A Message from Arctic - Polaris Survival August Updates

Boating: This summer, we’ve added a cool new boat mechanic that lets you navigate the icy Arctic ocean between icebergs and other points of interest. Inspired by games like The Long Drive, we’ve used Unreal Engine’s buoyancy and water systems to get this boat feature up and running. It’s still early days, but it’s already making exploration a lot more fun!

Survival Swimming: We’ve introduced swimming as a backup option if you accidentally fall into the icy water. Instead of a game-over screen, you can now swim short distances, though with some hefty debuffs due to the freezing temperatures. It’s a nice extra challenge for those survival moments.

Fishing: We’ve also added fishing to the game. Now you can catch your food in the vast ocean instead of just scavenging. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the survival experience.

Better Sounds: We’ve started adding new character and footstep sounds to make the game world feel more alive. This is just the beginning of our plans to make the audio experience as immersive as possible.

Controller Support: We’ve got basic support for Xbox controllers and are working on full compatibility with the Steam Deck. While optimizing Unreal Engine 5 for the Steam Deck is a bit tricky, we’re committed to making it work smoothly.