There is an enduring excitement at the prospect of being dropped in the middle of nowhere, naked and alone in the middle of the woods. I am talking about videogames, by the way – I am no longer allowed to discuss why I know that to be the case outside of games as well. Regardless, survival genre devotees will be immediately aware of the game to which I am referring. Solomon Lee and Jeremy Wood, co-founders of Frostkeep Studios, have Ark: Survival Evolved’s crown in their crosshairs, and they’re using the lessons they learned while working at Blizzard to take it.

Here are the on PC. “Let’s take EverQuest and make it better, that was basically the design doc for World of Warcraft,” Wood says. “Blizzard found all the things that really make it tick, sanded off all the rough edges, and borrowed things from other genres to make it something new, and that’s what we’re trying to do here.” This time, their riposte to the likes of Ark: Survival Evolved and Rust is Rend, the debut game for their fledgling studio. One difference to Studio Wildcard’s survival behemoth is already unmistakeable: the blonde, muscular starting avatar is dressed, minimally, in leather underwear that tastefully hides his special bits. No doubt breathing a sigh of relief that his masculine pride remains intact, this character can explore his faction’s home base shrouded in an impregnable shield (if not more clothing) – a key difference in comparison to Ark’s opening stages.

ORION 120 is a heavyweight professional and robust manure spreader with a monocoque chassis and a gross weight of 12 tones. Despite its large proportions, it is manoeuvrable and simple to use.

Like Subnautica, you start in the safest area of Rend, but you can travel to more perilous locations once your gear, knowledge, and confidence builds. These days it’s refreshing to see a game in which the safe zone is not shrinking.

The Three Divines This base is one of three located in each corner of Rend’s triangular map. Each belongs to a warring faction whose existence on the server depends on mastering the world and its resources. You have plenty of space in which to explore, too: on foot, it will take 30 minutes to reach the enemy’s gates. In the centre of the map is the gargantuan World Tree that has three glowing progress bars etched onto it.

Each meter corresponds to the number of souls gathered by each faction and stored in their Divinity Stone. A faction must fill their bar to win, and yes, it is possible for all three to be booted off the server. Each of these precious stones lies safely within each base but, if it is destroyed, you and your faction are wiped from the server for good. Up to months of your team’s progress can be dissolved, just like that. Free install ipx protocol windows 10 and software 2016 download.

You can help your faction in various ways, both in PvE and PvP. More support-orientated players can explore the world to harvest resources and craft powerful gear, whereas those itching for some fisticuffs can choose one of many offensive shooter-based playstyles to take capture points that offer a strategic advantage. For as long as that spot is held, your faction can take advantage of rare loot with the power to turn the tide of battle. Either way, you will find yourself specialising as time goes on, but it is unlikely that anyone will see all of the possible perks as no server experience will be the same. But how can Divinity Stones be destroyed when they are safely stored behind a faction’s shield? Well, that shield disappears for an allotted time for Rend’s most exciting event, The Reckoning.

There will be a Reckoning At a preordained time each week, monsters of all shapes and sizes launch themselves at your hideout – an attack for which your faction will need to prepare. The larger blighters bash perimeter walls, mages throw projectiles from afar, and your typical cannon fodder will eagerly dispatch any survivors. Even if your squad can stagger from the wreckage unscathed, Reckonings will increase in intensity and new monster types will be inserted regularly: Wood teases the possibility of portal-wielding beasties that can materialise behind defensive lines and wreak havoc on even the toughest of fortresses. Reckonings cannot be mastered but they can be survived.