In the roiling waters of the northern sea, a mysterious oil rig has appeared whose lights can be seen for miles in the darkness. The foreman is a bit jittery, clearly worried about the platform's somewhat shoddy construction and his overbearing boss docking his pay for being behind schedule. When the drilling does begin, it's not oil they strike, but something far more sinister that splinters the sea floor with an ominous red, volcanic glow. And the resident scientist and his corporate suit boss only seem to want to feed this supernatural terror, the safety of their fellow workers be damned.

To some, I've just described the plot of The Chinese Room's recent walking horror, Still Wakes the Deep. But in a strange coincidence, Dredge is now following the same trajectory with its latest DLC, The Iron Rig - albeit with fewer left hooks throwing errant Coke cans to distract wandering nasties and more actual hooks reeling up yet more fresh horrors from the deep. This new chapter in Dredge's faintly cursed archipelago finally puts the spotlight on the mysterious Ironhaven Corporation, whose CEO is a dead ringer for Wake's weaselly boss Rennick, right down to his last-minute escape on the corporate helicopter. It's all profits before people in this unfortunate corner of the ocean, though unlike Wake's poor Caz, at least you can share in some of those benefits this time thanks to the plentiful supply of upgrade opportunities for your boat.

Over the course of three to four hours, The Iron Rig will see you revisit each of Dredge's main island clusters, hunting for fresh fish in new micro-habitats created by pools of ungodly ooze that have sprung up from the fissures created by the rig's drill. Each time one of these clearly very bad cracks opens up, the rig's scientist will task you with collecting various samples to bring back to him for further analysis, but some of these aren't easily won with your default set of equipment. Cue, then, a gentle and well-paced upgrade back and forth that will see you construct new buildings on the rig to unlock enhanced versions of your rods, nets and winches, as well as blueprints for new engine parts, bait types and other gadgets to help speed the process along.

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Lo, a ripple in the release date sands. Stand still a moment while we study this phenomenon. Yes, yes, it is the unmistakable rumble of a large survival MMO pondering its release date. Dune: Awakening is having a think and has decided "early 2025" is a good non-specific time period to come out in early access. That could mean January or February. Or March, I guess. April? Now don't be silly, that's spring. Not April, surely. This beast seems hungry. It will eat before then. I have foreseen it. Mostly by watching the trailer that dropped at Gamescom.

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Everyone loved Half-Life yet no one in 1998 was brave enough to say: "Okay, but what if this was an early access crafting survival game voiced by a bunch of New Zealanders?" Those 90s cowards. Abiotic Factor is the courageous game that has been correcting this historic oversight. It's fun, and the fun just got funnerer. The "Crush Depth" update, released yesterday, adds a heap of new areas to the game's messed-up scientific facility, including a dangerous Security Sector and a vast reservoir zone called the Hydroplant. On top of that there are new weapons, tools, workbenches, drivable vehicles, fishing rods, and quite a bit more. It's all shown off in the trailer below.

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Everyone loved Half-Life yet no one in 1998 was brave enough to say: "Okay, but what if this was an early access crafting survival game voiced by a bunch of New Zealanders?" Those 90s cowards. Abiotic Factor is the courageous game that has been correcting this historic oversight. It's fun, and the fun just got funnerer. The "Crush Depth" update, released yesterday, adds a heap of new areas to the game's messed-up scientific facility, including a dangerous Security Sector and a vast reservoir zone called the Hydroplant. On top of that there are new weapons, tools, workbenches, drivable vehicles, fishing rods, and quite a bit more. It's all shown off in the trailer below.

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You're a long time undead. 7 Days To Die was shuffling along in early access for 11 years, until version 1.0 finally burst through the windows. In that time, many other survival games have sprouted, blossomed, and gently faded away. I first visited the burnt-out ruins of this zombie-infested world a decade ago and I returned to it this week to find a tree-puncher that, despite bearing the pockmarks of early access, retains much of what made it enjoyable back when the survival genre was still wearing its baby onesie. Instead of a review, I figured I'd scribble together a mini starter guide for new (or returning) players. Partly because the game is a proper time sink and it was taking me so long to get through everything. But mostly because I wanted to use that numberful headline. So, here you go: 7 dos and 7 don'ts in 7 Days To (7) Die.

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You're a long time undead. 7 Days To Die was shuffling along in early access for 11 years, until version 1.0 finally burst through the windows. In that time, many other survival games have sprouted, blossomed, and gently faded away. I first visited the burnt-out ruins of this zombie-infested world a decade ago and I returned to it this week to find a tree-puncher that, despite bearing the pockmarks of early access, retains much of what made it enjoyable back when the survival genre was still wearing its baby onesie. Instead of a review, I figured I'd scribble together a mini starter guide for new (or returning) players. Partly because the game is a proper time sink and it was taking me so long to get through everything. But mostly because I wanted to use that numberful headline. So, here you go: 7 dos and 7 don'ts in 7 Days To (7) Die.

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I believe I am not the only one who has had childhood afternoons spent poring over pirate maps, so you can recognize the feeling that such moments ignited in you, the wanderlust that you yearn to pursue in life. Sea of Thieves may provide just such an adventure (or nostalgic memory reignited), and it could be the case that once started, you will be hooked (pun intended) for a long! Think about the longevity of this adventure game: 12 Seasons already! When I say "hooked for long," it is not just an expression... I really mean it!

Is Sea of Thieves Worth It?

One must consider whether its riches truly meet their mark because the Sea of Thieves is a pleasant and addictive game, however, you cannot avoid asking yourself: is it worth its very high price tag? Also, are there ways to mitigate the price, like getting it for less - think cheap Xbox games on key websites like G2A or Eneba - or something else? Very fast, to leave these questions behind, I can tell you that on Xbox, you can get an Xbox pass for less than $10/month and enjoy many games, including Sea of Thieves. And "yes," it could be found at a better price on the websites mentioned.

From Ship to Shore: Unraveling the Mysteries of Sea of Thieves Islands

Although its graphics might not appeal to everyone - with more cartoony than hyper-realistic depictions - that doesn't matter; what matters is how well they work together: vivid colors, meticulous attention to environment details ranging from tropical island palm trees swaying in the breeze to volcanic vents in Devil's Roar giving off fiery flares combined to form an undeniably stunning world that exudes with its distinct artistic style and captivating moments of breathtaking beauty or hilarious pirate misadventures captured as screenshots before! Never have I taken so many screenshots before in one game that captured such breathtaking moments of breathtaking beauty or hilarious pirate misadventures!

An Insanely Beautiful Piratical Playground

And yet this is only a taste of what lies beyond. Concealed alcoves, perilous shallows, and mysterious isles shrouded in mist make the Sea of Thieves realm, an ever-evolving tableau that never ceases to surprise with its breadth and diversity. Furthermore, weather patterns add another dimension: one moment being caressed by gentle caresses of zephyr wind while moments later caught up in a fierce battle against tempests wreaking havoc: all elements come together to make for an ever-evolving tableau which demands reverence as well as attention as continual adaptation by those living within its waters.

Are You Dreaming of Hoisting the Jolly Roger and Chasing Sunset across Endless Blue?

In conclusion, here's the salty truth: Sea of Thieves can be an amazing solo experience too, even if I would rather recommend it as a multiplayer PvP or PvE video game, offering plenty of solitude with which you can commune with the vastness of the ocean. Even if you buy Xbox adventure games for playing alone, solo sailing offers its poetry and it is a nice departure from many more commercial offers or twitch-shooters that conquered the market lately. This is a different kind of adventure, that develops slowly, but well, and communing directly with nature while learning to read waves, predict storms, and anticipate squalls is part and parcel with becoming a hardened pirate from sea's harsh conditions.

Hello fellow gamers,

Guess what? I just scored a sweet freebie: a Steam key for V Rising. It’s like one of those action RPGs—think Diablo, Path Of Exile, and hey, even Valheim—it’s got that survival vibe with building stuff and crafting goodies.

Now, let me level with you—I’m not always into the whole point-and-click RPG thing. Too much of that and my wrist starts crying for mercy. But you know what they say, never knock it till you try it. So, I figured, why not give V Rising a shot?

From what I’ve heard, it’s got all these cool elements mashed together. You can slay monsters, build up your base, craft gear—sounds like a recipe for some serious gaming fun, right?

I’m all about games that mix it up. I mean, who doesn’t want a bit of everything? You get your action fix with the monster battles, your strategy kicks in when you’re plotting your fortress, and then there’s the crafting part where you get to create some epic gear. It’s like being a one-stop-shop for all things gaming.

Plus, the whole survival angle? That’s a game-changer. It’s not just about bashing bad guys; it’s about surviving in a world that wants to eat you for breakfast. I dig that kind of challenge—it keeps you on your toes, you know?

So, yeah, even though I might not be the biggest fan of clicking my way through an RPG marathon, I’m willing to give V Rising a whirl. Who knows, maybe it’ll surprise me. Maybe it’ll be the game that makes me rethink my whole gaming playbook.

And hey, getting a free Steam key? That’s like finding money in your pocket you forgot about. It’s a win-win situation. Worst case, I play for a bit, have some laughs, and move on. Best case, I find my new gaming obsession.

Anyway, if you have any comments, questions or reactions then please post them in the comments section below. Also, please consider following, liking and sharing to your friends.

Thank you for reading.

Once Human's maintenance is now complete, and the F2P open-world shooter is back online with a plethora of QoL improvements and optimisations, including a desperately-needed revision to vehicle handling.

Whilst players received a bundle of Stardust and health-related items to make up for the downtime, Once Human's long-promised controller and Steam Deck support is still nowhere to be seen (although, confusingly, the "controller" in-game item remains in place).

In terms of Memetics, you can now pick up memetic specialisation memory fragments in the wild and trade them between players. All memetic fragments will be destroyed at the end of the season – which is in a couple of weeks time – and cannot be sent to Eternaland, so be mindful of that.

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It looks like Unknown Worlds is posting sneaky screenshots of Subnautica 2 in the original game.

Whilst Unknown Worlds is being, ahem, coi, eagle-eyed fans think they've discovered sneaky peeks of Subnautica 2 in the first (and currently only) game via its time capsule feature.

Originally it wasn't clear where these mysterious images were coming from, but moderators of the Subnautica subreddit have since confirmed "screenshot[s are] from the upcoming Subnautica 2" and not fan-made mods.

Read more

Once Human's maintenance is now complete, and the F2P open-world shooter is back online with a plethora of QoL improvements and optimisations, including a desperately-needed revision to vehicle handling.

Whilst players received a bundle of Stardust and health-related items to make up for the downtime, Once Human's long-promised controller and Steam Deck support is still nowhere to be seen (although, confusingly, the "controller" in-game item remains in place).

In terms of Memetics, you can now pick up memetic specialisation memory fragments in the wild and trade them between players. All memetic fragments will be destroyed at the end of the season – which is in a couple of weeks time – and cannot be sent to Eternaland, so be mindful of that.

Read more

It looks like Unknown Worlds is posting sneaky screenshots of Subnautica 2 in the original game.

Whilst Unknown Worlds is being, ahem, coi, eagle-eyed fans think they've discovered sneaky peeks of Subnautica 2 in the first (and currently only) game via its time capsule feature.

Originally it wasn't clear where these mysterious images were coming from, but moderators of the Subnautica subreddit have since confirmed "screenshot[s are] from the upcoming Subnautica 2" and not fan-made mods.

Read more

Every time I step out of an elevator, I accelerate wildly in case the elevator falls without warning and chops me in half, leaving the frontal and, all things considered, inferior portion of my body swaying in place for a second before collapsing in a cloud of bisected bone and organ. Don't laugh: I know you do this too. Kletka isn't helping: created by in404, it's a horror scavenging game reminiscent of Lethal Company and Golden Light, in which you ponderously plummet through the layers of an "endless" post-Soviet Gigastructure, scrounging fuel, parts and provender for an elevator that wants to eat you.

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Edwin spotted this game called Beta Decay that's not got a release date yet or anything, but looks very cool. It's being developed by Rotoscope Studios and it's a low-poly, 90s-inspired mix of dystopian RPG, survival, third and first-person shooter, with some roguelike bits slapped in there, as well. Whew, that's a lot. Potentially too much. But hey, I am here for something ambitious and interesting, of which it ticks both boxes.

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How do you like your survival games? A nice bit of wood chopping while the birds chirp? Gathering some mushrooms while you deflect a little goblin's swings? Stumbling parched through a desert as a bed of scorpions prick your ankles with deadly venom? Well, Enshrouded may provide some or none of these experiences, but what its latest update does is capture their spirit. You'll now be able to choose from several difficulty presets to dampen or spice up the game's challenge. Otherwise, there's new customisation options and some quality of life tweaks, too.

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I don't know what the longest-running early access game in history has been (perhaps Project Zomboid?) but I know that zombie survival game 7 Days To Die is definitely up there. We first reported its appearance back in the dark ages of 2013. For context, that was the year Grand Theft Auto V came out. Whoa! Okay, calm down, sorry, I didn't mean to panic you. Yes, the arrow of time is inviolable. We are all marching steadily towards our graves, I know. But at least now 7 Days To Die has finally released its fully baked version 1.0.

Read more

Every time I step out of an elevator, I accelerate wildly in case the elevator falls without warning and chops me in half, leaving the frontal and, all things considered, inferior portion of my body swaying in place for a second before collapsing in a cloud of bisected bone and organ. Don't laugh: I know you do this too. Kletka isn't helping: created by in404, it's a horror scavenging game reminiscent of Lethal Company and Golden Light, in which you ponderously plummet through the layers of an "endless" post-Soviet Gigastructure, scrounging fuel, parts and provender for an elevator that wants to eat you.

Read more

Edwin spotted this game called Beta Decay that's not got a release date yet or anything, but looks very cool. It's being developed by Rotoscope Studios and it's a low-poly, 90s-inspired mix of dystopian RPG, survival, third and first-person shooter, with some roguelike bits slapped in there, as well. Whew, that's a lot. Potentially too much. But hey, I am here for something ambitious and interesting, of which it ticks both boxes.

Read more

How do you like your survival games? A nice bit of wood chopping while the birds chirp? Gathering some mushrooms while you deflect a little goblin's swings? Stumbling parched through a desert as a bed of scorpions prick your ankles with deadly venom? Well, Enshrouded may provide some or none of these experiences, but what its latest update does is capture their spirit. You'll now be able to choose from several difficulty presets to dampen or spice up the game's challenge. Otherwise, there's new customisation options and some quality of life tweaks, too.

Read more

I don't know what the longest-running early access game in history has been (perhaps Project Zomboid?) but I know that zombie survival game 7 Days To Die is definitely up there. We first reported its appearance back in the dark ages of 2013. For context, that was the year Grand Theft Auto V came out. Whoa! Okay, calm down, sorry, I didn't mean to panic you. Yes, the arrow of time is inviolable. We are all marching steadily towards our graves, I know. But at least now 7 Days To Die has finally released its fully baked version 1.0.

Read more

Station wagon survival 'em up Pacific Drive has received a summer update which adds a photomode, new upgrades for garage machinery, a new sideways dodge manouver for the car, and a piece of paid cosmetic DLC. This is the first of a new roadmap of post-release updates still to come.

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Station wagon survival 'em up Pacific Drive has received a summer update which adds a photomode, new upgrades for garage machinery, a new sideways dodge manouver for the car, and a piece of paid cosmetic DLC. This is the first of a new roadmap of post-release updates still to come.

Read more

Pocketpair could be bringing Palworld to PS5 sooner rather than later.

Palworld's community manager Bucky recently posted to X, wrapping the word Palworld with black, green, and white hearts.

"I want to add more hearts, but not sure what colour would fit…" Bucky said. "Hmm… How about…"

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Ten years ago, we were drowning in early access survival games about chopping trees and crafting camp fires. Rust pit monstrous players against one another, DayZ had us dashing around for beans and bleach, while The Forest creeped us the hell out in a dark jungle. There was even a week-long celebration here at RPS called survival week to get the genre out of our systems. A lot of those games have since graduated to a full 1.0 release, but one survivalist shambled on. 7 Days To Die is a solid sandbox craft 'em up with zombie hordes, and it never left the comfort of its early access log cabin surrounded by spikes and land mines. But a (tentative) release date is finally on the horizon, according to the developers. And it's quite soon.

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Ten years ago, we were drowning in early access survival games about chopping trees and crafting camp fires. Rust pit monstrous players against one another, DayZ had us dashing around for beans and bleach, while The Forest creeped us the hell out in a dark jungle. There was even a week-long celebration here at RPS called survival week to get the genre out of our systems. A lot of those games have since graduated to a full 1.0 release, but one survivalist shambled on. 7 Days To Die is a solid sandbox craft 'em up with zombie hordes, and it never left the comfort of its early access log cabin surrounded by spikes and land mines. But a (tentative) release date is finally on the horizon, according to the developers. And it's quite soon.

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The maker of superb village builder Dorfromantik has lifted the lid on its next game, Star Birds.

Unveiled at the PC Gaming Show this evening, Toukana Interactive's new space puzzler is being made in collaboration with German YouTube science channel Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell, who are providing the cheerful, cartoon visual style for this asteroid-themed base builder.

Designed to offer a "fresh and accessible" approach to resource management games, Star Birds is all about helping its titular avian explorers establish a thriving mining empire on as many asteroids as they can sink their beaks into. The asteroids in question will be procedurally-generated, and you'll need to work around their unique shapes, sizes and terrains in order to tap the precious materials they hide beneath the surface.

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Up and atom! There is a British Fallout-like game on the horizon from Sniper Elite studio, Rebellion.

It's called Atomfall, and it was revealed at this evening's Xbox showcase. The team describes Atomfall as a single-player survival action game which will see players exploring a post-nuclear environment, and then scavenging, crafting, bartering and - of course - fighting to survive.

While Atomfall's story is fictional, it has been inspired by a real-world nuclear disaster that occurred in northern England in 1957. Players will experience Britain five years after this event, and find that "everything has changed" after that fateful day. You can check out the trailer - complete with British hymns, bunting and phone boxes - below.

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Developer Black Salt Games has confirmed that Dredge's highly anticipated second DLC, The Iron Rig, will release on 15th August, 2024.

The indie fishing adventure will, ahem, "lure players back in" with new fish, new boat upgrades and gadgets, and a brand-new storyline.

Playable at any time in your Dredge adventure, The Iron Rig sees you join the Ironhaven Corporation to "collect resources to build a formidable base of operations, unlocking new tiers of equipment, abilities, gadgets, and consumables". And as part of the adventure, you'll get to "revisit every area from the base game with renewed purpose".

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Shown off at the PC Gaming Show the other day, Generation Exile is a sustainable turn-based citybuilder with some real talent behind it. It's being developed by Sonderlust Studios, headed up by Mark Of The Ninja's lead designer Nels Anderson, alongside other talented developers like Karla Zimonja, who worked on Gone Home. Yeah, it's definitely one to watch.

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When the Summer Game Fest trailer for "narrative-centric cosy game" Wanderstop said it was from the creator behind The Stanley Parable, I thought I had surely entered a different dimension where The Stanley Parable was actually a wholesome shop-keeping sim rather than a zig-zagging office-based nightmare. Then Wanderstop started to get rather bleak, and I finally stopped pinching myself. See for yourself.

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A French game about mountain climbing? No, not that one. This is Cairn, not Jusant, and it’s actually a very different beast. Jusant could be tricky, but climbing was more the way you experienced its story. In survival climber Cairn, the ascent is the story. It seem to mainly be a story about how bad you are at climbing.

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Taking that famous quote from Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead, then sticking a ‘2’ on the end because that’s how sequels work, No More Room In Hell 2 is an eight player co-op horror from Chivalry 2 bods Torn Banner. It’s been teased for a while now, but now it’s got a release month: this October, 2024. Shamble hungrily toward the trailer below

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I should be further in than this. My supposed rebellion has thus far eked out a territory that could be described as "where?". My personal reputation is great only among people who love mushrooms and hate deer. It's been long enough that I should probably be a fierce warlord running a large chunk of the kingdom in opposition by now, but instead, I have the skillset of fifty peasants, and the outstanding work of fifty three. And I know why. Bellwright has taught me what I already knew in theory, but had not truly appreciated:

Good managers are rare and precious. And I'm not one of them.

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Fae Farm and Dauntless developer Phoenix Labs is undergoing a significant restructure, cancelling all other projects and laying off around 140 staff.

The studio shared the news in a LinkedIn post, stating that after a "long period of evaluating how to navigate our economic environment, we have had to significantly restructure the company to pave a path for a strong future."

The statement does not specify how many staff are affected by layoffs, but principal engineer Kris Morness posted "about 140" people have been impacted. What's more, one of the cancelled projects includes a game set to be announced in a month's time.

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