Permafrost

A story-driven survival sandbox set in a frozen post-apocalyptic world. Play as Rook — an engineer chasing a radio signal from a long-lost friend — alone with your dog or in co-op with up to 4 players, scavenging, crafting and building shelters to outlast the cold.

Early Access - Oct 9, 2026 71% Mostly Positive $24.99 on Steam, GOG, Epic Co-op up to 4 ~22 hrs of quests so far
Permafrost on Steam PC only — no console version announced
ⓘ

Worth it? If you like survival crafting with an actual story, yes — the frozen setting and shelter-building land well. Go in knowing it's Early Access: quest bugs, some clunky movement and FPS drops are the common complaints, and the price is expected to rise toward the 1.0 release, so buying early is the cheaper route.

What players are saying

Roughly 2,100 Steam reviews in its first two weeks — the praise and the complaints are consistent.

Players like

  • Atmosphere — the endless-winter world feels genuinely hostile
  • Crafting and base building with real depth
  • Dog companion and 4-player co-op
  • Story-driven quests, rare for the genre

Players complain

  • Quest bugs and progression blockers
  • Clunky movement and controls
  • FPS drops and occasional crashes
  • Parts of the map still feel empty

The survival loop

Body Warmth

Your real enemy is the cold itself. Clothing sets the temperature you can tolerate; drop below it and you start dying.

Cold Zones

Pockets of lethal, extra-cold air. High risk, high reward — the best loot sits inside them.

Shelter network

Build and link shelters across the map instead of one megabase — expeditions need warm waypoints.

Factions & wildlife

Enemy factions hold territory and hostile wildlife roams. Nature kills more players than either.

Quests drive progress

Each town's questline unlocks new crafting recipes and points you toward the next settlement.

Scarce inventory

Space is tight by design — planning what to carry on each trip is part of the game.

First nights: staying alive

  1. 1
    Fire before anything else

    You cannot sleep without being warm enough. Campfires and wall torches (yes, wall-mounted torches count as heat) are your early lifeline — stockpile wood.

  2. 2
    Follow the town quests

    Quests unlock crafting recipes and guide you settlement to settlement — they're the intended progression path, not filler.

  3. 3
    Dress for the temperature, not the look

    Combined clothing sets your survivable range. Check the forecast before long trips — storms push temperatures below your gear's limit.

  4. 4
    Respect Cold Zones

    Enter prepared, loot fast, leave. Dying inside one means a corpse run from your respawn point through the same cold.

  5. 5
    Rest in settlements when you can

    Populated areas are warm enough to hold Body Warmth with no fire upkeep — free recovery.

FAQ

Is Permafrost single-player or multiplayer?

Both. Solo you travel with a dog companion; online co-op supports up to 4 players.

How long is Permafrost in Early Access?

The developers plan at least 12 months, adding biomes, quests, NPCs, enemies, equipment and vehicles. The price will likely rise toward 1.0.

How much content is there now?

Players finishing the main quest plus all side quests report around 22 hours, with large areas of the map still closed off.

Who makes Permafrost?

Developed by SpaceRocket Games and published by Toplitz Productions, released October 9, 2026 on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store.