Game Rantrecently got a hands-on preview of the upcoming action survival title Tribes of Midgard. Throughout the multiplayer session, a variety of the mechanics in the game and its lighthearted aspects were shown. In the Saga mode, players were able to progress through the early game and into defeating the Jotunn and exploring the world of Midgard. What was shown of Tribes of Midgard often alternated between a mad dash to defend the Seed of Yggdrasil and a lighthearted adventure through a large Viking sandbox.

This isn't by accident, as Norsfell's CEO Julian Maroda has been vocal about wanting to improve on the survival genre that fans are used to. Instead of constantly worrying about and maintaining survival meters, the player is able to focus on improving their village and crafting stations for the good of everyone. This makes survival less threatening because it becomes a shared responsibility, with an ability to pool all the resources together in a War Chest that can be used to craft new fortifications and improve the weapon and toolmakers in the village. These aspects allow the player to feel much less pressure while they play, and thrive. Hence the new genre of survival that Tribes of Midgard markets: "Surthrival."

RELATED: Assassin's Creed Valhalla Free Update Adding Discovery Tour Viking Age

Many current survival games have some kind of hunger or thirst meter to provide a sense of realism. However, the trade-off can sometimes be dying a couple of times before the player can figure out how to get access to food and clean water. The team behind Tribes of Midgard saw how difficult and alienating that kind of gameplay can be and decided to evolve on the genre to make it more accessible. This translates into a game that can still be challenging, but all the while providing a lighthearted teamwork-based feeling. This is something Maroda hopes will inspire future developers to make similar choices.

"What’s the saying in English? 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.' I would say that would be pretty cool."

During the preview, it became apparent how much the Midgardian village thrives when there are multiple players in a session. Whether through the communal sharing of souls to the World Tree or resources to the War Chest, there was a sense of relying on one another to defend the village and prosper further. The periodic events that spring up on the map also allowed for a more lighthearted break in between the exploring and defending, including a giant stag and the Roosters of Ragnarok. While there are still pressing circumstances in Tribes, it never felt like a negative experience and even brought a fair few laughs along the way.

Being that there are countless monsters and Jotunn marching toward the village, the player can't ever be caught too far away. While craftsmen will do their best to protect the Seed of Yggdrasil, they can't stand up to the monsters of Helheim alone. Tribes of Midgard presents a unique problem for the player in that there is a base to defend, but they are also meant to openly explore and collect resources. To make this gameplay more accessible, Maroda said the developers added a few traversal systems that allow players to get back and forth through Midgard much faster.

"You’re really pressed to go against the clock. Your best thing is really to go as fast as possible everywhere."

For starters, players get a speed buff when they're running on roads, which cross all major access points on the map such as merchants and ruins. Also located on the roads are Shrines, which can be used to fast travel back to the village or another previously discovered Shrine. For emergency situations, Norsfell has given the player a runestone that can be activated to immediately send them back to the village, with a cooldown of one in-game day. All of this to help the player get back and defend the Tree of Life to prevent Ragnarok. This kind of accessibility is also something that would make other survival games more accessible, saving players time.

Tribes of Midgard is an upcoming Viking survival sandbox that will seek to evolve on the trends set by the genre before it. In a hope to make the game more accessible, Norsfell has introduced more community-focused aspects to its upcoming title. While this might open the door to more selfish behaviors, it will be a new opportunity for those who didn't like survival to try this communal Viking village "Surthrival" game instead.

Tribes of Midgard will be available July 27, 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

MORE: God of War Fan Animation Features Incredible Viking Kratos