The walking simulator genre seemed to have dwindled dramatically around 2018, following the success of What Remains of Edith Finch. However, Arctic Awakening, a visually stunning sci-fi narrative game by GoldFire Studios, marks a revival.

In this near-future adventure, players take on the role of Kai, a bush pilot, whose plane is wrecked in a violent storm while on a supply run to an isolated Alaskan town. Now, Kai must brave the harsh elements to locate his missing copilot, Donovan, navigating through bizarre sci-fi structures along the way.

Accompanying Kai is Alfie, a therapy bot, who not only serves a legal obligation but also offers support during his perilous search, echoing themes reminiscent of Iain Banks’ sci-fi novels.

Arctic Awakening is structured in five chapters, each lasting approximately two hours, encouraging interactivity and branching narratives. The developers have announced a 10% discount for the launch period until September 25, reducing the cost to $22.50 (£19).

Arctic Awakening

Check out the release trailer to dive deeper into the experience!