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The Crawling Dead

Design, deploy, and manage the release of parasitic wasps to save a national park from invasive insect pests. Harness the power of nature’s most efficient killers to strike back at the invaders and turn them into The Crawling Dead!

Steam Page
Developer
Quinton Van Lom, Jacob Spitler, Yamil Casarreal, Benjamin Kuftic, Roman Caragiulo, Obinsonne Servius
Publisher
Quinton Van Lom, Dr. Barbara Sharanowski
Release
September 9, 2025
327 days ago
Steam Reviews
Positive14 reviews85.7%

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Updated: Jul 14, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
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About the Game

The Crawling Dead is a strategy simulation game where you take on the role of a lead scientist tasked with saving Stormveil National Park from ecological collapse. Swarms of invasive insects are devastating the park’s delicate ecosystems, and traditional methods of pest control have failed. Your solution? Genetically engineered parasitoid wasps. Harmless to humans, these beneficial wasps are killers of pest insects and utilize a variety of creepy strategies to manipulate and kill their hosts - turning them into The Crawling Dead!

Design and deploy a variety of specialized wasps to target different invasive species, adapting to changing seasons, terrain types, and resistance patterns. From alpine meadows to desert canyons, each biome presents unique challenges and different pest insects that require careful planning and scientific precision. Create the most efficient and effective parasitoid wasps to save the national park and restore ecological harmony.

Balance science, speed, and strategy as you guide the park’s recovery from spring through the first snowfall of winter. Every wasp release counts. Every adaptation matters. And if your wasps fail, the invasive wave of pest insects will damage the ecosystem for good.

Will your engineered wasps be enough to turn the tide?

FEATURES

  • A fun, interactive main game mode

  • Design Lab with a trait tree and customizable wasps

  • Six unique minigames

  • Three difficulty levels

  • Eighteen achievements

  • Weather hazards

  • Adaptive news feed

  • Many possible strategies

  • In-depth statistic tracking

  • Original art and soundtrack

  • Educational elements for learning about parasitic wasps

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