Presented by Cybertemple
DarkSwitch is an eldritch survival city builder where you hold back the darkness at all costs
The Tree Provides! The Tree Protects! The Tree Prevails!
DarkSwitch, the upcoming survival city builder with an eldritch horror fantasy twist, just got a new trailer at the Future Games Show, showcasing all-new vertical building mechanics, tech trees, and most importantly: a playable demo that's available to all interested players right now!
Looking like a combination of Cities: Skylines and Darkest Dungeon via the aesthetic of Path of Exile, DarkSwitch's new trailer shows off an enormous tree around which players can build their settlement. But it's not just for showing off your skill as a city planner, as your treehouse nation is a bastion against The Fog, an eldritch force of chaos that only the light of the tree can force back.
Much of DarkSwitch's appeal appears to be expanding and building your gaze through the murk, creating networks of structures that allow you to peer through the Fog and uncover what's within. Players can find folklore-themed horror threats aplenty, but also other outposts of beleaguered humanity, not to mention the ancient ruins of a forgotten civilization, clearly just begging to be plundered for lost lucre and strange technologies. Against a strange threat like the Fog, clearly you'll need every advantage you can get, at least until somebody can work out how to make a good dehumidifier.
DarkSwitch is planned for a Fall 2025 release, but until then you can download the demo of the game right now from either Steam or GOG. Alternatively, follow the latest updates on X at DarkSwitch_Game.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
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Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University, none of which has actually equipped him for anything in real life. As a result he chooses to spend most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at USgamer, Gfinity, Eurogamer and more besides.