No Man’s Sky, Valheim, and The Forest are all different takes on survival gameplay, but Highreach is setting out to blend them into one game. Indie developer VestGames is gearing up to introduce a brand-new kind of survival game that combines exciting features that fans of the genre may find interesting. Over the years, survival games like The Forest and Valheim have been hailed as some of the best in the genre. Whether it’s surviving the dangers of the wilderness or crafting materials and shelter, the two have amassed strong fan bases. No Man’s Sky has come an incredibly far way since its rocky launch, and like The Forest and Valheim, many see the exploration-based sci-fi adventure as a top-notch take on survival with a space-focused twist.
According to VestGames, Highreach is all about exploration, survival, and base building in an open-world fantasy setting. The game may not be out just yet, but the upcoming Steam game is aiming for an early access launch next year, meaning the wait won’t be much longer.
Highreach Features List
- Survival-focused RPG
- Co-op supports up to 5 players
- Open-world map
- Crafting and base-building
- Settlement management
- Companions with rich backstories to add to one’s settlement
- Airship traversal, complete with ship customization and upgrades
- Diverse combat styles
No Man’s Sky, Valheim, and The Forest’s Gameplay Gets a Fresh Makeover
When calamity struck, the world of Highreach was shattered.
Highreach is set in the titular fantasy world that has faced a mysterious catastrophe, leaving this civilization in ruins. Players must rebuild a new settlement in the world of Highreach, but that’s easier said than done. Through combat, crafting, and strategic settlement management, players have to survive to ensure that they and others can thrive once more. Highreach looks like it takes plenty of notes from Valheim‘s base building and The Forest‘s challenging survival, so for players who are particularly fond of these features, this Steam title could be a fun alternative.
No One Has to Fight for Survival Alone
Even more exciting, players can try to survive Highreach‘s mysterious world alongside friends. No Man’s Sky, Valheim, and The Forest all feature multiplayer, and it’s one of the many reasons these three games have built such strong communities. Not only can playing with multiple players make a survival experience a lot easier, but it can also make it more fun. There are plenty of great co-op games on Steam, and Highreach‘s 5-player co-op adds an extra dose of teamwork to the game beyond its built-in companions.
Highreach’s Airship Traversal Offers a Unique Take on No Man’s Sky’s Flying Mechanics
Since No Man’s Sky is a space adventure, it’s a given that the game features spaceship travel. Being able to explore the galaxy really adds to No Man’s Sky‘s charm, and Highreach has its own take on this feature. Instead of spaceships, Highreach includes airships, so the game still stays grounded in its fantasy-fueled world. No Man’s Sky‘s ships may look a lot different than Highreach‘s, but the two share two important details that elevate this kind of feature: customization and upgrades. In both games, making a ship your own adds to the immersion, and airships are a clever way to take inspiration from No Man’s Sky while still keeping it in line with its themes. Throughout the land, players can fly from one point to another, uncovering everything Highreach has to offer, and even though it isn’t flying from planet to planet, it still adds an extra layer to the game’s exploration.
Highreach is expected to be released in early access sometime during Q1 of 2026.
Highreach Embraces No Man’s Sky and Valheim’s Procedural Generation
No Man’s Sky and Valheim‘s different biomes are a central piece of building both games’ worlds, and procedural generation is used to make settings even more diverse and surprising. Procedural generation adds to the survival experience, and Highreach is using the method for its own world-building. Highreach promises a variety of biomes with creative ways for players to connect each point of the map.
What to Expect From Highreach’s Biomes
- Players can connect biomes via features like portals and ziplines.
- Unique points of interest
- Each new area is unpredictable, offering “challenges and rewards.”
Highreach may not be out yet, but for those looking for other games like No Man’s Sky, The Forest, and Valheim, VestGames’ upcoming indie title boasts all the features that make the trio so popular. When Highreach launches in early access, it will be interesting to see how its approach to survival gameplay stacks up against other games in the genre.
