BLACKWOOD launches on Steam with the promise episodic gaming never kept: buy once, own it all

The word “episodic” became something of a black mark in gaming after studios repeatedly sold Part One and quietly shelved the rest. AttritoM7 Productions — the Bangladeshi indie studio behind the tactical shooter Zero Hour — is betting that players still believe in the format, as long as the contract is clear from the start. Buy BLACKWOOD once, the pitch goes, and Acts 2 and 3 are already yours.

“$FIGURE1”

BLACKWOOD follows Anton Blackwood in 2012 New York — a man whose seemingly ordinary life running a DVD store in Brooklyn is a cover for something considerably darker. By night, Anton operates as a ruthless contract killer, working through encounters designed around preparation and consequence rather than reflex. The 2012 setting is deliberate: a city without smartphones, where information travels slowly and the mundane cover of a video rental store remains plausible.

The store itself is more than backdrop. Managing the day job functions as a separate layer of the game — a routine that contextualises the violence that follows after dark. It is the same tension that defines the best crime thrillers: an ordinary person who, in the right circumstances, is anything but. Developed in Unity 6 HDRP, with an original soundtrack composed and performed by the development team themselves, BLACKWOOD signals ambition beyond what its price implies.

Act 1 delivers six-plus hours across four main story missions, with additional side missions and collectibles expanding the experience. Gameplay centres on grounded combat — limited ammunition, deliberate movement, brutal takedowns — rather than the kinetic excess of larger-budget titles. Players who invest time in the store management side of BLACKWOOD can expect considerably more than the headline hour count.

“$FIGURE2”

The full three-act story arrives by September 2027: Act 2 is planned for March, Act 3 for September. Anyone who purchases BLACKWOOD now receives both future acts as free updates. The base price increases at each release — $29.99 at Act 2, $34.99 at Act 3 — making early adoption the most cost-efficient path through the complete story. For players who want to go further, a $5.00 Supporter Edition unlocks an exclusive outfit, the Spectre Vanguard handgun, and bonus in-game currency.

Publisher IZilla Games — built from Infernozilla, a marketing agency that has placed more than 200 indie titles with players — is handling distribution. BLACKWOOD: Act 1 is available now on Steam at $24.99, with the studio planning further content between the major acts, including new side missions, weapons, and enemy variations through 2027.

Tags: indie games, action-adventure games, AttritoM7 Productions, BLACKWOOD, IZilla Games