Invariant relisted on Steam; developer denies Half-Life clone

Invariant, a first-person survival horror from Faros Game Studio, has been relisted on Steam after an earlier removal. The developer, Josip Makjanić, restarted the project from scratch and made the title available for wishlisting while he rebuilds it in the Godot engine.

The game is described as an atmospheric survival horror that combines exploration, logical puzzles, resource management and first-person combat. The Steam page lists Windows and Linux as target platforms. Makjanić previously worked as a level designer on the Serious Sam series.

Makjanić explained that the project left Steam after its direction diverged from the original plan. He and collaborators, including friend Tino Petrović, parted ways as the scope and approach changed. A demo released before the delisting was built from content used in a promotional trailer and, according to Makjanić, lacked polish, a clear structure and a stable foundation for long-term development.

Publishers who reviewed the concept found it interesting but too risky to fund at an early stage, the developer noted. Rather than continue on the existing foundations, Makjanić wrote that he chose to restart: “A lot happened behind the scenes that pulled the project away from what it was originally supposed to be. Rather than continue building on a foundation that didn’t feel right, I made the decision to step back and restart from scratch with a clear direction and full creative control.”

In a developer video posted in early June, Makjanić outlined the core aims. He described a game that conveys the feeling of being trapped in an isolated, hostile place and balances slower atmospheric exploration with moments of intense combat and progression. He emphasized a focus on immersion and tension rather than frequent jump scares.

Makjanić addressed comparisons to Half-Life, writing that Invariant “was never supposed to be presented as some kind of Half-Life 3 or as a replacement for Half-Life.” He added that the project drew inspiration from certain elements of Half-Life along with other games and films, but was not intended to be a clone.

With the relisting, the developer is seeking interest through Steam wishlists while continuing to refine the game’s systems and structure ahead of a future release.