Permafrost is a story-driven survival sandbox from SpaceRocket Games, published by Toplitz Productions (Medieval Dynasty). It launched into Early Access on October 9, 2026 on Steam, GOG and the Epic Games Store, after being pushed back from August 21 to give the team more time on performance and content.
You play a “Rook”, an engineer with the skills to rebuild but little wilderness experience, drawn into a frozen near-future Earth by a radio signal from a long-lost friend. A chain of catastrophes, ending with the shattering of the moon, has locked the planet in endless winter. Our verdict: Permafrost delivers a compelling frozen wasteland where survival feels genuinely challenging, whether you brave the cold solo or with friends in engaging co-op. Right now, though, its quest bugs and camera are doing their best to get in the way.
A World Worth Getting Frostbite For
The world is Permafrost’s biggest strength, and players agree on it almost universally. Frozen cities, abandoned military installations, underground bunkers and shifting weather combine into an atmosphere that makes you want to keep pushing over the next ridge. Snow drifts in the wind, the animal animations get regular praise, and more than one player admits to spending a lot of time in photo mode.
It’s a big map, too. One player says they’re still not halfway through the map or the blueprints, another says there was still plenty to do after more than 20 hours, and a third compared it to a single-player Rust in its early days.
Survive, Scavenge, Build
Underneath the story is a solid survival loop. You hunt, scavenge and craft your way up from basic tools to firearms, gather resources against the clock, and constantly prepare for the next trip out into the cold. Players say the challenge level is well judged and that the feeling of survival is really well executed.
Base building gets good marks too. One player built and then relocated an entire multi-story base with a workshop, sleeping quarters, lookout and a separate storage building, and appreciated getting materials back when demolishing. There are some odd placement restrictions, though, including spots where you really need to build something and can’t.
Better With Friends
Co-op for up to four players is fully in and, by most accounts, working well. Players report no crashes or co-op problems across long sessions, and the game is designed around groups splitting duties and building shelter networks together. Valheim and Icarus fans in particular say it scratches the same itch. One small gripe: loot is shared in multiplayer, which won’t suit every group.
It holds up solo as well. One player who mainly plays alone said they hadn’t had this much fun playing a game solo in a long time.
Where It Still Needs Work
The Developers Are On It
The good news is that SpaceRocket is moving fast. In the first few days after launch it has already shipped hotfixes including “Crash Fixes & Co-op Improvements” (October 10) and “Quest Fixes & Steam Invites” (October 11), and players have noticed. The studio plans to stay in Early Access for at least 12 months, adding new biomes, quests, NPCs, enemies, equipment and vehicles, along with quality-of-life features and optimisation. It also warns the price will very likely go up before 1.0, which makes the $19.99 launch price the cheapest it’s likely to be for a while.
Things to Know Going In
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
| The Good | The Bad | The Ugly |
|---|---|---|
| A Stunning Frozen WorldFrozen cities, bunkers, military sites and living weather. Exploration is the game’s best feature. | The CameraThird-person only, with a shoulder-swap that snaps around in forests and collision problems indoors. | Quest-Breaking BugsMain and side quests that won’t progress, missing objectives and markers that point at nothing. |
| Real Survival TensionThe cold is a genuine threat, so planning, shelter and timing actually matter. | Short DaysRoughly 10–15 minutes of daylight makes long trips feel like a race against nightfall. | Inconsistent PerformanceBig frame drops during weather and lighting changes for some players, on any settings. |
| Strong Co-opUp to four players, stable for most, and a natural fit for Valheim and Icarus fans. | Rough PresentationSkipping dialogue, patchy voice acting, invisible walls and clipping. | — |
| Satisfying Base BuildingMulti-story bases, shelter networks and materials refunded when you demolish. | Balance QuirksFast-burning coal, bullet-sponge bandits and slippery footing. | — |
| A Dog and a StoryA companion who scouts and carries gear, plus factions, quests and a unique backstory. | — | — |
The Verdict
Permafrost has the hardest part of a survival game already nailed: a world you genuinely want to explore. The cold feels like a real opponent, the frozen ruins are beautiful and full of secrets, the base building is satisfying, and co-op makes it all better. There’s a clear, confident identity here that sets it apart from the crowd.
It’s also very much an Early Access game. Quest-breaking bugs are the biggest problem, because they undercut the exploration the game is built around. The camera, short days and patchy performance don’t help either. None of it is fatal, and SpaceRocket’s rapid-fire hotfixes are encouraging, but right now you’ll need some patience.
The honest read: a recommendation, with an Early Access asterisk. If you love Valheim, Icarus or winter survival and don’t mind some jank, the $19.99 launch price is a good deal for a world this atmospheric. If broken quests would ruin it for you, wishlist it and check back after a few more patches.
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