Mutant wolf survival sim The Wild Eight trailer showcases new art and gameplay

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The Wild Eight is a co-op survival game with mutated wolves that was announced in February and successfully Kickstarted in May. Work has continued since, and with a release on Steam Early Access now in the offing, publisher HypeTrain Digital has released a trailer showing off some of the changes the game has undergone, including new tiles and improved animal animations.

The Wild Eight is set in the wake of a plane crash in an Alaskan forest that leaves eight people stranded and struggling to survive. Animals and the elements are the obvious dangers, but something more sinister is afoot, too. "Mysterious entities, unseen creatures and objects that definitely don’t belong in this world" threaten the lives of the survivors, and the radio works but their pleas for help go unanswered.

It's playable solo, but only "fully opens up" in co-op mode, according to the description on Steam. And it will be unforgiving, too. "In here is no room for mistakes: if you went hunting but forgot to cut some wood for the fire before nightfall, you’re dead. If you didn’t have time to cook your meat, you might have to eat it raw — and if you don’t have medicine, you’ll surely die from food poisoning. To stay alive, you’ll need to scavenge and craft like a pro."

The Early Access launch date hasn't been confirmed, but while you wait for the switch to be flipped you can take a listen to three tracks from The Wild Eight soundtrack on Soundcloud.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.