The concept of surviving in the wilderness is something I have seen in countless movies, shows and wildlife documentaries. I never realized the determination of surviving against nature itself would make a great video game, until I played Winter Survival.
In Winter Survival, you play as Danny, a regular guy who agrees to go to Mount Washington State Park for a winter hike with some friends. Unfortunately, the fun trip turns into a deadly game of survival in the cold lands of the wilderness. Danny must brave the harsh climate, dangerous animals, thirst, hunger, his own sanity, and fight for his survival while also finding out what happened to his other friends.
My time with Winter Survival was short but exciting and challenging, with one major complaint that I will get into later in this review. The game’s vast open area impressed me greatly. But what was even more impressive is at its heart, Winter Survival is purely a survival adventure. It takes the genre seriously with its unique gameplay and two separate modes, which got me so addicted I didn’t want to put my controller down.
What Really Happened On That Hiking Trip?
Winter Survival has two available modes: Story and Endless Mode with a third mode, “Cold Wave,” coming soon. Unfortunately, for this review, I only got to play the first two chapters of the story mode, so certain aspects of the plot weren’t very clear to me.
The opening minutes of the game sees Danny answering a phone call from his friend, Joel. He asks Danny to join the group for a hike at the Mount Washington State Park, which Danny enthusiastically agrees to. This sequence plays like a creepy flashback and soon we are transported to the present, in the middle of the woods, where Danny is greeted by an anxious Joel concerned about his well-being.
So, what really went wrong? I don’t know. In fact, the game never really answers this at least from what I played. I really do hope we find out in the future chapters when the full game releases.
After escaping a bunch of hungry wolves and a very big bear, Danny regroups with Joel in a cave where they set up shelter. Just when I, as a player, got some time to breathe after the intense first mission, a big bear appear.
Joel and Danny are forced to hide. Once it is safe and I decide to sleep for the day, the game cuts to Danny running for his life through the thick blanket of snow with a big bear chasing him. Thus begins Winter Survival.
Story Mode of Winter Survival is mainly just Danny looking for his friends and signs that they are alive. I wish there were a bit more story elements and character backgrounds were better established. But I realized I had barely scratched the surface of the game’s story, which is divided into five different acts.
Good Gameplay, Terrible Controller Support
As soon as I booted up the game, I saw there was a separate tutorial section in the menu. Deciding to check it out before starting the game, I was surprised at how extensive it was.
Many games these days do not offer such a feature and usually just start the game off with gameplay instruction. It was refreshing to see a survival game that prioritizes making their players aware of the mechanics and combat they need to know BEFORE beginning their adventure.
But as much as I loved trying out Winter Survival’s gameplay, I couldn’t enjoy it to the fullest given how my controller wasn’t completely compatible with the game. The game’s partial controller support felt wonky, and I had to use both my controller and my mouse to access certain features.
For a gamer who only relies on a controller on my PC and can barely manage with a mouse and keyboard, it felt very uncomfortable to juggle between both. It honestly put me off and has left a sour taste in my mouth that I hope the developers don’t overlook in the full release.
The crafting and survival mechanics are neatly done. I could actually feel the stress and anxiety Danny faces in the wilderness. Certain details of the game felt so realistic that it got me impressed. Like when Danny doesn’t wash himself for long periods of time, he develops a “stench” which can be easily tracked by predators in the wild. It made me realize that whenever I find a water source nearby (like rivers), it is vital that he bathes in order to survive longer.
Other than that, there are four factors that affect Danny’s trauma and mind: sleep, hunger, thirst, and body temperature. It is vital for the player to keep an eye on these four bars, because the more these areas affect Danny negatively, the more his trauma increases. This leads to him developing hallucinations, psychosis, and other mental disorders. The game calls it a “sanity system,” which is quite unique and actually works well within the context of the game.
Being a first-person game, the combat (based on what I played) didn’t feel anything complex. But it also was terrifying on its own, especially fighting wolves and bears in the night. As Danny is literally trying to survive in the wild, he not only has to make his own food, shelter, and clothes but also has to craft his own weapons.
Naturally then, collecting resources becomes the most important part of the game. And these resources come from nature itself through exploration, which is significant to the core gameplay.
The Wilds Of Mount Washington State Park Is Your Playground
Winter Survival is all about exploration because without it, Danny is as good as dead. The key to surviving every day in the game is to keep moving and not remain in one place. Danny has needs like hunger, thirst, and hygiene, so it is important for him to collect resources. The game organically forces you into this with its multiple quests.
The wilderness and harsh winter of Mount Washington is so realistically done that I could notice there was a change in pattern to animals’ behavior depending on the day/night cycle. For example, the wolves were less active in the day and were more deadly after sunset. I knew I had to wrap up certain quests at a certain time because it felt safer, especially when I had no weapons.
There was a vast difference when it came to exploring in the day and night. In the day, the nature of Mount Washington was bathed in sunlight where certain views looked gorgeous, which also made me wish there was a photo mode.
However, the wilds in the night were when the environment felt more alive and dangerous especially with so many predators roaming around. The gloomy and misty atmosphere added a horror-like vibe that made the game feel scary at times.
This Can Be Something Great
With the game going into early access, I believe Winter Survival has the potential to be one of the best survival games to come out in recent years. I loved what I played and experienced and only wish the developers would add full controller support in the future.
The game’s balance between story, gameplay, and exploration is excellent and is guaranteed to make the players feel the struggle of surviving against the throes of nature. There’s also a replayability element here with the “Endless” mode, which allows players to explore however they want and take their own path.
PS: The release back-to-back release of Sons of the Forest, Pacific Drive, and Winter Survival does make one wonder if 2024 might be the year for first-person survival games.
Winter Survival
Winter Survival is a guaranteed, full-fledged, brutal survival game with unique gameplay, good crafting mechanics, and realistic exploration.
The Good
- Enjoyable gameplay and crafting
- Gorgeous visuals
- Challenging and realistic exploration
- Replayability options
The Bad
- Terrible controller support didn't allow me to enjoy the game to the fullest
- Only 2 chapters of the story is out for now, as the game is in early access and players might have to wait longer for future chapters.
