Endnight Games' survival horror game The Forest was an unexpected hit after its official release in 2018. With a modest budget and a small development team, The Forest was able to impress fans with its atmospheric setting, creative gameplay, and engaging AI. So much so, that a sequel was announced the following year, with Sons of the Forest set to release later this month. Fans are hoping that the sequel can capture the terror of the first game as well as building on some of its features, and with a fascinating new AI system Sons of the Forest has a good shot at topping its predecessor.
The Forest had a lot going for it, and one of its advantages was that it managed to fly mostly under the radar until its post-launch success. While it had a long early access period and was able to build its reputation throughout, The Forest didn't have the weight of expectation on it the same way a title from a larger studio would have. However, after its positive reception, Sons of the Forest will have to contend with the heightened hopes of players. Thankfully, it seems like Endnight Games is really upping the ante, with a larger map and that all important AI upgrade that promises to be its most exciting feature.
Sons Of The Forest's AI
While many will agree that The Forest was a compelling and entertaining game, there was still some room for improvement. Sons of the Forest is looking to address some of these, with small but significant additions like a wider array of environmental designs and visual representations of player movements while they are crafting items. Bigger changes are also on the way, with the map of Sons of the Forest reportedly encompassing four times as much ground as the first game. But one of the most significant additions coming to the sequel is its innovative AI system.
One of the best parts of The Forest was its enemy AI, which Endnight Games realized the player base really responded to. It helped to elevate The Forest above other survival horror games with similar elements of stealth and exploration, and it's something Sons of the Forest is embracing. Not only will players have a lot more agency as they tackle the environment, but Sons of the Forest's AI that they encounter will also be much more effective. Solo players can have an AI companion to help them, and Sons of the Forest's completely new AI system called V.A.I.L will introduce some complex behavior that will even influence their decisions.
How AI Is Transforming Sons Of The Forest
Sons of the Forest's AI means NPCs can experience simple survival states like thirst and hunger, but they can also get bored, angry, and afraid to make them appear as realistic as possible as their behaviors are affected by their emotions. More sophisticated companions is one thing, but enemy AI is another thing entirely. This was impressive enough in the first game, but Sons of the Forest is kicking things up a notch and allowing for better coordinated attacks from hostile mutants, in addition to sneakier tactics like stealing and using ziplines to gain access to a player's base.
Both enemies and companions are now able to make decisions and pursue actions that are based on their experiences and their individual objectives, and this is equal parts terrifying and fascinating. This monumental change will make the world of Sons of the Forest feel more alive, but also more threatening, making the variety of antagonistic elements more difficult to predict and therefore harder to combat. This level of sophistication when it comes to the game's AI promises to be one of Sons of the Forest's crowning achievements, and will hopefully break new ground when it comes to artificial intelligence in video games.
Sons of the Forest releases for PC on February 23, 2023.