Publication
Russian indie game The Ballad of a True Thug is out on Steam 🎮
Congratulations to the team of brave young developers on their long-awaited release! 😏
Russian indie game The Ballad of a True Thug is out on Steam 🎮
Congratulations to the team of brave young developers on their long-awaited release! 😏
Why is the game worth your attention? First, because homegrown developers deserve our support 😉 The team has spent four years on the project, starting while they were still at school. These are not merely their first steps in game development—the game is their life and a dream made real. That alone makes me proud of this new generation of Russian developers. But beyond sentiment, the game has plenty of substance.
The Ballad of a True Thug is an atmospheric top-down shooter set in crime-ridden 1990s Europe. It is a dark story of revenge and friendship in which you rise from petty thief to criminal legend. The plot has an unexpected ending, and friends and enemies are not always what they seem. In mood and action, it sits somewhere between Hotline Miami and Katana Zero.
Key features:
- ✅ Combo system + slow motion: the faster and more varied your kills, the more you slow down time.
- ✅ Risk-reward mechanics: buffs that change your play style.
- ✅ Freedom of approach: complete levels aggressively, stealthily, or with a mix of both.
- ✅ Arsenal: grenades, slides, and plenty of guns.
Six months ago, we interviewed the game’s creators and are still proud of the result. Be sure to read it if you missed it. If you would like to know what has changed for the team and what they are planning next, tell us in the comments. We will talk to them again and share their story in detail ✨