It’s a release day of sorts for survival MMO Frozen Flame, as it launches its survival mode into what it’s calling “open beta,” though don’t get too excited: It’s still accessible only by paying for the game, so it’s really just another phase of paid early access and not “open” anything. (We really need games to stop messing with these terms.)
In any case, Moscow-based Dreamside Interactive originally crowdfunded the dragon-studded game back in 2020 as an “action survival MMORPG,” though it’s currently on Steam flagged as merely online co-op, and indeed it includes single-player too (“[G]ame modes suitable for up to 50 players are planned later down the line,” the Steam page says). The game released into closed beta in the fall of 2020, then hopped into early access in November of last year after quite a bit of delay, and then last month ran a closed alpha test for its survival mode.
In fact, that alpha has big effects on this newly launched test round; there’s a new fatigue system (restorable with food and sleeping), a faster-paced and diverse combat rebalance, and fun side activities like musical instruments and vendor stalls.
“We’ve also received a lot of requests to make the Survival mode compatible with coop experience,” the studio wrote in its dev blog last week. “So, we’ve adjusted the mode’s focus from Orders and PvP to survival and exploration. You’ll be able to protect your buildings with a special module – a sentinel. For those who either don’t want to participate in PvP, or want the mode to be more punishing, we’ll implement new server settings.
The game is around 30 bucks on Steam, which may be why the player count has thus far been so low.
Pilgrims, the time has come to venture into the Open Beta of our Cataclysm Mode! 🔥
Trade and fight with other players, explore brand new map and see all the improvements we have made 🎉
Find out all the details and how to join here: https://t.co/Y6amlWHTbs#playfrozenflame pic.twitter.com/Lfvcctzx7j
— Frozen Flame 🔥 OPEN BETA SURVIVAL MODE | TODAY (@playfrozenflame) April 5, 2023
