The Survivalists is a strategy, survival-lite sandbox combining crafting, building, and monkey training(!) that will see players battle against the forces of nature across procedurally-generated islands filled with different and perilous biomes, and uncover the riches – and puzzles – in temples filled with loot.

Featuring islands teeming with life and adversaries, The Survivalists takes place in a rich world that never stands still, with a day/night cycle, a broad range of animals including boars, big cats, and sharks, as well as deadly fanatics highly skilled in combat. To help with survival, the game includes a mimic system that allows players to train the local monkey population to gather resources, build structures, or even fight off threats, while a deep and comprehensive crafting system offers tantalising objects and weapons to unlock and develop.

In addition to surviving solo, The Survivalists dares players to work together in collaborative and session-based, online co-operative multiplayer.

Team17 has revealed more information on how players will be able to withstand the pressure and stress of daily island life in The Survivalists.

The Survivalists features ‘The Mimic System’, enabling stranded players to train local monkeys to help with tasks, from building shelters and cutting down trees, to defending against raids from the many malevolent orclings.

‘The Mimic System’ will see players befriend and tame wild monkeys before training them with bananas. As they munch down on their musa, players will have to show their primate cousins the actions to replicate and provide the necessary tools. From there, they’ll gladly help and support survivors in their adventures. Players will be able to harness the power of multiple monkeys to create ‘monkey chains’, setting them up to work together to achieve a greater goal such as creating an axe for another to chop down trees for wood that can be used by others to build bases.

Tame and train monkeys to become:

• Warriors: Can be equipped with swords, axes, and spears, to support survivors as they defend against orcling raids!
• Archers: See off orclings and keep wildlife at range with bow and arrow-armed monkeys
• Craftsmen: Train primates to build weapons, and craft tools and building materials
• Landscapers: Monkeys can be armed with tools to gather resources, chop down trees, mine rocks, and clear foliage

Players will gather resources and master a deep crafting system with multiple trees; overcome quests delivered by a mysterious stranger or by messages in bottles washed up on the beach; and go on unique adventures across a multitude of biomes and wildernesses either solo or cooperatively with three others through online multiplayer.

The Survivalists is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC (Steam) in 2020.