead to the collapse of the entire base.
The game’s most distinctive feature is its tactical pause system . While the swarm is constantly moving, players can pause the game at any time to plan construction, redeploy units, and re-strategize. This system maintains the tension of real-time combat while allowing players to control the pace of their decisions. Designed to be accessible to both RTS beginners and veterans, it’s a system that’s accessible to both experienced and seasoned players.
Roguelike strategy that changes with divine and build combinations
The game also features the Arcanum and Deity systems. Players can choose from a variety of deities and combine essences, blessings, and burdens to create powerful builds. These combinations operate in a roguelike fashion, changing with each playthrough.
Currently in Early Access, you can choose between two divine characters: Tiamman, who possesses powerful abilities, and Karkadan, an aggressive divine character who reaps rewards through exploration and advancement. Karkadan, in particular, offers greater rewards the more risks you take, making it a perfect choice for gamers who prefer an active playstyle.
The initial Early Access version includes tutorials, skirmishes, expeditions, boss fights , and a new enemy called the Tunneler.
Tunnelers are strategically placed enemies that constantly pressure players. They disappear after a certain amount of time, but defeating them before then offers a risk-reward structure that rewards players.
Cablehook Games’ passion, developed over seven years while working two jobs.
CableHook Games, the developer of the game, is an indie studio based in Breda, the Netherlands. Located between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven, Breda is rapidly emerging as a hub for indie games in Europe. Together with the Game Development department at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), it is leading the local gaming ecosystem.
The studio began developing Here Comes The Swarm seven years ago, with each team member continuing their day jobs as a side project. What began as a small experiment born from a shared passion for games has grown into a full-fledged title through consistent effort and deep affection.
The team includes veteran developers with deep knowledge of the RTS genre, and they designed every mechanic, unit, and system with the goal of “creating a game that delivers strategic depth, meaningful decision-making, and the thrill of large-scale battles, while still being refreshing for RTS veterans.” The studio describes Here Comes The Swarm as “a love letter to the RTS genre.”
The development team stated, “We don’t develop alone. We closely monitor Discord, reviews, and in-game feedback, and watching the community stress-test strategies and discover unexpected tactics is the most enjoyable part of development.” Here Comes The Swarm is the studio’s debut title, and the community has been building since before its Early Access launch, with a free demo released in August 2025.
Roadmap released, with updates for three consecutive months after launch.
Cablehook Games also revealed its development plans for the game after Early Access. Content updates will be provided monthly for three months after launch. Key update plans include:
- Month 1 : Arcanum Loadout System, Bug Fixes, and Balance Adjustments
- Month 2 : Added new player units
- Month 3 : New Divinity ‘Yangwhu’ added and Divinity Tree expanded
- Future updates : Additional content to be released
The development team explained their decision to release the game in Early Access, saying, “As this is an ambitious game of such scale, we wanted to release it in a playable state from the beginning and develop it together with the community.” They also mentioned the possibility of a price increase upon official launch, stating that they are maintaining the current price as a thank you to those who participated in Early Access. The Early Access period is targeted to last approximately one year , but is subject to adjustments based on community feedback.
Demo 96% positive rating… “The lineage of They Are Billions”
The free demo released before launch also received positive reviews. Based on the Steam demo , 96% of 82 reviews were positive, earning it a “Very Positive” rating. The community
“A must-play if you liked They Are Billions”, “The art style is impressive and the resource management system is intuitive”,
The evaluation continued, “The Warrior-Archer-Priest combination creates a stable strategy.” However, some gamers also suggested improvements to the early difficulty and the attack wave separation system.
The development team expressed their intention to continue community-centered development, saying, “We are looking at Discord, reviews, and in-game feedback.”
From large-scale defensive battles against swarming enemies, to a tactical pause system and roguelike build combinations, Here Comes The Swarm is an indie strategy game that combines familiar RTS elements with modern systems. Seven years in the making, this project is now in Early Access, and RTS fans are eager to see how it will evolve.
Steam Store Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3052730/Here_Comes_The_Swarm/
