In the near future, catastrophic events have caused our moon to shatter. While Earth still persists, the events that follow plunge it into an endless landscape of snow and ice – the Permafrost. Faced with relentless, deadly weather at every turn, you must do everything you can to stay alive. As a former engineer before the fall, you have the skills to work on the rebuilding effort, but your knowledge of surviving in the wilderness is next to none. The good news is that you aren’t alone, as man’s best friend remains faithfully by your side.
Permafrost comes from SpaceRocket Games, and I’ve had my eye on it for quite some time. While I have a lot of love for survival games, the oppressive solitude found in the likes of The Long Dark can be somewhat overwhelming. What better to mitigate that than a faithful pup by your side? “I saved a dog once. He’s saved me every day since,” Permafrost protagonist Rook remarks, speaking to the German Shepherd that follows you wherever you roam.
Your canine companion will scout ahead of you, warn you when danger is nearby, and provide an escape from the near-silence of this sub-zero wasteland. They can also carry loot and supplies you don’t have room for in your own pack, and you’ll be able to train them to seek out particular materials or hidden treasures. If that’s still not enough, you can also bring in some human help, as Permafrost supports up to four-player co-op.
Rook might have the skills to build shelters and craft tools, but that’s no use without the materials. Venturing out across the ruined landscape will take you to frozen cities, devastated forests, and caves that hold a promise of some respite from the fearsome frosts. You’ll encounter animals, survivors, and raiders, carefully choosing who’s worthy of your trust, all while dealing with snow storms, regions of extreme cold, the ever-present threat of hypothermia, and how to secure a supply of food in this desolate wasteland.
SpaceRocket Games currently plans to keep Permafrost in early access “for at least 12 months,” although it’s already laid out some initial plans in a tentative roadmap. At the top of the list for the game’s first major update are improvements made in response to initial player feedback. Alongside that, you can look forward to overhauled combat animations, eight more armor sets and four additional firearms, an expansion to the loot system and crafting recipes, and an enhanced fast-travel system.
From there, SpaceRocket Games has three more updates on the cards. It plans to continue introducing additional weapons and quests, along with improved crafting systems, and more interactive and destructible elements in the environment. There will also be new quests and locations, continued work on the world visuals and weather effects, and the promise of an expansion to the story when the fourth update lands.
Permafrost is out now on Steam, with a 20% launch discount meaning you’ll pay $19.99 / £17.59 if you buy it before Friday October 23. Grab it here. There are also several bundles with other games including Medieval Dynasty and Order of the Sinking Star, so you might find yourself able to snag a further saving.
While it has plenty planned, SpaceRocket notes that the launch version of Permarfost already includes “various biomes, hundreds of items, building blueprints, and crafting recipes,” along with fully implemented co-op support. It adds that it is “very likely” the price will increase as the game gets closer to 1.0, to “fairly reflect the content included.” I was already sold when I saw the dog.