Steam Indie Vapor World: Over The Mind Faces Backlash Over Generative AI Cutscenes

The early access launch of the Soulslike Metroidvania Vapor World: Over The Mind encountered severe community backlash following its August 19 release. Developed by Korean studio Alive Inc—a team of about five people—the game had accumulated approximately 100,000 wishlists prior to launch, largely built on the strength of a playable demo that had been available since January 2025. However, players quickly shifted their focus away from the game's distinctive worldbuilding and parry-heavy combat to address the inclusion of generative AI cutscenes.

Reviewers pointed out inconsistencies in the main character's model within the opening cutscene, leading to a wave of mostly negative feedback on Steam. Studio director Young Kim addressed the controversy, explaining that the team originally composed cutscenes in-engine before turning to AI in an effort to handle the title's complex narrative. Kim admitted the choice was a hasty judgment, stating that the studio did not expect the public reaction to be so intense. Following the backlash, Kim promised that the AI-generated cutscenes would be replaced by the weekend, a change that has since been implemented.

In addition to the Vapor World controversy, the Steam charts and recent releases highlighted several other titles. Recent early access and indie titles making waves include the first-person parkour runner Vholume, the narrative adventure How to Kill a Fly, the horror-tinged shooter Twisted Tower, and the open-world RPG The Lantern of the Laughless Saint. Meanwhile, upcoming titles such as Wardogs drew significant attention with pre-orders ahead of its scheduled September 11 release date following a successful beta test.