Permafrost

Permafrost is a simulation game where you must survive a frozen world. You brave the dangers of the cold to hunt for food, scavenge valuable resources, and construct a base for you and your dog. It stands out for its realistic harsh environment, where hazardous ice and frostbite sit alongside the ethical dilemmas of navigating the different factions.

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You play a survivor of a cataclysmic event that resulted in the world freezing over and civilisation collapsing. With just your dog for company, you must build a new life in the desolate landscape, scavenging from the ruins of cities half-buried in snow and hunting wild animals for food. You must also decide how to treat the different groups in the world; you can choose to rebuild a better society, size power for yourself, or go it alone.

Play involves exploring the world by yourself, or with up to three friends online, and your trusty dog companion. You gather resources to build a base from forests and abandoned sites, fighting off other scavengers with your gun and improvised weapons. You lay traps to catch animals to eat and must fend off the cold at all times to ensure your survival. Your dog helps you sniff out animals to hunt and navigate through the wilds, and by braving extra-cold areas you can find the most useful gear.

The result is a first-hand encounter with how hard it is to survive in a harsh world with minimal resources. Creating your own base helps but care is still needed to navigate your political alliances and ever-depleting supplies.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Permafrost 8 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 7 months ago.