Romanian developer Sand Sailor Studio and publisher Thunderful have announced that the third-person Viking sandbox survival game Aska is running its next closed beta in April. Specifically, the closed beta will take place April 15-21.
Anyone can sign up for the closed beta by wishlisting Aska on Steam and then visiting the game's Discord to learn more about next steps. Sign-ups close on April 5.
For anyone just catching up, Aska puts players on a mysterious island where they need to trek out and "build a Viking empire worthy of Odin's praise." The game is playable solo or with up to three others in co-op. You can get a closer look in the trailer below.
"Players must survive, summon intelligent NPC villagers, collect resources, and build a thriving settlement. Players will need to automate, manage and defend their expanding tribe and prepare to survive the bitter winters," reads a line from the game's description.
Aska has been in development for over four years by a small team of 10 individuals. Creative director Cristian Diaconescu expressed excitement about entering the final phase of beta testing and giving players the opportunity to construct their own functional Viking village.
A key feature of Aska is its AI NPCs, which alleviate the resource management burden typically found in survival games. In Aska, players take on the role of tribe leader while AI characters handle much of the resource gathering and management tasks.
Editor's P/S:
The upcoming closed beta of Aska offers an exciting opportunity to experience a unique blend of survival and sandbox gameplay set in a Viking era. The game's focus on AI NPCs to ease resource management adds a fresh perspective to the genre, allowing players to focus on leading their tribe and constructing their Viking village. The upcoming beta will provide valuable insights into the game's mechanics and world-building, and I eagerly anticipate the chance to explore the mysterious island and build a thriving Viking empire.
The collaboration between Romanian developer Sand Sailor Studio and publisher Thunderful is promising, hinting at a well-crafted and immersive experience. Aska's extended development period suggests a dedicated team passionate about delivering a polished and engaging game. The closed beta will be a crucial step in refining the game and gathering feedback from players, shaping the final product into a captivating and memorable Viking adventure.
