Brave the Nuclear Arctic in POLYARIS, a Stunning Survival Game for Fans of The Long Dark

If your ideal gaming session involves freezing temperatures, absolute isolation, and managing every drop of body heat, solo developer Magic Pie has an upcoming indie title you need to keep on your radar. POLYARIS is a first person survival game set in the icy, desolate stretches along the border of Norway and Russia.

The premise sets a chilling stage: you play as a polar explorer and engineer caught off guard by a nuclear blast somewhere far away. Suddenly cut off from the rest of civilization, you are left completely alone with your skis, a boat, melting glaciers, and a profound mystery to unravel.

Unlike traditional survival games where you just sprint everywhere, POLYARIS leans heavily into unique transit methods. You’ll navigate the snowy wastelands on skis, take to the water by boat, manage deep stats like core temperature, hunger, and hydration, and scavenge abandoned locations. If you want to see how you’d handle the frozen north, the developers have even released a playable open demo on Steam ahead of its planned full release.