New Features We Want To See In Sons Of The Forest

While "The Forest" wasn't the first survival title on the market, with forebears like "Minecraft" practically paving the way for other titles to follow, there's no denying that "The Forest" had something that captivated players and propelled it to the top of its genre. Though other games have tried to emulate an experience akin to "The Forest" — with a recent example being "Green Hell" — but players keep coming back to the 2014 game for their survival horror thrills.

Thankfully there's a sequel for "The Forest" in development, so fans won't be stuck playing the original forever. Titled "Sons of the Forest," the sequel hopes to recapture what made the original game great wrapped up in a whole new package. With luck, it too will be a game players shouldn't let their kids see. So far, developer and publisher Endnight Games has been pretty quiet about "Sons of the Forest," only releasing a handful of trailers and remaining tight-lipped when pressed for questions. That said, it hasn't stopped fans from speculating on the potential new changes or additions the sequel would bring. Whether it's new things to build, more fearsome foes, or even completely new mechanics, here are the new features we want to see in "Sons of the Forest."

Eating is vital to survival, and in turn, so is cooking. While options, tools and ingredients are obviously limited in a survival situation, there's got to be more to cuisine than throwing meat on fire or hanging it up to dry. In "The Forest," those were the only two options players had for a long time, aside from eating something raw. Even though the game would later add a simple pot that added loads of new features for players, the sequel could take it a step further. "Sons of the Forest" doesn't need something as extensive as cooking in "Genshin Impact," or as realistic as "Cooking Simulator," but a few extra options would go a long way.

Affording players a little extra choice with cooking would open the door to tons of new experiences in "Sons of the Forest." For example, by introducing something as simple as a boiling pot, players could cook down ingredients to make hearty soups or boil contaminated water in the original. The successor can improve upon this across the board by allowing new interactions with the cooking options already there and adding new ones too. For example, players should be able to use their pots to brew healing drinks or poisons with the right reagents. In the same vein, a clay or stone oven could allow players both cooking advantages and the possibility for other lines of crafting.

Players can create a lot in "The Forest." The title sports some of the most impressive construction options among its survival peers, from standard survival affairs like shelters, cooking fires and simple defenses to boats, treetop hideouts and full-size catapults. That said, there's always room for more, especially if it's more meaningful. Specifically, players have called out the fact that bases ultimately don't serve much of a purpose in "The Forest." Though a well-fortified death mansion in the woods is probably great at keeping the title's cannibals at bay, the original game didn't progress until players ventured out and started exploring enemy-filled caves. Endnight Games should ensure players have a reason to build up their own stake in survival.

Another area where "Sons of the Forest" can improve upon its predecessor is in the ease of custom construction. While the game makes it simple for players to choose and construct a blueprint for definitive projects like fires or shelters, creating a custom project is a lot more frustrating. The upcoming sequel should implement a smarter construction UI that allows players to "snap" multiple construction projects together. As it stands, it's a nightmare trying to affix foundations to floors to stairs, etc., manually. 

In the original game, players will find the island they're stranded on alive with fish, big lizards, rabbits, plenty of birds and a few other critters. Each animal offers its own bounty of resources and materials that players can harvest, although some — like the tortoise — offer more. Whether it's to get some meat to cook or to turn scaly reptile skin into armor, players will find themselves interacting with the wildlife quite often. "The Forest" certainly offered a good variety of different animals, but "Sons of the Forest" can bring even more variety to the table.

While "The Forest" generally had its bases covered when it came to how often players encountered wildlife, a little more variety in the biome could make the sequel feel more organic, as well as serve as a means to introduce new materials or dangers. While the implications of new materials from a new animal species are obvious — granting players new items to forage for and craft with — making some creatures a threat could add a new layer to the game. Players wouldn't have to just keep their eyes peeled for cannibals at night, given away by a tell-take torch, but also for prowling beasts capable of felling them in a single pounce. Players have most vocally called for bears and wolves as added predator threats, but others have made a case for smaller, poisonous creatures.