New on Steam: Three big survival games enter the showdown this week

This week”s Steam releases are packed – with survival, an exciting Diablo competitor and a hard-hitting real-time strategy game

Highlight of the week: The battle of the survival games

Nightingale

Nightingale opens the gates to a Victorian-inspired fantasy world that not only impresses with its visual splendor, but also with a profound crafting and survival system. The ability to pass through magical portals and explore unknown realms with friends in co-op also sets Nightingale apart from its opponents.

The focus on shared survival and base-building in a world that is as dangerous as it is wondrous could make this game the new star of the highly competitive survival genre in the eyes of many.

Pacific Drive

Pacific Drive takes you on a different kind of road trip. On a post-apocalyptic Pacific coast, you must defend your vehicle not only against the adversities of nature, but also against supernatural threats.

The game combines survival and racing game elements, for example when you plunder resources or race away from danger. The constant improvement and customization of your own vehicle in a world full of dangers promises a unique and (hopefully) exciting experience.

Sons of the Forest 1.0

While Sons of the Forest is already an established name in the genre, the final version 1.0 brings with it a number of new features. One of the most important points is the improved interaction options with your companion Kelvin, who can now repair buildings, sharpen stakes or look after the camp

These new features, combined with numerous improvements and additional content, should help Sons of the Forest 1.0 to have a second spring on Steam – the record-breaking player numbers from February 2023 are currently miles away.

Other important releases of the week

Monday, February 19

• Craftomation 101 (Early Access): A touch of Factorio wafts through this construction game in which you build a base for your robot servants to take care of. However, you first have to teach them their tasks through visual programming.

Tuesday, February 20

• Balatro: A roguelike deckbuilder in which you combine poker hands with special skills. One of the most-played demos of the Steam Next Fest.
• Le Mans Ultimate (Early Access): The official racing game for the legendary 24-hour race.
• Furnish Master (Early Access): In this puzzle game you have to furnish rooms with furniture in order to achieve certain goals.
• Supermarket Simulator (Early Access): Here you build your own small supermarket. In the beginning, you will stand at the checkout and fill shelves yourself, but later you can have almost all processes taken over by employees.

Wednesday, February 21

• Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance: In this real-time strategy game, you lead the humans into battle against Legion”s machine army. Find out how tough the unequal war against Terminators and co. is in our exclusive test (available from Monday, 10 a.m.):

• Bandle Tale: The next game in the LoL universe comes from the makers of Graveyard Keeper. As a little Yordle, you have to collect and craft resources and explore five islands in the course of the story. Of course, you will also meet familiar heroes such as Corki, Heimerdinger and Veigar.
• Last Epoch 1.0: The action RPG hopeful wants to compete even more with Diablo 4 and Path of Exile with its final release. The game mechanics are significantly more complex than in Diablo, but you don”t need a doctorate like in Path of Exile. You can find out whether it has become the perfect middle ground in our test just in time for the release.

Thursday, February 22nd

• Solium Infernum: The Civilization in Hell was originally supposed to be released last week, but was postponed for a few days for the final polish.
• Garden Life: In this relaxed gardening simulation, you plant flower seeds, weed, water your garden with a watering can and decorate it with all kinds of bells and whistles.
• The Tribe Must Survive: A roguelike building game set in the dark Stone Age. You must find ways to protect and grow your tribe while monsters from the darkness seek the lives of your inhabitants.

Friday, February 23

• 9-Bit Armies (Early Access): At the end of the week, a real-time strategy game with a voxel look that takes some getting used to, but allows for impressive destruction.

Finally, it”s up to you again: Which game are you most looking forward to in this jam-packed week? And which of the three survival games will come out on top this week? Let us know in the comments section