Pathologic was the first game by the Russian studio Ice-Pick Lodge, directed by Nikolai Dybowski. Buka Entertainment released it in Russia on June 9, 2005 as Мор. Утопия, a title that puns on Thomas More's Utopia and the Russian word for plague.
A deadly 'sand plague' strikes a remote town, and three healers try to stop it: the Bachelor Daniil Dankovsky, the Haruspex Artemy Burakh and the Devotress Klara, who unlocks only after one full playthrough. The story lasts twelve in-game days, and each healer must keep a group of townspeople, their Bound, alive.
An English version reached the UK in 2006, and Frogster published the game in Germany on April 20, 2006. The remaster Pathologic Classic HD by General Arcade followed on October 29, 2015. Pathologic 2 (2019) remade the Haruspex route, and Pathologic 3 (January 9, 2026) reimagines the Bachelor's story; both are separate games.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU | Мор. Утопия | Windows | Jun 9, 2005 | Buka Entertainment | 1 |
| EU | PathologicGermany. | Windows | Apr 20, 2006 | Frogster Interactive Pictures | 1 |
| EU | PathologicEnglish release, UK only. | Windows | 2006 | G2 Games / GMX Games | 1 |
| WW | Pathologic Classic HDRemaster by General Arcade; Steam and GOG. | Windows | Oct 29, 2015 | Good Shepherd Entertainment | 2 |
Also known as: Мор. Утопия RU1Mor. Utopiya RU1Pathologic Classic HD WW1
Box art by region
RU Мор. Утопия
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.
Version differences
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TextEnglish (2006)
The 2006 English release, sold only in the UK, renamed many places and characters with technically correct but inaccurate translations of the Russian names.3
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ContentEnglish (2006)
In the 2006 English release a character called Some Git replaces the teenage Lika ('Lickah') and other Dogheads wherever the player can kill them, possibly to avoid controversy; the reason is unconfirmed.3
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Bug fixRussian (2005)European releases
The Russian release got patch 1.1 in late 2005, and the European releases include it out of the box.3
Translations
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English Official
G2 Games / GMX Games2006Windows · Russian originalReleased
The English version was published in the UK in 2006; critics faulted its translation.1
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English Official
General Arcade2015Windows · Russian originalReleased
Pathologic Classic HD (2015) has a new English translation and re-recorded dialogue.1
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German Official
Frogster Interactive Pictures2006Windows · Russian originalReleased
Frogster Interactive Pictures published the game in Germany on April 20, 2006.1
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Polish Official
—2015Windows · Russian originalReleased
Pathologic Classic HD on Steam lists Polish and Italian among its languages.2
Where to play legally today
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GOG Purchase
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Steam Purchase
Pathologic Classic HD
2015 remaster; Windows; English and Russian (full audio), Polish, Italian
Checked: 2026-10-132store.steampowered.com
How to run it today
Buy Pathologic Classic HD on Steam or GOG (Windows). Pathologic 2 (2019) is a separate remake of the Haruspex route, not a version of this game.1
Best version
Pathologic Classic HD (2015) is the version to play in English: besides sharper visuals and bug fixes, it re-records the dialogue and replaces the 2006 translation.1
Reception
In Russia the game was acclaimed and won year-end accolades from five outlets; Absolute Games gave it 85%. English-language reviews were mixed (66% on GameRankings): critics liked the atmosphere and concept but not the translation, dated graphics or slow pace.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.