Aska Early Access Finally Out on Steam To Compete in Crowded Field : Games : Gamenguide

Aska, the Viking-themed survival game by developer Sand Sailor Studio, is finally on Steam in early access and intends to compete against other titles in a crowded field.

While making a living in the wilderness is difficult, it should not be done alone, and Aska sets itself apart with how its NPCs behave. The game lets you manage both your and your tribe members' stats to make sure that they are fed, healthy, and sheltered.

Aska Releases in Early Access

Sand Sailor Studio released Aska, a Viking-themed survival game, in early access on Steam and sets itself apart with a distinct NPC mechanic.
(Photo : Sand Sailor Studio / Screenshot taken from Steam)

Players have been following the Viking-themed survival game since it was first revealed in November 2022 and leading up to its Steam early access release. The official description of the game reads that players will be able to build the ultimate Viking settlement and survive with their own group of villagers.

At the start of the game, you will find yourself shipwrecked in a foreign, ever-changing realm filled with various secrets and dangers.

You need to survive, build, craft, fight, farm, and sail but you also prepare yourself for the Dead Winter, which is when an ancient foe wakes up to stand against you, according to Massivelyop.

On top of being able to recruit various NPC villagers into your group, you can also play with up to three friends in Aska. Your tribe members will carry stuff and gatherresources for you, which gives you more time to do other stuff, such as explore your surroundings.

These features make Asak share some of its features with other games such as Manor Lords and Soulmask rather than similar branded survival games like Valheim or Sons of the Forest. It tries to add a new flavor to the genre to set itself apart from competitors.

And so far, it seems like Sand Sailor Studio's gamble paid off as Aska's recent Steam reviews paint it in a positive light for the most part. What is also worth noting is that after it was released in early access, the Viking-themed survival game is on sale on Steam at 10% off until July 11, 2024, said PCGamesN.

Mostly Positive Reviews

One of the key features that players will experience in Aska is the Eye of Odin, which can be found in every village when you establish one. This is how you will be able to summon new Vikings to join your village and grow your settlement.

Each of these NPCs, while having their own needs and behaviors, will also have different specializations. This means that while one tribe member may excel in gathering resources, others could be better suited to building infrastructure.

The game's early access was released alongside a new trailer and the developer has already introduced some hotfixes to support the launch. This comes as many of the early access launches recently have been plagued with day-one bugs and issues.

Aska is no different and players had reported a bug that was corrupting people's saves that Sand Sailor Studio quickly addressed. The team is also looking at implementing another update that will let you auto-assign multiplayer match regions, according to MMORPG.