- A new first-person survival horror adventure from UK indie developer Junkfish
- Survival exploration set on an unknown island teeming with parasitic dinosaurs and plants.
- Official release on Steam on November 10… 20% launch discount running until the 17th
Junkfish, an indie game developer based in Dundee, UK, has officially released the first-person survival horror adventure ‘Wilderdark’ on the PC (Steam) platform.
‘Wilder Dark’ begins on a mysterious island inhabited by dinosaurs and bizarre plants infected by parasites. Players take on the role of a field agent dispatched to the island in search of the source of immortality, exploring dense jungles, abandoned research camps, and ancient ruins overrun by parasites.
Players must meticulously document the island’s bizarre ecosystem and track down the traces of an expedition that was dispatched earlier and has since gone missing. At the same time, the game features tense gameplay where players must stealthily survive while avoiding predators that track their prey with extreme sensitivity to sight and hearing.
Investigation of mutated prehistoric ecosystem… Tracking traces of missing parents
It is said that the source of immortality is hidden on the island, but as ectoparasitic organisms encroached upon the ecosystem, the island’s dinosaurs and plants all mutated into grotesque forms.
As a field agent, the player records the island’s prehistoric ecosystem and collects specimens, while also tracking the whereabouts of an expedition team that previously entered the island but failed to return.
In particular, the missing include a team led by the protagonist’s parents, adding personal stories and desperation to the dangerous exploration journey to uncover the island’s massive secrets.
Survival through visual and auditory responses to avoid predators… Photographic documentation and toolmaking
The core gameplay of ‘Wilder Dark’ is thorough stealth. Top predators targeting the player use both sight and hearing to track their prey. Therefore, rather than facing them head-on, you must hide, carefully observe the sounds and movements around you, and move cautiously.
To uncover the truth of the island, one must meticulously observe the environment and document any discovered clues with photographs. The process of crafting survival tools using locally sourced materials is also crucial. Since even the slightest footstep can invite fatal danger, one must maintain a state of extreme tension throughout the expedition.
Adam Dart, founder and director of Junkfish, stated, “I wanted to create an experience where the player feels truly vulnerable, where every sound can signify danger, and where new discoveries raise more questions.”
He added, “By incorporating dinosaurs into the survival horror genre, we were able to explore fear and tension in a new way that had not been attempted before.”
The return of ‘Monstrum’ developer Junkfish… A new title painstakingly crafted over 3 years
The developer Junkfish is an independent game studio based in the UK and Singapore.
In January 2015, they released their first debut title, ‘Monstrum’, on PC, and the game made a name for itself among horror genre fans by being nominated for ‘Best Debut Game’ at the TIGA Awards and ‘Best Game’ at the Scottish BAFTA Awards.
This new title, ‘Wilder Dark’, is an authentic stealth survival horror game presented once again by Junkfish following ‘Monstrum’, and the developer emphasizes a development philosophy of ‘Person First’.
On the Steam store page, Team Junkfish is listed as the developer and Junkfish Limited as the publisher. According to foreign media reports, more than three years were invested in the development of this title.
Tutorial and dinosaur presentation improved based on demo feedback
Ahead of its official launch, Junkfish released a free demo on Steam on May 7 and gathered various feedback from users. The developers stated that they refined the quality of the demo version by updating it multiple times based on community feedback.
Major improvements include the addition of a tutorial to guide players through basic controls and game mechanics, enhancements to dinosaur design and animations to more vividly convey the game’s atmosphere and actions, overall convenience improvements, and bug fixes.
As it is immediately after the official launch, Steam user ratings and reviews from major media outlets have not yet accumulated sufficiently. It appears that the full market reaction can only be gauged once more user reviews are gathered.
‘Wilder Dark’, a survival record of holding one’s breath and chasing the truth on an unknown island overrun by parasites, is expected to deliver breathtaking tension to users who have been waiting for stealth survival horror.
The game is currently available on PC Steam for $17.99 (approximately £13.75, €15.49), with a 20% launch discount available until November 17. Developer Junkfish plans to continuously share the latest news about the game through official channels including Blue Sky, Discord, Instagram, and YouTube.
Information regarding ‘Wilderdark’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Game name | Wilderdark |
| Developer | Team Junkfish |
| Publisher | Junkfish Limited |
| Genre | First-person stealth survival horror adventure |
| platform | PC (Steam) |
| Release date | November 10, 2026 (local time) |
| price | $17.99 / £13.75 / €15.49 (20% launch discount until November 17) |
| language | English (Check the Steam page for Korean support) |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
