It wouldn’t be all that great to be stranded deep in the woods in real life. In videogames, though, trying to persevere against the elements can be downright enjoyable. This framework lends purpose and drama to everything from The Long Dark and Sons of the Forest to Green Hell, Raft, and Subnautica. It’s also the premise for The Last Plague: Blight, which blends post-apocalyptic dread with wilderness survival and has just launched in Early Access on Steam.
The Last Plague: Blight is a co-op survival game from Sergei Bezborodko, solo developer at Original Studios. It’s set after the world has been reclaimed by nature and left largely unpopulated following the spread of an incurable disease. As one of the few people left alive and capable of trying to find a path forward for humanity, the player must try to both keep themselves going in an indifferent wilderness landscape and discover the source of the disease.
Despite its fantastical pandemic, which manifests as billowing poison smog and turns wildlife into more ferocious versions of themselves, The Last Plague: Blight otherwise attempts to lean into realism. It includes the usual survival game demands of building shelter, finding food and water, and fighting off attacking animals. But it also goes a step further by including systems where raw resources have to be treated, decontaminated, or otherwise processed before they can be crafted into equipment and water must be boiled before it’s safe to drink. As a result, the game is intentionally very difficult, which makes the presence of optional co-op with groups of up to four players a welcome feature.
The Last Plague: Blight is out now in Early Access on Steam. It’s launched with a 10% discount as well, which makes its price $15.29 USD / £12.86. Grab a copy right here.
Or, you can find more to play with friends through our top co-op games and other digital worlds facing overwhelming changes in our favorite apocalypse games.
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