Gamers logo

A Survival Game Set in Antarctica Inspired by 'The Thing' (Atmospherically Speaking)

Alone and barely alive, Near Death will challenge you to survive on a forsaken landmass through exploration and gathered tools.

By Mohammed HidhayatPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
Like

By the looks of the trailer, John Carpenter's cult classic (sadly overshadowed by Spielberg's E.T at the time) seems to be the obvious inspiration to the game. The developers whose previous release was The Novelist - a beautiful choice-driven dramatic game about an Ethereal's introspective into Human quality, have also agreed upon this statement in an interview.

Served in a platter full of eye-blinding atmospheric snow, icing graphics, flickering lights & informational posters, Near Death will abandon you in a research facility established in the 1950s with all the imperfect conditions for survival - an incredible blizzard & subzero temperatures. Alone and barely alive, you will have to make do in this forsaken landmass through exploration and gathered tools.

"Antarctica is the closest thing we have on Earth to another world."

A dynamic weather system means the player will be exposed to various levels of snow, storms and lightings ; a way to conjure up the image of an alluring yet deadly Antarctic. Leaving a door open is unwise and if you're lucky enough, you might spot the main power system of the now defunct base.

Near Death started as something else and dwelled into a territory of love for 'extreme environment and terror moments' after the developers held talks with actual Antarctic scientists and explorers. From here, it was decided that the game should be an 'immersive experience' and not just another survival game.

During exploration, players will have access to heaters that can be utilized to create so-called 'pockets of warmth'. Searching for fuel becomes a very important part of the gameplay. Given the hostile conditions, you'll mark trails with lights and ropes to find your way back. Much like the Karnaca district in Dishonored 2, whiteouts will block visuals. Zero visibility inhibits movement.

Sutro Station is the open world research station through which you'll navigate through. Like any other game, certain areas of the station open up only with progress. Loneliness will push you through these lovey-dovey snow animations of death while Hope will help you prolong until you get help from across the continent.

The journey will be a treacherous spectacle ranging from brief moments of calm to raging winds and blinding whiteouts. This experience will be further amplified by an original score of haunting ambient music.

The Thing & Near Death share the same time period and location. The Thing is about a group paranoid and scared shitless about who is what and what is 'The Thing'. In Near Death, it's just you and your mind. Your plane is crashed. You're in the Dark continent. Somewhere nearby is an abandoned research station. You make contact with home base through a teletype. You grow weak as you wait. But the storm outside gets stronger.

adventure games
Like

About the Creator

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.