Protolife
Released Jun 2018
Protolife is an unique tower-based strategy game which gives you a direct control over the builder robot in a struggle against the hungry proto-life organism.
86% positive · 469 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
High confidence
Where to buy
Steam $11.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
We couldn't confirm these stores carry this game.
Green Man Gaming Steam key Search IndieGala Steam key Search Prices in USD, as listed by each store.
Buying through an affiliate store helps support the site
Evaluation
Protolife launched on June 15, 2018 and received a solid post-launch content run over roughly 15 months: the 1.1 update (October 2018) added a research lab, custom tower editor, and New Game+ mode; the 1.2 update (September 2019) added a level editor and Steam Workshop integration. After that September 2019 patch, no further content updates were released for the base game.
The most telling signal comes from a developer post on May 19, 2026. Volcanic Giraffe addressed Protolife fans directly, explaining that the studio has spent the past several years building a new game called Hexworld, which is now approaching its 1.0 release. They expressed a desire to make Protolife 2 someday, but stated this depends entirely on how well Hexworld performs commercially — meaning Protolife 2 is an aspiration, not a commitment. No new content for Protolife itself was announced.
The original 2018 roadmap had teased a future "Planetary Defense" expansion, but that was never delivered, and the 2026 developer post makes no reference to it — effectively superseding it. All DLC listed on the store (just a soundtrack released November 2023) has shipped. The game has been content-complete since at least September 2019, and the developer has moved on to other projects.
Evidence
Developer addresses Protolife fans and explains the studio has been focused on Hexworld for several years. States they would love to make Protolife 2 but that it depends on Hexworld's commercial success — no content for Protolife itself is announced or promised.
Version 1.2 shipped with an in-game level editor and Steam Workshop integration, completing the features outlined in the 2018 roadmap (aside from the undelivered Planetary Defense mode).
Content
1 of 1 released · no outstanding content
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Volcanic Giraffe
Achievements
29
Platform
Windows, macOS
Controller
full support
Steam Deck
Verified
Players
Single-player
About this game
15 years since the first colonization parties landed on Gagarin-5. 15 years of tedious yet satisfying work on making this planet our home. I miss these years now.
It all happened in mere days. The corruption spread across our lands, waves of crimson doom washed away our mushroom farms, and giant worms devoured our cities. As far as I know, only few thousands of people were able to escape into the emergency bases. Now the thing.. is dormant. It sleeps during the day, and grows only slowly over the night, filled with tumors, blights and rolling, nauseating pink lights.
This small opening seems to be our only chance to fight back, to clean the planet. And we are sure to take it.
It all happened in mere days. The corruption spread across our lands, waves of crimson doom washed away our mushroom farms, and giant worms devoured our cities. As far as I know, only few thousands of people were able to escape into the emergency bases. Now the thing.. is dormant. It sleeps during the day, and grows only slowly over the night, filled with tumors, blights and rolling, nauseating pink lights.
This small opening seems to be our only chance to fight back, to clean the planet. And we are sure to take it.
Gameplay
Stand to defend a distant human colony against the growing lifeform that devours everything in its wake. Build complex defenses from the simplest element possible – a single block, save few remaining settlements and clean the planetary surface from the corruption in this original tower-based RTS. Initially built for a Ludum Dare 38 game jam, it was completely redesigned, got a graphics update, tons of new content, but still works around a simple idea: build towers from blocks, contain the enemy, survive the night onslaught and strike back.Key features
- Unique approach to building process: Every tower is constructed from patterns of simple blocks. Build your defense grid piece by piece the way you like it, upgrade, combine, optimize space and resources to survive against the overwhelming odds.
- An enemy unlike usual RTS adversaries: Growing, living entity designed to exploit every small weakness in your defense. The more space it takes from you, the more powerful it becomes.
- Freedom of strategy and flexible defense perimeter: Go for quick low-tier tower rush or bunk with well-defended artillery posts, then collect your blocks and rebuild the defenses on the spot — just mind the free space and resources left.
- Direct control over the builder: Or two? Dynamically switch between several battlefronts and dominate over the enemy.
- Over 30 levels with variative gameplay and win objectives.
- Random missions generator with an adjustable difficulty level and special rewards.
- Custom towers editor where you can construct your own powerful weapon.
- Remappable keyboard or gamepad controls. Please note that the game was not designed for mouse control.
Are these done yet?
Last evaluated Jun 27, 2026
Something about this evaluation looks wrong Report illegal or harmful content