We’ve all dreamed of abandoning everything and taking to the high seas at some point in our lives. Whether it’s to channel your inner scallywag a la Captain Jack Sparrow, or to venture forth to discover brave new worlds like Moana, the ocean’s song calls to all of us. Voyagers of Nera, a gorgeous new survival crafting game from Treehouse Games, lets you live out that latter fantasy, tasking you and your friends with traversing a gorgeous Polynesian-style world and building your own settlements. With Moana 2 on the horizon, this feels like the perfect way to round out 2025.
Characterized by colorful, cartoon visuals reminiscent of Breath of the Wild, Voyagers of Nera‘s sheer vibrance is what drew me towards it in the first place. In a year brimming with survival games (perhaps too many survival games) Nera trades the somewhat trademark browns and greens for ocean blues and sandy beiges, immediately standing apart from its competitors.
But, not unlike other survival crafters, the focus is primarily on expansion. You’ll be zipping around on your rickety wooden boat Assassin’s Creed Black Flag style, uncovering new islands that are ripe for building settlements and creating homes away from home. As you expand your horizons and level up your gear, you’ll be able to access various new tools and resources in order to help you refine your new village.
Things do veer away from the usual harvest, craft, and build fare with Nera’s unique spirit system, however. Various mythical entities have been scattered throughout the tropical archipelago, perused by various nefarious beasties looking to snatch their power. You’ll have to save them from their plights to inherit their magic, alongside various upgrades for your blossoming settlements.
But you don’t have to do it alone. Up to ten friends can venture out into the blue and build together, sharing ships or zipping around on magical surfboards. Personally, I think this is the perfect way to spend a winter evening, even if it does make me yearn for the sun just a little bit more.
While the Voyagers of Nera early access release date is slated to release in Q2 of 2025, a new demo for it is out now. It lasts for around five hours, and you can download it right here – I know I’m going to.
If it’s new co-operative adventures you’re looking for, however, we have a list of all the best multiplayer games right here. Alternatively, if you’re obsessed with exploring sprawling, vibrant universes, here’s some must-try open-world games.
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