Every year is a little different in the industry. Once upon a time, there was a concentration of games releasing between August and November (with more leaning toward October and November) to capitalize on the holiday season, with earlier, noteworthy releases being more spread out. The first few months of the year, as well as the summer, used to be weaker, but as the industry has grown, these two periods have seen juggernauts hit the market, too. The holiday period of 2025 saw fewer releases, or at least felt like it, likely because of the initial release date of GTA 6 before its delay.
While some solid games have already been released in 2026—Arknights: Endfield, Cairn, Pathologic 3, Highguard, Code Vein 2, and Nioh 3, most recently—none of these are exactly "must plays." A lot of them are really dependent upon liking a specific niche, holding them back from full-blown must-play status. But Mewgenics, releasing on Steam on February 10, has earned that coveted status. Mewgenics reviews have poured in for the latest game from the creators of The Binding of Isaac and The End is Nigh ( Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel), and it's already pulling strong numbers.
Upcoming 2026 PC Games: Big Releases To Indie Darlings And Steam Early Access
PC players have hundreds of new Steam games to look forward to in 2026. We are talking basically every genre imaginable.
On review aggregate OpenCritic, the Top Critic Average for Mewgenics is 90 with 94% of critics recommending the title. That is a "Mighty" title by its description, based on 16 current critic reviews. This number may change as more reviews come in over the next few days, but there's as much chance the number goes up as it does go down (given the high reviews so far). Normally more reviews mean a lower score, but even if it dips out of the 90s, many games don't even start in them.
What is Mewgenics? The First Must-Play Game of 2026 on Steam
Mewgenics is described by developers as "the ultimate turn-based cat tactics and breeding roguelite" game. The general gameplay loop of Mewgenics comes down to breeding an army of cats and then sending them on adventures (adding more to the tactics aspect) in search of food, money, and treasure. Combat involves "careful positioning, wild power combos, and environmental shenanigans." Mewgenics' cats all adopt classic RPG classes to some degree, ranging from Fighter and Tanks to Mages and beyond.
Among these classes and cats are 1000+ unique abilities, with each class sporting 75 unique abilities. Combined with 900+ items, an emphasis on environmental interactions, and the ability for players to make their own decisions, every roguelite run in Mewgenics is different. But getting there is still part of the formula. Cats that return from their adventures bring experience, skills, and mutations that can then be bred into a bloodline. It's easy to see how these numbers and choices create a very systemic game, becoming more and more complex over time to push tactical mastery and emergent gameplay.
Mewgenics Features at a Glance
- 200+ hour main campaign
- 10+ character classes with 75 unique abilities each
- 900+ wild items
- 200+ enemies and bosses
- Build, Experiment, Plan, Adapt, Survive, Breed
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
What Critics Are Saying
Dan Stapleton, IGN
"Mewgenics is a fantastic tactical RPG that's good for more than a hundred hours of roguelike runs. Just when you think you have it figured out it'll throw something completely unexpected and hilariously gross at you – and probably a catchy new original song, too."
Paul Kelly, PCGamesN
"Mewgenics offers more depth and ingenuity than any strategy game I've played in years. It is also terminally unfunny, with an aesthetic, theme, and cast of characters that consistently miss the mark. If you can square yourself with the humor, there is a genuinely great game waiting here."
Robin Valentine, PC Gamer
"A sprawling, ridiculous, and endlessly surprising roguelike that will drag you body and soul into its chaotic world."
Ali Jones, GamesRadar+
"The gross-out humor and wacky build interactions that have been a key part of McMillen's work for decades don't distract."
Mewgenics Release Date
Of course, sometimes critics and the general audience don't see eye to eye. The pedigree for Mewgenics speaks for itself, especially when combined with these scores, however. Ultimately, the best way to judge a game is to experience it for yourself, and Mewgenics releases on Steam on February 11.
- Released
- February 10, 2026
- Developer(s)
- Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel
- Publisher(s)
- Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, Turn-Based Strategy, RPG
