Co-op survival: Trolls are your neighbors
Imagine finding yourself in a deep, dark forest, a sprawling realm of towering trees, and you are only three inches tall. Welcome to Trollheim: Gnomes, a co-op PvE survival game where perspective is everything and your biggest challenges come from your immediate neighbors.
After being driven from Midgård by Oden, you find refuge in this dense, mysterious woodland. Your mission isn’t just about staying alive; it’s about building a home, foraging for supplies, and mastering the cold and hunger. But the true challenge in this world lies not just in surviving the elements, but in navigating the complex social dynamics of the forest.
In Trollheim, you aren’t alone. Your little Sprýg Gnome will contend with the väsen—a diverse population of forest residents including faeries, sirens, and, of course, trolls. Unlike some survival games where trolls serve as mindless obstacles, the inhabitants of Trollheim are not simply enemies; they are neighbors with feelings, grudges, and relationships.
“When we talk about our NPCs, we don’t talk about them as enemies, but rather as neighbors,” explains Jojje Dalunde, the game director at Off-leash Interactive. “In this game, you as a player get to choose if you are going to be a good neighbor or a bad neighbor, and the väsen will react to how you interact with them and how you behave.”
This approach flips the typical survival narrative. While players certainly have the option to confront their neighbors, the game invites you to explore the possibility of befriending them. Are you going to be a benevolent neighbor who finds common ground, or a troublesome one who sparks conflict? There are ways to make amends for past disagreements and find common ground with the forest’s residents.
The presentation showed the trolls in their natural element—yelling warnings and swinging their fists—but the gameplay encourages players to engage with the social layer. You can choose to attack, or you can attempt to forge connections, opening up new pathways for interaction and story.
Beyond the social dynamics, the aesthetic appeal is equally compelling. Players can utilize the giant trees to climb and build elegant, interconnected homes, linking their dwellings with ziplines. Your mode of transport is delightfully small, featuring a glider made of a leaf or a few feathers, perfectly emphasizing the scale of the world.
If you’re ready to explore a world where survival meets community building, Trollheim: Gnomes is set to arrive in early access later this year, offering a fresh take on survival that puts the importance of relationships right at the heart of the adventure.
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