Minecraft's credentials are pretty much second to none at this point, selling at least 300 million copies and becoming the most popular game in history in the process. Valheim wasn't able to quite reach those heady heights, but it's still hugely successful and retains an enormous and dedicated player base.
So what of a game that combines elements of the two? Well, it would certainly be an interesting prospect and we can go some way to seeing what that would be like when new RPG Everwind releases into Steam Early Access.
Developed by Enjoy Studio S.A., Everwind is a mix of classical RPG elements and survival sandbox gameplay, with a look that instantly evokes memories of Minecraft. That said, it's fair to say that it looks considerably more detailed than the block building behemoth, while retaining that distinctive visual charm that makes it so special.
There are a few areas where the game is set to do things noticeably differently. The game world features large floating islands for players to explore and collect resources, all of which you reach by crafting a flying wooden vessel.
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The ship functions as your home base, a point of safety in a dangerous world and your main method of traversal. Islands also feature unique structures to discover and dungeons to conquer, as well as fully destructible environments to bend to your will.
Combat is pretty standard sword and shield fare for the most part, though the addition of magical staffs to discover should keep things varied enough to be interesting. The game also features alchemy, so you can support your friends and yourself with specific brews.
The latter is particularly helpful when playing as a co-op pair, or in full multiplayer where the game features cross platform functionality.
No word yet on when the game will be entering Early Access, though with the current state of the gameplay footage, it looks like a very polished product already.