The Last Salvage Squad has emerged from Steam Next Fest straight onto store shelves, and it's one of the most eye-catching indie launches of the month. Released on June 18, this $9.99 2.5D shooter wears its Virtual Boy inspiration on its sleeve-crimson wireframes, stark black backgrounds, and a chunky retro UI that feels pulled from 1995. It's a single-player blast of nostalgia that's already drawing attention for its bold aesthetic and accessible gunplay.
What Is The Last Salvage Squad?
At its core, The Last Salvage Squad is a mission-based shooter where you pick your weapon before each of the 25 levels and blast through waves of enemies. You'll wield shotguns, rocket launchers, and other heavy hardware while navigating 2.5D arenas. The lock-on aim assist is a deliberate choice to welcome FPS newcomers-a smart touch for a game that's already easy to pick up and play on a controller.
“It feels right that The Last Salvage Squad is landing on Switch and Switch 2 as well as Steam, since the striking red and black visuals seem very much inspired by the Virtual Boy.”
— Engadget
The demo that hit Next Fest gave a solid taste of what's now the full release. Early feedback from the community praised the repurposed gamejam levels and the tight, responsive controls. With no reviews yet on Steam, the vibe is cautiously optimistic-players are excited to see how the complete package holds up.
Steam Deck Verified and Couch-Ready
Right out of the gate, The Last Salvage Squad is Steam Deck Verified. That means it runs smoothly on Valve's handheld without any tinkering, and the full controller support works perfectly across Xbox and PlayStation pads. The red-on-black palette looks phenomenal on the Deck's screen, and the lock-on system makes thumbstick aiming feel natural.
If you're a couch gamer who's tired of fumbling with mouse-and-keyboard setups, this one just works. Even the UI scales well for TV distances-no squinting required. It's a rare launch-day win for living-room PC play.
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Pricing and Platform Availability
The PC version is available on Steam for $9.99 with a 10% launch discount running until July 1. It's also out on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, where the latter supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls and up to 120fps. While the Switch versions are compelling, PC players get the advantage of higher resolutions and uncapped framerates-plus that sweet Steam Deck portability.
What to Expect in the First Days
There are no known major technical hiccups at launch-no crash reports or performance complaints have surfaced on the Steam forums yet. That's refreshing for a small indie team. The single-player focus means you won't be waiting for co-op lobbies, and the 25-mission structure offers a solid afternoon of arcade action.
Quick Verdict: Should You Grab It?
- If you dig retro aesthetics or have a soft spot for the Virtual Boy, this is a must-see at under $10.
- Steam Deck Verified plus full controller support makes it a no-brainer for handheld and couch play.
- Lock-on aim assist and straightforward missions welcome newcomers without dumbing down the challenge.
- Wait for a few user reviews to land if you're on the fence, but the demo was well-received.
The Last Salvage Squad isn't trying to be the deepest shooter on the market. It's a stylish, focused arcade romp that leans hard into its unique visual identity and works flawlessly on a controller. At ten bucks, it's an easy pickup for a lazy weekend.
Written by
Devon Yates
Launcher & Platforms
Devon follows the platform wars: stores, subscriptions and the battle for your launch screen. He writes the weekly news roundup.
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