If you’ve ever dreamed of being stranded on a desert island, where you can build yourself a cosy home and get to know the local wildlife, Nordic Trolls’ new co-op survival game, Under a Rock, will let you do just that. Only, the wildlife in question is far larger (and more colourful) than you’re used to. And while they may give Disney vibes, a lot of these critters probably want to kill you.
Survival might be the first thing on your mind when you arrive on the Island but once you get to grips with your surroundings, you can turn your attention to more important matters, like building and decorating your perfect home. I’m a sucker for building in survival games, so I’m interested to see what structures the game is capable of—the glimpses we get in the trailer seem very promising.
Thankfully, you don’t need to go it alone in Under a Rock as each world supports up to ten players, meaning you can delegate different activities so you can survive—and thrive—together. Of course, you’ll need to figure out a means to fight off the less-than-friendly animals doing their best to turn you into their next meal, as well as find a food source for yourself or your group. That said, it seems you’ll be able to tame, breed, and even ride certain animals and I’m excited to figure out which of the colourful critters will be my favourites.
You can explore the forests and mountains to find the resources needed to craft tools and items. You can even dive to reach underwater caves, which may contain some of the island’s secrets. And as the island is procedurally generated, you’ll never know quite what to expect with each playthrough. But hey, at least you’re living the dream—assuming you can survive long enough to appreciate it.
Under a Rock doesn’t have a release date yet, though it’s expected to arrive in 2024. You can check more info on the Steam page.
