The Witcher meets Frostpunk in this grim survival strategy city-builder

There is no shortage of survival, strategy or city-building games out there, but one that combines them all in a Slavic folklore-inspired setting and comes from developers with the likes of The Witcher 3 and Frostpunk on their resume, now that's something very special indeed.

That game is Gord, and in it, you must lead a group of tribespeople as they attempt to survive in grim and unforgiving forbidden lands. As you might expect from a city builder, this involves constructing and expanding your settlement and catering to the needs of its inhabitants, but here you'll have to defend your flock against all manner of threats, from rival tribes to fearsome monsters and otherworldly powers.

But this isn't just a city-building sim as you'll also be able to venture beyond your settlement and "take on a wide variety of quests and random encounters that will lead you deep into the wilderness to hunt legendary creatures, uncover ancient secrets, and vanquish deadly scourges."

To add to the challenge, you'll have to keep your settler's sanity in check, as Gord also has a Darkest Dungeon-esque sanity meter. Everything from a grumbly belly to the death of a loved one has an impact on a settler's mental state, and if they're pushed too far, they can suffer a breakdown or flee and, most likely, get gobbled up by monsters. 

Gord is the first game from Covenant, a Polish game studio with developers who previously worked at the likes of CD Projekt RED, 11 bit studios, and Flying Wild Hog. It's set to arrive sometime this summer on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. You can check it out for yourself in the video below or head on over to Steam to add it to your wishlist.

See all the great titles headed your way in the coming month with our guide to new games 2023.