The legendary Finnish studio Housemarque carved out a niche in the late 00s and early 10s with incredible bullet-hell and top-down shooters. Super Stardust HD put the company on the map, and the likes of Returnal and Saros have reinforced the developer as a gaming powerhouse.
You PlayStation gamers might have played Dead Nation, Resogun, Matterfall, and other similar games, and not realised they have all been made by the same company. You might have guessed who it is by now. In honor of 2026’s Saros, let’s take a look back at Housemarque‘s history to this point and go through the company’s finer titles.
All Housemarque Games Ever Released
Before I get into this list, not every Housemarque game has made the official ranking list. You’d be surprised to learn how long the company has been around, going as far back as 1996’s Alien Incident—there’s an obscure quiz question if ever there was one.
I’m going to go through the top seven games and properly assess the cream of the crop.
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That said, it’s fair to show you every game the company has ever released, and what year they came out.
| Game Name | Release Year |
|---|---|
| Super Stardust | 1996 |
| Alien Incident | 1996 |
| The Reap | 1997 |
| Supreme Snowboarding | 1999 |
| Transworld Snowboarding | 2002 |
| Gizmondo Motocross 2005 | 2005 |
| Super Stardust HD | 2007 |
| Golf: Tee It Up! | 2008 |
| Super Stardust Portable | 2008 |
| Dead Nation | 2010 |
| Outland | 2011 |
| Furmins | 2012 |
| Super Stardust Delta | 2012 |
| Angry Birds Trilogy | 2012 |
| Resogun | 2013 |
| Super Stardust Ultra | 2015 |
| Alienation | 2016 |
| Nex Machina | 2017 |
| Matterfall | 2017 |
| Returnal | 2021 |
| Saros | 2026 |
7 Best Housemarque Games Ranked From Best to Worst
7. Matterfall
Matterfall feels like the end of the old Housemarque fabric. That solid AA foundation as a game, showcasing incredible design with cascading, pixel-breaking resplendence in abundance. Mechanically, it’s one of the more lacking Housemarque games, surprisingly, but it still looks and feels great. 2017’s Matterfall was the last Housemarque game for four years until Returnal, and it was a clear intention that the studio was ready to move onto something bigger and better—but more on this later.
6. Alienation
Serving as a spiritual successor to Dead Nation, Alienation refines the tight twin-stick shooter blueprint already laid down by its horror predecessor. On its own, Alienation is one of the most responsive Housemarque games ever made, and it looks amazing. There’s a solid amount of depth where the gameplay is concerned, with a big emphasis on RNG—I revelled in finding an OP weapon to slap some upgrades on and basically make the game a cakewalk!
However, Alienation lacks the charm and personality of Dead Nation, and it’s slightly less memorable.
5. Dead Nation
Dead Nation is less polished and less fair than Alienation, but I still love the eerie vibe, dimly-lit streets, and terrifying hordes of zombies charging at me. It’s a game steeped in atmosphere, and going back to my ‘unfair’ claim, depending on which difficulty you play on, sometimes, there’s very little leeway in terms of room for error. That said, George A. Romero would be proud of Dead Nation’s aesthetic and vibe, and if Housemarque could remake this one day, I’d be eternally grateful (while my pants wouldn’t be).
4. Resogun
Resogun was one of the first-ever PlayStation Plus monthly games on PS4, and what better way to show off the capabilities of said console and how much can feasibly happen on-screen at once. It’s an extension of the Super Stardust formula, only this time you’re predominantly moving backwards and forwards around a planet. You need to toe the line between being the savior of humans and negotiating bullet and enemy hell with waves of complex patterns. I took great pleasure in getting the Platinum Trophy for this—my first-ever PS4 Platinum, too.
It’s fun revisiting Housemarque’s previous games, as you can see all the intertwining systems and stylings that would become a central aspect of Returnal, and also Saros.
3. Nex Machina
Housemarque’s peak few years of releases also saw Nex Machina. It was the company’s first title to be self-published, while still retaining its strong relationship with Sony, and might be the pinnacle of the developer’s arcade style of games. Nex Machina manages to be a completely new game and concept, while clearly sticking to its tried and trusted ideals. There’s an air of auteurism that can be attributed to the 2007 to 2017 period of Housemarque, as it ticks all the boxes.
Unfortunately, Nex Machina would be the last of its kind (along with Matterfall), and the team decided to move away from the smaller-scale Arcade games: If this is the last Housemarque arcade title, what a game to go out with.
2. Super Stardust HD
Super Stardust HD might seem basic compared to newer Housemarque games, but something is endearing about its simplicity that hooked me as a kid, and that I could quite happily play now—even over most of the games on this list. You have three weapons that are better suited to certain elements and enemy types, and it creates an on-the-go strategy complexity that keeps you on your feet—if avoiding a litany of scattered debris wasn’t doing this already. Super Stardust HD might be my favorite music by Housemarque, and the game is a huge leap forward from the original 1996 Super Stardust.
On a personal note, as a trophy hunter, Super Stardust HD was the first-ever game to receive a PlayStation Trophies patch. I had it installed and ready to go to scoop up my first trophies, and it’s something I’m still doing nearly 20 years later.
1. Returnal
I think I always knew that Returnal was going to be number one (although Saros might change this). If there were any doubts that Housemarque could shake off doubts about going from high-quality AA development to complete system-selling AAA exclusives for the PS5, they were erased within my first cycle on Atropos. The gameplay loop might not be everyone’s cup of tea and scone, but it’s worth fighting for.
Overcoming Returnal’s challenge is a hugely rewarding feeling, and progressing deeper into Atropos earns you better gear, weapons, and carries on Selene’s gripping character development. It’s one of the first times that Housemarque has asked you to invest your time and feelings into a story, and Returnal delivers: As does the rest of the game.
I might revisit this list once I’ve had plenty of time to play and digest Saros. For now, what do you think of my Housemarque ranked list? Do you agree with the placement of the games outlined? Are there any you feel need to be in the main list? Let me know what you think, and you can message the Insider Gaming Discord with your feedback and opinions!
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Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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