The Long Dark

This game deserves such a longer and more well thought out review than what I will write here today, but I've sat on this review for too long as is. I've been playing this game since it was in Alpha, and have long been in love with it. The story mode doesn't live up to what I think it could, at least in my thinking, but I'm not too fussed about that, because the real meat and bones of this game is and always has been the sandbox survival mode. Please don't be fooled by the term "sandbox" to think that it's some unfinished non-game-- the narrative that this game's survival mode always had from way back in Alpha was that your character is going to die here. All you're doing is trying to survive as long as possible. You might even succeed at making a comfortable home with renewable resources and live to day 500 with no end in sight--people have indeed done that, actually. But the point isn't to escape or to tame the wilderness. There is no taming it; there is only surviving and trying to carve out a place of safety or two. There are multiple modes to choose from, including one where the wildlife won't attack you (I played the game on this mode for most of my first hundred hours before I finally stopped being scared of the wolves); one where they attack, but aren't your biggest threat when compared to the environment itself and weather; one where you're operating with limited resources and the environment is even harsher; and one where everything is incredibly harsh. There is also a custom mode that lets you decide what aspects you want to play with. The devs are constantly working on this game and adding things in (they swore for years they would never add a custom mode, but finally gave in to the fans' persistent please), and they are frequently running special events (just recently, they had a Halloween event where some monster was chasing you around the maps! Too spooky for me, but it sounded incredible). As they continue to work on the story mode (it's episodic), they have been releasing updated maps with more places to shelter and go, and new mechanics, and even entirely new regions to explore! This is a final, released game, but it was already worth the cost when it was still barely out of Alpha mode, and the fact that it's still living and breathing and evolving per the fans' desires and the devs' vision is incredible and worth supporting. If you enjoy survival games, then there is no reason not to get this game. Manage your caloric intake, exhaustion, encumbrance, hydration, warmth, item durability, and scent while you keep an eye on the weather, your safehouses, and the wildlife in order to survive the brutal snowscape. ...Or go to peaceful mode and enjoy the loot-bonanza while you sight-see and and watch the wildlife, chugging on your maple syrup and munching on your candy bars. There's really no wrong way to play this game! And hey, if you get bored, then stop by the forums here or on the hinterlands website and check out the various community challenges that people come up with. Quite a lot of them are really fun!
One day, I'll write up a more organized and thorough review of this game. But, not today. The story mode is a great introduction to the mechanics of survival mode, but even if you don't really enjoy the story mode, really, go check out the survival. You won't regret it.

After over 1000 hours spent on this game I have thought: why did I not write a review yet? Probably because getting immersed in The Long Dark you discover each day something new. But here it is: The Long Dark isn’t your typical zombie survival game. You get an even more challenging opponent: the nature. After a geomagnetic storm, the climate of the earth has changed and you have to survive no matter what in the harsh weather that keeps throwing challenges at you each day. Zombie apocalypse? Neah. Trust me I have played a lot of survival games, old and new and this one is by far my favourite. Being lost in blizzard without seeing almost anything, the cold decimating your body as you struggle to advance slowly with your clothes starting to freeze and the nearby sound of growling wolves beats any survival experience. The game has a set of skills which you can improve as a human being. You need to learn how to cook, start a fire, fish, craft clothes from the animals you hunt, gadgets to fight the nature, and lately even ammo for your guns. And each day you discover new places to visit in this deserted world. Just you and the nature. But at the end of the day, after you have gathered a few more supplies, cooked your food, made sure you have enough water supply and firewood, you can take a second to admire the beautiful landscapes that the Canadian wilderness has to offer you. Or even get out of your shelter at night to watch the sky filled with stars or the aurora borealis if you are lucky
After soo much time played i can assure you you will still have a lot more to learn about The Long Dark. The visual and audio effects of the nature are gorgeous, the music steps quietly sometimes to beautify your surroundings and each new zone you explore becomes part of your memory. Cause yeah, you create your own map of your steps, you have to remember key locations on each area , and the dangers they come up with. I have found tons of strategies of how to avoid/kill the wolf packs, hunt a bear or a moose. And trust me when I say this. The hostile animals can be unforgiving when you venture outside to ensure your survival. You have to make sure your guns are ready, you have proper clothing to survive a fight without much dmg taken, and of course check out that you have a sunny day to venture outside. WHY? Cause you only have one chance at this. If you die it is game over and you have to start again from scratch.
You can see the devs poured their hearts and souls on this one. Starting from a small team, Hinterlands has managed to create an outstanding game over the passing of time, to start the storyline campaign and they struggle each day to give the players something new. Even in these pandemic times we live in. As opposed to other survival games that got stuck in early access, The Long Dark si still moving on. Each year you get new areas to explore on survival mode and the storyline, although slow is still progressing. Apart from that you get challenges and when I say challenges you will find out what I mean if you play the game. Getting chased by an old bear full of arrows through the blizzard, without having enough time to get proper clothes, food or other supplies beats any horde of zombies in my opinion. But, hey, that is just my 2 cents about it.
I could write you things about this game all day, all night. I could even make video guides that would make others’ pale in comparison. But wouldn’t it be more fun if you discover what you are build of? If you are not a patient person and you tend to slack off on a survival game, don’t buy this one. The nature will take you as her price in an instant. It is as close as it can get to surviving in real time conditions in the cold. Experienced survivalists have tried this one and they were amazed. Of course, you need to be mindful that this is still a game, not the real stuff. But still, an awesome experience. A lot of players invested time in it to create guides and maps for the areas you explore, so yeah, you can get a lot of help now if you need it. If not, do as I did, and try to make your own memory line of this game. It will become a small part of you
I wrote this review now because Christmas is near. And yeah, I tend to play a lot more than usual this game during winter season because it’s nice to open your window, look at the snow outside and then get back to the wilderness in The Long Dark. Trust me, it’s the best Christmas present for you survival game fans out there

I live in a Cabin in the Canadian wilderness. I play game about surviving in cabins in Canadian wilderness. 10/10

I usually don't buy single player survival games. But because of the enormous amount of positive reviews I decided I would game a try.
Man I was not disappointed. Especially in times like this where I'm quarantined. This is the best game for quarantine. This is all I've been playing. I haven't had a game where I was excited to wake up and play for a long time. I even pulled all nighters for this.
The Long Dark is a open world survival game with no hand holding. This game is not easy, which I really like. Also there isn't GPS or a map. (Well technically there is one but you have to map it out yourself) You have to plan out how you're going to start your day because it could be your last. I've never been so happy to see a cave in the middle of nowhere. This game is amazing and it's a game with an amazing soundtrack. A lot of games are good but do not have the best soundtrack. But this, this soundtrack is amazing and it really suits well with the game. This game also gets bonus points from me as I'm a Canadian myself and most survival games usually puts you in the U.S. It's rare to see a survival game based off the Canadian wilderness. Also if you finish story mode. You can do survival and challenges which can add countless of hours of fun.
I look forward to more updates and I've heard they might make more games. You Hinterland, have secured yourself another customer. Keep up the great work.

I bought this game in early access back in 2014, and I've returned to it every year - usually during the winter. I've always been impressed with the atmosphere and tone of the game, the immersion it provides, and the way it refuses to hold your hand. It's only been now, though, after finally ascending to the summit of Timberwolf Mountain almost 7 years later, that I think I can articulate what I love about it.
The game is complex, although it deals with very simple objectives. Find food. Drink water. Don't get lost. You're forced to look at the game on a per day, sometimes per hour scale. This means that everything you do, every little hunting trip or errand run, every foray into a new region, is a tremendous risk while still being completely grounded and relatable. And it means that when you go on an adventure it feels like a genuine adventure.
When I broke away from my little hidey-hole in the farmhouse and set off to completely unknown territory, I felt it. When I hid out in a snow shelter for 8 hours weathering a blizzard, I felt it. Finding that miracle deer carcass, losing my last arrow to stop a charging wolf, climbing rope after rope and cliff after cliff under the light of the aurora - holy shit did I feel it. This game is pure, bottled, real life, man vs. nature, oldest story ever told adventure, and I absolutely love it.
Rating: Military-Grade MRE/10

Exploration, survival, tough decisions about what to carry and what you need to leave, plus a great atmosphere. After playing this game for years off and on I still remember my first time I started: cold with almost nothing, and appearing in the middle of nowhere with no clue where to go but within a big world to try find supplies and equipment to make things easier.
Over many hours I have some cool memories of blizzards, getting lost in caves, bear wrestling, and getting excited when I find a pack of matches. Seeing a cabin looming out of the blowing snow and stepping through the door, knowing I can relax for a while and listen to the storm raging outside while warming up and figuring out what to do next.
Hinterland has created a gem with beautiful atmospherics and physics, and this is an awesome game that I'm very happy with.

There is no other game like The Long Dark. This game is hands down the most immersive, mentally stimulating, intriguing, and beautiful game I have ever played. I'm not an avid gamer, but I spend hours upon hours playing this game and I have yet to become bored with it. Despite the beautiful art style of the game, the creators add in the perfect amount of suspense and haunting sound elements to have you at the edge of your chair even while walking through a seemingly inviting and stunning landscape. The Long Dark is for anyone else like me; I yearned for a game that didn't need zombies, cannibals, or other out of place entities to create a suspenseful environment. The combination of weather, wildlife, and the sheer feeling of isolation provide a much more engaging environment than any other survival game I have ever played. One thing to keep in mind: The Long Dark is a quite slow paced game. It involves lots of thought and pre-planning to be successful. Some may like that, others may not, but I think anyone who loves this game as much as I do would attest to everything I have written above. It is 100% worth the purchase for any survival game enthusiast.