Multiplayer sandbox survival games seem to be the next big thing on Steam, with titles like Rust and DayZ regularly cropping up on the service’s most-played lists. Whilst zombies have proven to be a popular choice of opposition for such titles, when The Stomping Land launches on Steam Early Access later this month, players will have something considerably larger to worry about.
With Jurassic World hitting cinemas next year, there’s a decent chance of another dinosaur boom in pop culture, and The Stomping Ground looks like it could be set to ride that wave. Taking on the role of a prehistoric hunter, players will have to use all their wits to survive on the uncompromising Capa Island. Armed with a spear, a bow and a set of bolas, it’s up to you whether you team up with other players, or even hunt the deadliest game of all—your fellow man.
That’s not to downplay just how deadly the dinosaurs themselves are, though. A direct confrontation with some of the bigger beasts will end very quickly for the inexperienced player, so you’ll have to improve your skills by increasing your Expertise statistic by surviving longer. Survive long enough and you’ll be able to tame an injured dinosaur and use it as your mount—but dying means you’ll have to start afresh.
However, before combat even begins, players will have to track down their prey. Dinosaurs are represented by stars in the night sky, allowing hunters to carefully move in for the kill. Character customization comes in the form of home-made ghillie suits comprising of various pieces of foliage found in the undergrowth. Impressive examples posted by the developers on the game’s website have shown just how robust this system is, allowing users a huge amount of say in just how their in-game avatar looks.
Those who backed the game’s very successful Kickstarter campaign last year will be able to take their first steps into the wilderness on May 23, with Early Access being open to those who missed out at a price of $24.99 on May 30.