Hazard Pay: Solve Dark Puzzles in a Dystopian Cleanup Job

Hazard Pay is a pixel-art puzzle game from Smitner Studio that turns an ordinary cleanup job into a strange and dangerous journey through abandoned laboratories. Released on September 10, 2026, the game puts players in the role of a contractor working for a mysterious client known only as IPT. The assignment sounds simple: enter contaminated facilities, remove evidence, clean the scene, and leave without asking too many questions. However, the unsettling environments gradually suggest that there is much more behind these jobs.

Solve Compact Puzzles While Avoiding Deadly Hazards

The gameplay combines Sokoban-inspired block pushing with grid-based environmental puzzles. Each location is built around compact, handcrafted challenges where players must manipulate objects, clear paths, gather evidence, and dispose of suspicious materials. Environmental hazards can turn a seemingly simple solution into a disaster, requiring players to carefully consider every movement before committing to a plan. The full game features more than 70 handcrafted puzzles, expanding considerably on the 16-level demo released in 2025.

Efficiency, Leaderboards, and a Growing Mystery

Hazard Pay also gives players reasons to replay completed levels. Every movement is tracked, with final step counts determining leaderboard rankings and allowing players to compare their performances with friends and other players. Meanwhile, the game's pixel-art presentation, dark humor, blood-soaked environments, and environmental storytelling create an unusual contrast with its methodical puzzle mechanics. As players continue following IPT's instructions, the increasingly suspicious nature of their assignments raises questions about who is really responsible for what happened inside these facilities. Check out our comparison website for the best prices on Hazard Pay.