The Winter Survival Simulator demo is now available to play as part of the latest Steam Game Festival and it looks like it might give The Long Dark some much-needed competition.
In Winter Survival Simulator, you've been stranded in Mount Washington State Park. Your backpack has been lost and you're not exactly in the friendliest of environments; aside from the bitter cold, you'll also have to contend with hunger, thirst, and dangerous wildlife. Your only option is to make the best use of the resources you have to hand and try to escape the wilderness alive.
Check out the game's latest trailer (highlighted on Reddit) to see it in action!
The Winter Survival Simulator Demo Tests Your Mettle
The Winter Survival Simulator demo might sound a lot like The Long Dark. That's not a surprise — both games trap the player in a frozen environment and challenge them to survive against the elements and wildlife. There are, however, some critical differences.
As a newer game, Winter Survival Simulator has a bit of a graphical advantage; one YouTube comment describes it as "The Long Dark with Skyrim graphics." I've always been more about the gameplay, personally, and that's where the key differences lie.
Both games require players to survive in the elements and meet their basic needs. Winter Survival Simulator, however, has one key difference: the developer says that there won't be any weapons or combat. Instead, the player will have to rely on placing traps to fend off the game's deadly wildlife. You're not going to be able to take down a bear with a hunting knife — your only real option is to run away.
Critically, this game plans to have something that many survival games lack: an end goal. You can't stay out in the frosty wilderness forever, after all! You're going to have to make your way to an abandoned ranger station and call for help — and you still might have to wait a few more days after that. Should you succeed, you'll be able to win the game and escape the wilderness.
When is the Winter Survival Simulator Release Date?
The Winter Survival Simulator release date should be sometime within the next six months. The game's Steam Store page notes a 2021 release date, but the newly-published rules for the latest Steam Festival mandate that any game taking part must have a launch date between February 10, 2021, and September 1, 2021.
For now, you can play the Winter Survival Simulator demo as part of the Steam Game Festival from now until February 9, 2021, at 1:00 PM EST. If this game seems like your kind of thing, you can also add it to your wishlist on Steam.
What do you think of Winter Survival Simulator? Does the lack of combat turn you off? Let us know in the comments below!
