Survival games aren’t known to be easy; that’s kind of the whole point, especially when you often find yourself in remote, unforgiving locations where you need to keep fed, hydrated, and protected from the elements and maybe some hostile mobs. But Prologue: Go Wayback! takes its difficulty to a whole new level.

“I like brutal games,” PUBG creator Brendan Greene tells me. “I grew up with Doom and spent weeks trying to get past its levels. I want to make a space that is hard and difficult because I do think a lot of gamers like that. Like, there’s too much hand-holding, which is fine. But just my game won’t have that option.”

The real risk in Prologue comes from making the wrong choices, unlike most survival games where enemies deliver the finishing blow. Every decision can lead to a fatal mistake, whether it’s climbing a slippery rock or attempting to swim across cold waters. The unpredictable weather also presents a constant challenge.

“Some people wanted, like, a big bad or an enemy that was not predictable,” Greene says. “It’s like in Battle Royale when you come across another player that you can’t really control… the same with the weather.”

Survivors must navigate the maps methodically, making strategic plans to ensure survival against the elements. Greene suggests that the difficulty is intended to provoke a reaction from players.

“I expect a lot of people will hate it, but that’s ok if it elicits a reaction—that’s all I want. People didn’t get [Battle Royale] at first, but then they did. And I think it’s the same with this.”

It’s okay to die and start again.
—Brendan Greene