Stereotypically you play videogames for enjoyment, escapism, and to indulge some kind of impossible fantasy, and by that metric, survival sims like The Long Dark and Sons of the Forest shouldn't be popular. These are brutal, unforgiving games where the merest mistake can mean death, and actions that we normally take for granted, like exploration and building, require meticulous planning. But creativity flows through narrow pipes - Don't Starve and its contemporaries work so well because, rather than curtail your imagination and engagement, those impulses are channelled, directed. Inspired by some of the all-time greats, Angst is a new Steam survival game available to play now for the first time, and PCGamesN has an exclusive look at its brutal but beautiful world.
Initially, gameplay in Angst is similar to The Forest, Rust, and other monoliths of the survival game genre. You need to feed, clothe, and heat yourself, and you achieve that by exploring the wilderness and harvesting and scavenging supplies.
Lost in the icy tundra of The Hopeward Hollow, as well as finding sustenance, you need to protect yourself from a variety of natural and supernatural threats - wild animals and paranormal entities that hint at the Hollow's hidden nature. Co-op is available and maps are procedurally generated. It means every game in Angst is different from the last. Check out the new trailer, shared with PCGamesN exclusively.
Rather than completely freeform, the narrative in Angst is driven by story missions and quests. You aren't alone in the Hollow - other unfortunate souls are trying to survive here. By helping them out, you gain experience, level up, and unlock more crafting options. You also learn more about the Hollow's history, and the sinister secret lying beneath its frozen terrain.
If you want to try Angst for yourself, starting from today, Monday October 14, the first playtest is available on Steam - just head here. After the first test is completed, developer Cherrypick will collate feedback and expand Angst with new crafting options and biomes.
As well as Angst, check out some of the other best multiplayer games, or maybe the best co-op games on PC.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.