Fade to Silence is THQ Nordic's new post-apocalyptic survival game

In a big departure for the studio responsible for Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams and the recent Bubsy reboot, Black Forest Games will release Fade to Silence into Early Access next week. A survival game, it follows the adventure of Ash, who must "explore a post-apocalyptic, frozen wasteland to gather the resources necessary to establish a refuge for survival".

Published by THQ Nordic, the Steam page is already live ahead of what was probably going to be a Game Awards reveal later today. The Early Access period kicks off on December 14, with a final launch planned for August 2018.

Heavy focused on building and defending a refuge in a bleak, monster-strewn open world, the Early Access build will allow players to "construct, upgrade and defend" their refuges, as well as rescue and recruit followers, combat "a variety of eldritch monstrosities", and explore a 10km squared snowy hellscape.

"Fade to Silence introduces the many dynamics of a harsh winter climate to a complex, character-driven, group survival experience," the description reads. "The dynamic weather system adds to the immersion of survival in a cold, corrupted world. Survival depends on how well the players read weather patterns, and if they come to the right conclusion - look for shelter or press home. The dynamic snow displacement leaves a realistic path by both player character and NPC. This telltale sign will tell you regions where it is good to hunt and regions where monsters are roaming."

There's no trailer yet, but I expect one will roll out once the Game Awards are finished. I'll update this page when it arrives. In the meantime, here's the Steam page.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.