Fallout Meets Valheim and Subnautica in Brutal New RPG

This year has brought us so many incredible releases, including the likes of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Ghost of Yōtei, Blue Prince, and Split Fiction.

There are still a couple of months to go before 2025 is out, and the magic isn’t set to stop any time soon.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A, The Outer Worlds 2, Little Nightmares III, and Battlefield 6 are amongst some of the games still on the way.

Permafrost is another standout title set to land before the end of 2025, a survival action-adventure developed by SpaceRocket Games and published by Toplitz Productions.

“Embark on a brutal journey of survival in a perpetual winter,” the synopsis teases.

“Hunt and gather resources for building and utilise deep survival mechanics to craft your way through a harsh, unforgiving landscape. Forge alliances or dominate the remnants of humanity in this chilling open world saga,” it continues.

The survival aspects here will definitely appeal to Valheim or Subnautica fans, although the post-apocalyptic setting is more akin to something you’d find in the Fallout franchise.

As you’ve likely guessed, gameplay will consist of scavenging for resources, hunting animals, crafting tools, and adapting to the harsh wintery conditions.

You’ll be able to build bases to shelter in, where you can also grow your food and develop technological inventions which’ll aid in your survival.

Interestingly, you don’t have to start from scratch with your base. You can, for example, adapt abandoned buildings if you have the right engineering skills.

This existence won’t see you encounter many other survivors, but you will be accompanied by a canine companion who can use its keen sense of smell to warn you of nearby dangers.

You can also team up with friends, via online co-op if you prefer.

Devs tease that the title features several “moral dilemmas” where it’ll be up to you whether you “forge alliances or stay isolated”.

The narrative centres around why this land is the way it is following an event known as “the shattering”.

As for combat, that’ll see you use “primitive weapons or improvised firearms”.

As I teased, Permafrost is scheduled to launch in early access on PC in the remainder of 2025.

There is a button on the game’s Steam listing that allows you to request access to a free playtest so that may well be worth investigating if you like the sound of what’s on offer here.

It goes without saying that wishlisting the title will allow you to stay up to date on any developments.