Gravhounds

GRAVHOUNDS is a cooperative action-builder developed and published by Octopus Panic, Inc. Players take control of bio-engineered canine workers sent to dangerous planets to gather valuable materials and complete their operations. The game can be played alone or cooperatively with up to four players, with teamwork becoming increasingly important as hostile alien swarms grow more dangerous.

The core gameplay loop revolves around landing on hostile planets, establishing an operation, collecting resources, defending your infrastructure, and extracting before things become too dangerous. Players can build generators, refineries, turrets, fabricators, and pipelines to support their operations and create routes for moving resources and powering their base and escape route.

One of the game's defining mechanics is its use of gravity manipulation. The Grav Beam can be used to fling objects across the battlefield, send enemies flying, and interact with the environment in unconventional ways. This physics-driven system adds another layer to both combat and cooperative problem-solving.

Players can also terraform planets before deployment, helping them prepare the environment in advance. During a mission, they can build defensive infrastructure and collect resources while deciding whether to leave with a safe haul or remain longer in pursuit of better rewards. The longer the team stays, however, the more dangerous the alien swarm becomes.

Progression is built around acquiring new abilities and upgrades during a shift, stacking bonuses, changing loadouts, and unlocking additional Gravhounds, weapons, and upgrade paths. Because the swarm responds to player decisions and the threat escalates, each mission is intended to develop differently.

Key Features

1–4 Player Co-op
Play solo or form a pack of up to four players, combining the strengths of different Gravhounds to survive hostile planets and complete objectives.

Third-Person Action
Experience the action from a third-person perspective while fighting alien creatures, collecting materials, defending your operation, and navigating dangerous planetary environments.

Bio-Engineered Canine Workers
Take control of specialized canine workers designed for dangerous planetary operations. The game's humorous premise treats these Gravhounds as loyal, obedient, and ultimately expendable workers.

Gravity Manipulation
Use the Grav Beam to manipulate objects and enemies, including throwing objects toward teammates and launching enemies away through physics-based interactions.

Build to Survive
Construct generators, refineries, turrets, and fabricators to expand your operation, increase your resource haul, and protect your base from the alien swarm.

Pipeline Infrastructure
Extend pipelines across dangerous terrain to provide power, transport resources, and maintain a viable route for your eventual escape.

Terraform Hostile Planets
Prepare the planet before deployment by terraforming the environment, allowing players to improve their chances of survival before facing the alien threat.

Resource Gathering and Extraction
Search dangerous planets for valuable materials, then decide when to extract. Remaining longer can produce greater rewards, but also increases the danger facing the pack.

Escalating Alien Swarm
The enemy threat becomes increasingly dangerous as players remain on the planet. Every decision can influence how difficult the next stage of the operation becomes.

Risk-and-Reward Gameplay
Players must decide how far to push each expedition. More dangerous planets and longer stays can offer better materials and rewards, but increase the likelihood of losing the entire haul.

Mid-Shift Upgrades
Unlock powerful abilities and upgrades during missions, stack bonuses, and reshape your loadout according to the situation.

Multiple Gravhounds and Weapons
Progression includes unlocking new unique Gravhounds, weapons, and different upgrade paths, giving players additional ways to develop their characters and playstyle.

Directional Boost Movement
Players can boost in any direction to reposition under enemy fire, rush toward teammates, or make a final attempt to grab valuable materials before extraction.

Physics-Driven Chaos
The game combines combat and construction with physics-based interactions, allowing objects and enemies to be manipulated rather than simply attacked with conventional weapons.

Xbox Series X|S Optimized
The Xbox version is officially listed as Optimized for Xbox Series X|S, with Xbox Play Anywhere, 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, 60+ FPS, cloud saves, and cross-platform multiplayer capabilities listed on the Xbox Store.

Cross-Platform Co-op
The Xbox Store lists cross-platform multiplayer and cross-platform cooperative play, while the Steam version supports online co-op for up to four players.

FAQs and Guides

• What is GRAVHOUNDS?
  Answer: GRAVHOUNDS is a 1–4 player cooperative action-builder that combines third-person combat, base building, resource gathering, tower defense, physics-based gameplay, and roguelite progression.
• Who developed GRAVHOUNDS?
  Answer: GRAVHOUNDS is developed by Octopus Panic, Inc., which is also the game's publisher.
• How many players can play GRAVHOUNDS together?
  Answer: Up to four players can participate in cooperative gameplay, while the game can also be played solo.
• Is GRAVHOUNDS a multiplayer-only game?
  Answer: No. The game supports single-player as well as online co-op, allowing players to operate alone or with a pack of up to four Gravhounds.
• What is the main objective in GRAVHOUNDS?
  Answer: Players must explore hostile planets, gather valuable materials, build and defend their operation, and successfully extract with their resources before the escalating alien threat overwhelms them.
• What happens if players stay on a planet too long?
  Answer: The longer players remain, the more dangerous the alien swarm becomes. However, staying longer can also provide greater rewards, creating a risk-versus-reward decision during every mission.
• What can players build?
  Answer: Players can deploy generators, refineries, turrets, fabricators, and pipelines to expand their operation, protect their infrastructure, manage resources, and maintain an escape route.
• What is the Grav Beam?
  Answer: The Grav Beam is a gravity-manipulation tool that lets players fling objects across the battlefield and use gravity against enemies, creating physics-based combat and cooperative interactions.
• Can players terraform planets?
  Answer: Yes. Players can terraform a planet before deployment to improve their chances of surviving the dangerous environment.
• Does GRAVHOUNDS have character progression?
  Answer: Yes. Players can unlock new abilities and upgrades during missions, stack bonuses, modify their loadouts, and eventually unlock new Gravhounds, weapons, and upgrade paths.
• Does every mission play the same way?
  Answer: The developers describe the experience as having different shifts, with the swarm responding to player choices and the threat escalating based on decisions. This is intended to create changing situations rather than a completely fixed mission flow.
• Does GRAVHOUNDS support cross-platform multiplayer?
  Answer: Yes. The Xbox Store lists Xbox cross-platform multiplayer and cross-platform cooperative play.
• Will GRAVHOUNDS be on Xbox Game Pass?
  Answer: Yes. The latest announcement states that GRAVHOUNDS will be playable through Xbox Game Pass from day one of its November 2, 2026 Early Access launch.