PC cult classic Pathologic 2 is getting a sequel with time travel
Pathologic 2 is a cult classic PC horror game, and it’s getting a sequel. Publisher HypeTrain Digital announced Monday that Pathologic 3 from Russian developer Ice-Pick Lodge is in the works and set for release on Steam in 2025.
In the first Pathologic, released in 2005, players could choose between one of three characters: the Bachelor, the Changeling, or the Haruspex. While Pathologic 2 does have a number in the title, it’s a remake of the first game and defaults to having you play the Haruspex. Pathologic 3 follows this pattern but allows you to play the Bachelor. This suggests that a potential Pathologic 4 will let you play as the Changeling. All three are doctors with unique backstories who seek to save the town from a brutal plague in 12 days.
That premise continues in Pathologic 3 but adds a time travel twist. Players can rewind or fast-forward through those 12 days to achieve the best outcome. While a time travel mechanic is new for the sequel, there has been time travel in previous games. Pathologic 2 starts with the Haruspex failing to save the town and requesting another chance, resetting time.
“We can describe this mechanic as surrealist time management. Our goal is to give the player a sense that time is more complex than we typically perceive it—as a linear path,” game director Nikolay Dybowski said in a press release.
Another difference is how your character will be viewed by the town’s residents. In Pathologic 2, the Haruspex is suspected of murder. In Pathologic 3, the Bachelor becomes the town doctor. A press release states you’ll “immerse yourself in the role of a physician,” making health decisions for people in the town and fighting the plague on your terms.
The Pathologic series isn’t the most accessible. The gameplay is clunky, its story is abstract, and its characters are uncanny. That said, few PC games offer a similar blend of horror, RPG, and immersive sim elements with crushing bleakness. If you’re interested, start with Pathologic 2 to experience the best version of its ideas.
In the first Pathologic, released in 2005, players could choose between one of three characters: the Bachelor, the Changeling, or the Haruspex. While Pathologic 2 does have a number in the title, it’s a remake of the first game and defaults to having you play the Haruspex. Pathologic 3 follows this pattern but allows you to play the Bachelor. This suggests that a potential Pathologic 4 will let you play as the Changeling. All three are doctors with unique backstories who seek to save the town from a brutal plague in 12 days.
That premise continues in Pathologic 3 but adds a time travel twist. Players can rewind or fast-forward through those 12 days to achieve the best outcome. While a time travel mechanic is new for the sequel, there has been time travel in previous games. Pathologic 2 starts with the Haruspex failing to save the town and requesting another chance, resetting time.
“We can describe this mechanic as surrealist time management. Our goal is to give the player a sense that time is more complex than we typically perceive it—as a linear path,” game director Nikolay Dybowski said in a press release.
Another difference is how your character will be viewed by the town’s residents. In Pathologic 2, the Haruspex is suspected of murder. In Pathologic 3, the Bachelor becomes the town doctor. A press release states you’ll “immerse yourself in the role of a physician,” making health decisions for people in the town and fighting the plague on your terms.
The Pathologic series isn’t the most accessible. The gameplay is clunky, its story is abstract, and its characters are uncanny. That said, few PC games offer a similar blend of horror, RPG, and immersive sim elements with crushing bleakness. If you’re interested, start with Pathologic 2 to experience the best version of its ideas.