A fresh spin on the survival adventure genre
One of my favorite games of 2021, The Eternal Cylinder, was a hidden gem, and I’ve been wanting a reason to play it again (and have an excuse to bring it up here in hopes of more of you checking it out). My wish has been granted, as ACE Team is planning a Steam release, free upgrades for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and an anniversary update.
You haven’t lived until you’ve curled up in a little mutant critter ball and rolled for life while an endless, seemingly unstoppable cylinder obliterates the world behind you.
It’s all happening on October 13, 2022.
Currently an Epic Games Store exclusive, the PC version of The Eternal Cylinder will launch for Steam on Oct. 13, with a Steam Next Fest demo planned for Oct. 3.
The same day, ACE Team and Good Shepherd Entertainment are putting out a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S version, available as a free upgrade for PS4 and Xbox One players, respectively. Expect haptic DualSense support, 4K, and ray tracing (excluding Series S).
If you’re on PC (whether that’s Epic or Steam), you’ll also get 4K and ray tracing.
Here’s an easy breakdown of who’s getting what on every platform:
As for the anniversary update, there’s a fire-breathing mutation to unearth for your pack of Trebhums, and new creatures to watch out for: the desert-dwelling Gharukuk, and the tundra-based Buddugh Gropp, pictured below. You’d think the weirdness would start to wear off, but nope — these designs are wild. Keep that thing away from me!
Don’t miss this game
Genuinely, this is one of the most original games I’ve played in a long time, particularly when it’s stacked against games of similar production quality. It’s hard to fully convey what it’s like (which is why the demo matters), but if you’re worried about a persistent threat being too stressful in an open-ended, discovery-heavy adventure, it’s measured.
People tend to think of Zeno Clash and Rock of Ages whenever ACE Team comes up. Fair enough! Just don’t sleep on The Eternal Cylinder, especially if you were waiting for Steam.
