Hundreds of millions start the race. Only one finishes. Become, a third-person adventure from Czech indie studio ProtoSeed Games, turns the oldest competition in biology into a game, and after winning a Gold Award at Tokyo Game Show and passing 145,000 Steam wishlists, it’s drawing attention well before launch.
Players become one sperm among countless others, exploring the vast microscopic world inside the human body. Survival means overcoming a harsh acidic environment and dodging relentless attacks from immune cells.
Along the way, players gather resources and grow stronger on a journey toward a single, remarkable goal: the creation of new life. Become pairs a dreamlike, fluorescent microscopic world with a quirky, witty tone.
The Smallest Journey in Life
Become transforms the human reproductive system into a grand adventure stage. As one of countless competitors, players navigate dangerous terrain on the way toward new life.
The game is short, about two to three hours, and follows a linear path. Players dodge acid and immune cells, swim against currents, and collect resources such as sugars and proteins to strengthen their cell.
Going it alone isn’t the whole story. Some sections require rescuing companions and working together to overcome obstacles. Players also use the environment, pushing through membranes or riding currents.
Movement is distinctive: wriggling, leaping, and pushing to explore, plus cosmetic options to customize your sperm’s appearance. The developers say the game isn’t just a novelty; it’s designed so players naturally learn how the human reproductive system works through play.
Gold at Tokyo Game Show
The game’s concept and execution have earned recognition at multiple events. At Tokyo Game Show in September, Become was one of seven Gold Award winners selected from roughly 1,500 submissions in the Selected Indie 80 program.
At the same event, it won the Pocky Award, chosen by TGS’s official ambassadors, and was a finalist at Sense of Wonder Night, which showcases games with original ideas.
Earlier, at the Game Access festival in Brno, Czech Republic, it won Best Pitch and was nominated for Best Game.
145,000 Wishlists and Growing
Player interest is rising alongside the awards. According to ProtoSeed Games, Become recently passed 145,000 Steam wishlists, a notable number for a short single-player adventure.
The premise generated buzz from the start. Once word spread that players would explore the reproductive system as a sperm cell, outlets including PC Gamer, Kotaku, and Dexerto covered the game.
While the subject matter is mature, the treatment leans toward humor and adventure. The developers say they convey reproduction and pregnancy through the game’s world and mechanics rather than depicting sexual acts or nudity directly.
There’s an educational layer too, letting players pick up information about the reproductive process as they play, turning a biological subject that might feel serious or daunting into a short, playful adventure.
Built on Mafia Experience
ProtoSeed Games is an indie studio based in the Czech Republic.
It was founded by Valentin Wirth, who spent about ten years working on the Mafia series. After leaving large-scale development to pursue his own project, he began work on Become.
The project started small, but the team has grown as development progressed.
Technical director Marek Nesvadba, who worked on Crime Boss: Rockay City, joined the team, along with level designer Emil Gašparec, whose credits include Arma Reforger and Vigor, and composer Martin Konvička.
Who This Is For
Strong fit for: players who love bold, high-concept indie ideas; fans of short, single-sitting adventures; anyone who enjoys games with a playful educational angle; TGS award watchers looking for festival standouts.
Cautious fit for: players uncomfortable with reproduction as a game theme, even in its non-explicit, humorous treatment; anyone wanting a long game, given the two-to-three-hour runtime.
Less ideal for: those seeking deep systems, open worlds, or long-form progression.
The Takeaway
Become takes a subject games almost never touch, conception itself, and turns it into a compact, funny, surprisingly educational adventure told from the smallest possible point of view. A TGS Gold Award, a Pocky Award, and 145,000-plus wishlists show the idea has landed with both judges and players. With a Mafia veteran at the helm and a short, focused design, it’s one of the most memorable pitches in this year’s indie crop. A release date hasn’t been announced yet.
Coming to PC (Steam). Release date TBA.
Information regarding ‘Become’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | ProtoSeed Games |
| Publisher | Unconfirmed |
| Genre | Third-person single-player adventure |
| platform | PC (Steam) |
| Release date | Undecided |
| Playtime | Approximately 2-3 hours (linear progression) |
| language | Verification needed (Steam page indicates support for English, German, French, and Czech) |
| premier | TGS Selected Indie 80 Gold Award, Pocky Award, Sense of Wonder Night Finalist, Game Access Best Pitch |
| Reactions/Evaluations | Over 145,000 people on Steam Wishlist |
| Steam Page | Shortcut kursiv |
