New survival crafting game Solarpunk lets you build a world I'd love to live in

Bringing together the cozy farming of Stardew Valley, the base construction of Astroneer, and a stunning world comprising a multitude of picturesque floating islands, Solarpunk is a survival crafting game to watch. It's just begun its first alpha playtest, which its developer plans to follow up with a multiplayer round of testing as it looks towards a potential release date in 2025.

Since the last big update from Solarpunk developer Cyberwave, it's had a rather unexpected surprise hit. A Game About Digging A Hole was built by artist 'Doublebee' on their vacation, and went on to accrue a million sales. This project, however, is one I've had eyes on for a while. Taking place in a "technically advanced world of floating islands," it's a fantastic setting brought to life by simple but stunning visuals. It's a more cheery and uplifting take on the survival game genre, which appeals to my tastes.

The base building reminds me most of Astroneer, especially with the cables you can drag around your base to connect energy generators to your other machines. While there are plenty of animals to take care of, and this is a world with "no exploitation, only coexistence;" you can train pigs to dig up truffles for you, for example. Alternatively, go one step further with automated drones that can handle all your busywork, leaving you free to explore the islands in your very own airship.

Now, the game's first single-player alpha playtest is underway. It's currently just for Kickstarter backers who supported the 'alpha access' tier, although Cyberwave is currently teasing that it's "thinking about giving away some free alpha keys for non-Kickstarter backers." If you want a taste, there is also a free demo available to get an initial sense of what the indie game has to offer.

The alpha build includes a basic implementation of the character editor, along with controller support. Animal care has been overhauled with new round feeding and water stations, and the creature AI has been improved to ensure your herd can find and use them correctly. There are new visuals for some crops, additional music tracks, and more behind-the-scenes improvements.

If everything goes to plan, Cyberwave says it's planning to kick off a multiplayer playtest "in a few weeks, depending on your feedback." It adds that it appreciates players' patience in waiting for news of a Solarpunk launch date, noting: "Once we've gathered your feedback and ensured the game is stable and enjoyable, we'll finally be ready to share a proper release date with you."

For even more ways to experiment creatively, the best crafting games are the perfect fit. Alternatively, sink into the best relaxing games on PC.

If you had to survive in a videogame-style world, what type of universe would you most like to find yourself in? Let us know in the PCGamesN community Discord server, where you can keep up on the latest in PC gaming.