Yep, you read the title right. A cozy survival game. At least those are the vibes I get from my REKA, a game set for release on PC sometime in 2022. Why does this game give me "cozy" survival vibes? Read on.
There isn't much info on the game yet, and everything I can find is pretty much from the game's Twitter. Still, what I can see looks fantastic.
I like many aspects of survival games, but sometimes I'm just not into a "hardcore" experience. I played Conan Exiles when it came out, and I absolutely loved it. But I felt like any time I left it for a day or so I'd come back to a wrecked base and looted gear. I'm a bit more of a casual gamer. So that level of dedication to a game really isn't my jam.
But REKA seems to have all of my favorite elements of a survival game, without some of the anxiety inducing threats of death or loss constantly hanging over my head.
I haven't seen any game play, but here's what I can gather so far:
The Elevator Pitch
From REKA's PitchYaGame tweet:
Reka is an atmospheric home building game, set in rural europe.
Play as a witch, collect ingredients, craft supplies to help the locals and build + decorate your own witches cottage!
Everything about that sounds great.
The Environment
This is what gives the game it's "survival" feel to me. Many of the videos on the game's Twitter have a bit of a dark, gothic aesthetic. And I love that. Just take a look at this image from the website:
This is a whole vibe.
Open World? Procedurally Generated? Why not both?
You explore lands that are procedurally generated, and within those plots of land, you have pretty much open world free reign. When you're done exploring and doing all there is to be done in one plot, you can move on to another, also procedurally generated.
Environmental puzzles seem to be a big part of the game play, so if that's your thing, it looks like they've got you covered.
Combat? Quests?
None of the videos I've come across show any combat. And that's why this gives me the cozy vibes. Conflict, tension, and resolution are often handled in games via combat. But that's not the only way to do it.
There are clearly NPCs present in game who will need your help as a witch. Perhaps you craft things for them and aid them with your magic. It's unclear so far. But questing and do-gooding seems like an integral part of the game.
Crafting and Building, The IMPORTANT Stuff!
Now we get to what I really like about survival games, the creative endeavor of building and decorating your house. Who doesn't want to build a cozy or creepy witch's cottage? Sounds awesome to me.
I can spend hours on in game housing. It's a favorite way to relax. So I can't wait to see how this game handles it.
On a similar note, harvesting and crafting is another fun way to enjoy a game, and relax that doesn't always involve adrenaline pumping combat.
Wen REKA?
I don't know. Sometime in 2022, and only for PC is the only information I could find on it's release. But I'll be keeping an eye on it and sharing updates when I can.
This is one of the more exciting titles I'm keeping an eye on right now.
Does this look like something you'd play? What games currently in development are you looking forward to?