14 DAY TRIAL // I am slowly moving toward a crab, primitive spear in hand, waiting for the aiming reticule to guarantee a solid strike. I launch my homemade weapon and score a solid hit. I already have the required firestarter and wood, so I fire up a makeshift camp and cook everything that can be cooked, eating some delicious crab.
A makeshift bed made of leaves allows me to rest and regain maximum energy. It’s morning when I wake up and I decide to also use the fire to make some bandages out of leaves. My quest to move around the shore as I search for a grotto has already resulted in some injuries and I need to make sure my health does not suffer anymore.
I extinguish the fire and set off, picking up some dates and oranges on the way, which will sate both hunger and thirst. An aggressive coyote is determined to take a bite out of me but I lose him on some rocks. I think I sot the telltale rock that marks my objective but I see a bigger seemingly man-made structure that merits investigation.
Survival: Fountain of Youth is developed by Odinsoft Inc, with publishing from Twin Sails Interactive. The game is in Early Access on Steam. There are also plans to launch it on the PlayStation 5 from Sony and the Xbox Series X and S from Microsoft. The title uses some familiar survival ideas and is played from a first-person perspective.
It all starts on a ship, part of an expedition that’s searching for the titular Fountain of Youth in newly discovered South America. Juan Ponce de Leon did not historically discover any such source of immortality. Our protagonist manages to survive the shipwreck of his expedition and is stranded alone on a mysterious island.
The game offers a very polished take, even in Early Access, on familiar survival ideas. The protagonist needs to eat, drink and sleep. So the player moves across the island’s biomes looking for resources to deal with that. Fire is needed to cook meals and to craft other equipment. Larger investments in materials and time deliver better tools and weapons.
Survival strikes the right balance between challenging and fun. Enough resources are lying around to make it easy to stay alive. Moving long distances involves risks and preparation is key. It takes time and repeated actions for character stats to level up and make it easier to gather and process supplies.
Crafting is very important. There are a lot of recipes the player can learn, ranging from simple hats made of leaves to boats that can make coastal exploration easier. It will be interesting to see how Fountain of Youth aims to innovate and what surprises the narrative and mechanics can offer.
Survival: Fountain of Youth is a good-looking modern first-person game. The island is big and filled with points of interest. Wildlife and vegetation look great and the user interface makes it easy for players to craft what he needs and to pursue their goals. The sound design is as good as the graphics.
Conclusion
The core mechanics already seem solid and engaging and there’s a decent central mystery to keep players engaged. Survival: Fountain of Youth is a good survival experience and I look forward to seeing how the full release tweaks the formula in interesting ways.
A preview key was provided by the publisher
