Lightyear Frontier – A Unique Mix of Survival and Sandbox Simulation

Survival games are a dime a dozen these days, and with so many games of this ilk set to release left, right, and center in the coming months – the genre shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. But as is the case with any genre that explodes in terms of its popularity, the survival genre is also not free from homogenization; meaning most survival games just kind of blend into one another with little in the name of differentiating factors.

So when a game like Lightyear Frontier comes along every once in a while; a game that’s able to challenge the status quo with its unique approach to survival – it instantly catches the eye of tons of fans. This feature series is dedicated to putting a spotlight on such games and understanding what makes them tick, so to that end we finally ask the question – what the hell is exactly Lightyear Frontier?

Currently in development at FRAME BREAK and Amplifier Studios, Lightyear Frontier is an open-world survival game where players are thrust into an alien world that’s brimming with life and imagination. As a space explorer, you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere on this planet and you must use everything in your power – accrued precious resources, wits, and strategies – to make a living in this foreign land that plays by its set of rules and conditions.

This description might sound as formulaic as it can be for a survival game, but Lightyear Frontier is certainly a bit different from its contemporaries in more than a few ways. You see, survival games have this obsession with being absolutely brutal and realistic in terms of the actual mechanics itself – but Lightyear Frontier wraps those mechanics around in a package that feels pretty inviting for players of all age groups and skill levels.

There are no stats like hunger or thirst, so you don’t have to constantly keep tabs on these levels. Furthermore, the trailers haven’t really showcased any signs of combat as well. Instead, the focus is on just relaxing and continuing to work towards larger goals without having to overtly stress about your survival and overwhelming enemy forces. The moment-to-moment gameplay still revolves around collecting resources and using them to build structures and craft equipment that will make your life a lot easier in this alien world, and you also have a large mech to help you with all this busy work.

This companion mech is a multi-purpose tool fitted with all kinds of modules to help you carve out resources. For instance, you can use the saw module to efficiently chop down trees while the sprinkler module can be used for spraying down water on plants. There are a bunch of these modules scattered throughout the alien planet, and you can swap between these modules at any time to alter the functionality of your mech according to your own needs.

Furthermore, your companion mech can also be upgraded in a variety of different ways, which can further extend its utility in a bunch of interesting ways. The trailer showcases the mech’s leg unit being replaced by what seems to be a roller of sorts – and that can be used to efficiently harvest crops at a rapid pace. We don’t really know the extent of this customization and personalization in this aspect, but we are definitely hoping it to be one of the star elements of the game nevertheless.

Additionally, Lightyear Frontier also makes a point to tell a larger story about the history of the alien world that you will be inhabiting. Much like how Subnautica’s plot is revealed through vignettes that you find across its world, Lightyear Frontier will also tell a story that must be pieced together by exploring its huge world and collecting the many clues that lie in its deepest corners.

And what an expansive world it is. The developers have done an amazing job with Lightyear Frontier’s visual elements. More specifically, the art direction on display is spectacular – and it manages to strike the perfect sense of wonder and excitement as you explore its many diverse biomes. There are arid deserts, lush forests, and dark caves peppered throughout its world – and they all seem to flow into one another perfectly which should make for a cohesive exploration experience. Add to that the planet-specific flora and fauna on display, and Lightyear Frontier’s world becomes an absolute joy to explore.

Progression is a really important part of any survival game, and Lightyear Frontier is no different in that regard. And this is the part where perhaps this game represents its contemporaries the most. You will start out by chopping trees and collecting a few resources which will then allow you to get yourself a small shack and maybe a small farm, but as you explore the world and collect better resources – you will be able to expand your house and farming empire by a significant margin.

There isn’t any end goal to all this, and because the motivation to grow in terms of the game itself is largely intrinsic – it’s great that Lightyear Frontier isn’t all that brutal in terms of the mechanics itself. It’s a chill game that should serve you well in the long run, and you could easily spend hundreds upon hundreds of hours just exploring the world and expressing yourself through your creations. It’s also great that the game also features support for co-op, so you can hop into a game with 3 of your friends and engage in some friendly cooperation while working towards shared goals.

Coming to the topic of release dates, Lightyear Frontier is set to launch in early access on March 19, 2024. The game is currently set to release on PC only, but there’s a high chance that fans on consoles will be able to experience what the game has to offer if it manages to garner enough success with its initial offerings. And the developers seems to have great plans for Lightyear Frontier in the long run as well. As can be seen from the Steam description, they already have a roadmap for planned feature additions and tweaks that are set to be released in the coming months through updates – so the team looks to be really passionate about what they are building here.

Games that offer a relaxing experience with their mechanics have started to gain a lot of traction lately, and the runaway success of similar games like Stardew Valley is more than enough proof of that notion. Lightyear Frontier is blending those relaxing elements into the fold of a survival game, and that mixture has the potential to be a smash hit for years to come. We are waiting to see what’s in store with bated breath, and hopefully – it will be able to deliver upon those promises and then some more.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.