If the idea of surviving in a brutal wasteland filled with hostile factions, dangerous weather and makeshift settlements sounds appealing, Plains of Pain might be worth keeping on your radar.
Developed by Cobra Byte Digital, Plains of Pain is an open-world survival game set on a devastated Earth scorched by enormous solar flares. Humanity has largely collapsed, leaving those who remain fighting over the limited resources and territory still available.
Survival is at the heart of the experience. Players have to contend with extreme heat, thirst, toxic air and hostile enemies while exploring a large procedurally generated wasteland. Environmental events can make things even more dangerous, forcing survivors to seek shelter when conditions become deadly.
Players aren’t limited to simply scavenging for supplies. Plains of Pain features a substantial building system that allows you to construct a basic home before eventually developing larger settlements complete with facilities such as water purification stations, barracks and sniper towers.
The wasteland is also divided by competing factions. Players can earn reputation, complete dangerous quests, trade with NPCs and decide whether to support a particular faction or attempt to remain neutral. Outposts are actively fought over, adding another layer to the struggle for control of the world.
Vehicles provide a faster way of travelling across the enormous desert, including futuristic anti-gravity hover vehicles. Along the way you’ll find equipment, blueprints and resources that can be used to craft better weapons and gear.
Despite the obvious Mad Max-style atmosphere, Plains of Pain puts considerably more emphasis on traditional survival mechanics and sandbox freedom. Players can build, craft, explore and develop their character rather than simply following a linear post-apocalyptic story.
The wasteland can also be explored completely alone or alongside other players. Plains of Pain supports single-player, online co-op, PvE and PvP, allowing players to decide whether they want a solitary survival experience or to build a wasteland community with friends.
Plains of Pain originally launched into Steam Early Access in February 2023 and remains under active development, with the developers planning additional vehicles, weapons, enemies, biomes, locations and deeper settlement systems as development continues.
For players looking for a survival game that combines base building and crafting with the dusty, lawless atmosphere of something like Mad Max, Plains of Pain is certainly one to check out.