Stupid Never Dies, an action RPG from new studio GPTRACK50, launched on October 21 for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC. The game follows Davy, an undead character who joins a resistance group inside a mall to rescue Julia, a frozen human woman he hopes to win over romantically. The narrative centers on a love story involving a corpse, drawing comparisons to the trope of 'fridging' — a term describing when female characters are harmed to motivate male protagonists. Julia’s frozen state is treated as a romantic prize, with players required to offer gifts to her body to fill a 'heart meter' and unlock photos of her. Social media posts from Julia’s past are used to flesh out her character, while her agency remains limited throughout the story.

The game attempts to blend a teen-oriented romcom aesthetic with zombie and monster themes, but its execution has drawn criticism for being tone-deaf. The premise and mechanics have been described as regressive, with some observers noting that the story leans heavily on outdated tropes without meaningful subversion. The combat system features slow, unresponsive controls, with basic attacks delayed by two seconds and no lock-on targeting. Players can transform into defeated monsters using their powers, but these forms are similarly sluggish and fail to offer meaningful contrast to the zombie form.

Stupid Never Dies incorporates a roguelike structure, requiring players to repeatedly run through procedurally shuffled dungeons to gather resources for reviving Julia. Each run lasts approximately 20 minutes, with a timer adding pressure to balance exploration and progression. Permanent upgrades carry over between attempts, but the loop becomes repetitive due to limited environmental variety and frequent boss rushes that extend gameplay artificially. The game’s visual style, which uses magazine collage aesthetics and vibrant UI elements, has been noted as one of its few bright spots.

Despite these efforts, the combat feels disconnected from the game’s pacing, and the narrative has been described as grotesque and dehumanizing by several reviewers. The lack of meaningful player agency for Julia, combined with mechanics that treat her remains as a collectible shrine, has led to commentary about the game’s handling of sensitive themes. The title’s celebration of 'stupidity' as a design philosophy has also been interpreted as a self-aware nod to its target audience, though it does not mitigate the broader concerns about its storytelling choices.

Stupid Never Dies will be available on PlayStation 5 and Windows PC starting October 21. The game was reviewed using a prerelease download code provided by the developer. Polygon’s ethics policy outlines its approach to coverage and sourcing.