The Survivalists is an indie survival, sandbox game, developed and released by Team17 in 2020. In this seemingly simple video game, the player will step into the shoes of a castaway who has to learn how to survive in a hostile, unknown environment. As the game takes place in the same universe as The Escapist, it features a similar, simple, cartoon-like graphic style. Despite its simplicity, the environment is well-designed and has a lot of details. Additionally, decent animations make the game's world feel real.
Gameplay Mechanics
The action of the game is presented in a 'top-down' perspective. The Survivalist game is all about surviving in a harsh, and dangerous environment, using the resources that players will find all around them. The main gameplay elements include exploring, base building, gathering, hunting wildlife, and completing various quests ordered by Mysterious Strangers that players will occasionally come across during their adventure. The island provides the player with everything that's necessary to survive and it is crucial to learn how to use the most of it.
Gathered sticks and stones can be used to craft an ax, and other tools irreplaceable while building a shelter, etc. It is worth remembering that hunger and thirst can be as lethal as wild animals - that's why players should always look for potential food and water supplies. As we progress in the game, learning how to use the environment and its resources, our Survivalists will learn new food recipes, and crafting projects. Even though the game can be played as a single-player, it features co-op gameplay with a maximum of 4 players which will certainly improve the general gameplay experience
The Survivalists Reception
The game received mostly positive feedback from players and gaming critics. Many of them claim that The Survivalist is a beautiful and rewarding game, with high-quality gameplay and a unique atmosphere. Others applauded numerous gameplay mechanics, especially survival elements and complex, well-developed crafting.
Key Features
- Take on the challenge - learn how to survive and how to use the fruits of the jungle
- Great survival experience - hunt, build, and don't get yourself killed
- Nice, familiar artistic style - simple, yet beautiful, well-designed world
- Change the island into your new home - gradually transform this hostile environment into your own, unique place on Earth
- Bring your friends - gather a group of fellow castaways and conquer the island together!
