Check Out Windbound, a Survival Game with a Nautical Twist

The phrase "open world survival game" is more likely to be met with a choir of yawns and half-hearted groans at this point: it seems as if everybody and their mother has taken a stab at the genre. The newly announced Windbound from 5 Lives Studio, however, looks to be an attempt worth paying attention to. Not least because of its striking art style and vibrant colour palette. Windbound launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Switch on 28th August. Watch the reveal trailer above.

Instead of base building—a staple of countless survival games—Windbound takes a nomadic approach to survival that sees players exploring its procedurally generated world on foot and by sail, thanks to the modular boat crafting system. Taking the role of Kara, a shipwreck survivor, players will learn to hunt and forage while uncovering the mysteries that lie in the land's past, present and future.

It's exciting to see the diverse range of wildlife populating the game's various islands. Not only are they interesting and exotic alternatives to our real life (and often mundane) animals, but they also vary depending on which in-game region Kara is exploring. Zippy pink flying insects, enormous bile-spewing beasts and floppy-eared bounding bunny-like creatures are just a few examples shown off in the trailer; there'll be a lot more to uncover in the full game too.

Windbound looks set to be an interesting and beautiful take on the survival genre with some deep boat building mechanics. Take a look at the reveal trailer above and keep an eye out for it on digital storefronts when it releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Switch on 28th August.