Survival games love forests. There's something about hiding between the trees, hunting for supplies, and setting up your base amid lush wildlife that the genre can't step away from. Between Don't Starve, DayZ, Rust, and The Forest (naturally), the titans of survival love a good thicket. Permafrost is different. Rather than the woodland, you're fighting for your life amid the frozen ruins of what were once sprawling cities. Make sure you've wrapped up warm, because the Steam Next Fest demo is available now.
After the Moon crashes out of Earth's orbit, our entire planet has been plunged into a forever winter. Permafrost boasts all of the regular survival game mechanics like resource gathering, base building, hunting, and combat, but it ups the tension by giving you many more pressures to consider.
There are a few things that set Permafrost apart. The first, and most obvious deviation, is the cold. Not only do you need to wrap up for expeditions and find ways to keep your shelter warm, but deadly 'cold zones' also present a substantial challenge. These areas contain even more resources and loot, but are significantly deadlier than other parts of the map. Keeping an eye on your body temperature is key. It's a wrinkle that feels small at first, but it quickly permeates everything you do, completely recontextualizing how you play.
My absolute favorite Permafrost feature was easy to pick, though: you get a dog. This canine companion hunts for resources, holds more items, and even provides some much-needed company on those solo expeditions. Metal Gear Solid 5, Fallout 4, Fable, and Far Cry 6 are all made infinitely better by the presence of a pooch, and Permafrost is exactly the same.
You don't have to brave Permafrost's cold alone either. The Steam Next Fest demo can be played with up to three friends in co-op, which should make your odds of finding anything useful while scavenging much higher.
The Permafrost demo is available now on Steam until the end of SNF on Monday October 21. The full game is set for launch in 2025. You can find the demo yourself right here.
Once you've taken Permafrost for a spin yourself, there are plenty of upcoming PC games to get excited about and some of the best sandbox games to play while you wait for launch.
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