Sons Of The Forest - What We Know So Far

Sons of the Forest is the sequel to Endnight's terrifying survival horror game The Forest, which was released back in 2018. The Forest was a pretty big success, receiving positive reviews and selling over five million copies over the course of four years. That's no easy feat for a new horror title that isn't a sequel of some kind to an earlier game. 

While there haven't been a ton of specific details revealed regarding Sons of the Forest just yet, we have a few ideas of what to expect from the new installment. More importantly, we have seen a trailer for the game that gives a great feel for the tone of the game, as well as some of the threats we'll be facing when Sons of the Forest debuts. Let's return to the forest and take a look at this haunting new game from Endnight. Make sure to bring a flashlight.

We don't yet know a release date for Sons of the Forest. It appears from the trailer as though the game may be rather far along in the development process, but there are likely still some tweaks to be made as Endnight drums up more interest for the sequel. The first game was in Early Access on Steam for a whopping four years, but it's unlikely that the sequel will take quite as long. 

According to Endnight CEO Ben Falcone, the game is targeting a 2021 release. We'll be sure to let you know when we get an official release date for Sons of the Forest.

Two trailers have released for Sons of the Forest, each delivering just the slightest hint of what is in store for players. The game was first announced at the 2019 Game Awards, along with a trailer that showed a military unit's helicopter being brought down by mutated creatures. Right away, this trailer was teeming with more of an action-oriented atmosphere than the first installment. The monsters pick the professionals off one by one, and the segment ends with a horrifying close-up reveal of one of these eyeless enemies.

While that first trailer was low on plot, it got fans excited for more. After a year of very little new information on the game, a second trailer finally released in December 2020. This video shows off more of the sequel's gameplay, including a tense firefight against a group of slow-moving mutants and a demonstration of the protagonist's crafting and survival abilities, like chopping trees and digging. It also may provide the clearest idea yet of who the main characters of the game will be — including an unexpected ally.

While we don't currently have an official word on Sons of the Forest''s platforms, we can make some decent assumptions based on the first game. The Forest was released on PC, followed by a PlayStation 4 port. It should be safe to assume that we'll see the sequel on both of those platforms. However, hopefully it'll make it to more platforms, considering how well-liked the original game was.

We'll keep an eye out for an official platform announcement.

Sons of the Forest looks to be reviving many of the gameplay elements that worked in The Forest, judging from the trailer and comments made by the developer. Players will have to survive the wilderness and the constant threat of attack by crafting different items and finding shelter. In addition to the day and night cycle from the first game, Sons of the Forest will feature new weather mechanics that are sure to add a bit of challenge. According to the developers, the terrain can freeze and become covered in snow, making traversal more difficult. It remains to be seen how these elemental changes might affect the players' weapons and items.

Speaking of weapons, fans of the first game have taken note of the guns seen in the trailer. Ben Falcone explained that although guns can be used, ammo is extremely scarce. This means players will still have to rely heavily on melee combat, as well as all-new traps and defenses that can be built using supplies found on the island.

In January 2021, The Escapist caught up with Endnight's Ben Falcone and Rod Green to discuss the game's most recent trailer. Falcone and Green revealed that the A.I. in Sons of the Forest goes beyond anything seen in the previous game. For the new game, Endnight programmed a new A.I. tool called V.A.I.L., which "allows for the creation of some extremely complex behavior, and characters can now become afraid, tired, angry, hungry, thirsty, tired, etc., and these influence their decisions."

With this new A.I. engine, it seems it will be up to the player to keep their companions (and enemies) fed and comfortable. Perhaps that will be the key to maintaining a friendship with the mysterious Virginia mutant?

Endnight has also said that V.A.I.L. will enable enemies to carry out "much more coordinated attacks" on the player, which has led to fans on Reddit debating the possible applications of V.A.I.L. One fan theorized that it could be possible for the mutants to adapt to different traps, rendering them useless against a particular enemy class or group. Of course, this has yet to be confirmed, as Endnight was characteristically vague when discussing the exact usage of V.A.I.L.

Endnight has yet to confirm the identity of the lead character, but fans of franchise are pretty sure that the game will follow Timmy, a survivor from the first installment. (Spoilers ahead for The Forest.)

During the events of The Forest, Timmy is killed and his genetic material is used for an experiment on the island where the title takes place. Timmy is later resurrected in one of The Forest's endings, and he can be seen planning to visit another mysterious island during the game's final moments. A toy that belonged to Timmy in the first game has been spotted by fans in the latest trailer.

The other most notable character from these trailers is a mutant woman with multiple extra limbs. She is shown dancing in the reveal trailer and hanging out at the protagonist's camp in the second. As spotted by fans, this character resembles a mutant class from the first game called the "Virginia." Unlike the violent versions seen in The Forest, the sequel appears to set this Virginia up as a companion of sorts for the lead character.

Plot details for Sons of the Forest have been scarce, but there are some things that have been revealed. According to an interview with Endnight CEO Ben Falcone, the enemies encountered in this game are all-new threats, separate from the mutant cannibals of the first installment. This fact makes the appearance of Virginia in this game all the more intriguing, as it seems she has shown up somewhere she does not belong.

If Timmy truly is the main character of the game, then that introduces a whole new series of story possibilities. As seen at the tail end of The Forest, Timmy may be suffering from a mutation brought on by his experiences on the island. Changing on a genetic level could cause some issues for the young adventurer while he struggles to survive on his own, but his mutation might also explain why Virginia seems to have taken a liking to him. Perhaps Virginia sees Timmy as something of a kindred spirit? It is unclear how that unlikely friendship may evolve.