Developer Astrolabe Interactive has announced that a new demo update for co-op floating island survival sandbox game Aloft is now available on PC via Steam in celebration of the platform’s Base Builder and Games From Quebec Festivals. The award-winning title is slated for launch on the platform early next year.
The demo update arrives after a year of remarkable achievements and community milestones for the title. In addition to earning distinction as a finalist in Ubisoft’s Indie Series 2022, a finalist in Gamescom 2022’s Big Indie Pitch, and an honorable mention in the Indie Cup Canada 2022 awards, Aloft has captivated Steam players with over 32,000 demo users (with an average playtime of 2 hours each), more than 300 video and streams with over 3 million views across YouTube and Twitch, more than 1,300 Discord community members, and nearly 50,000 organic Steam wishlists since June 2022 – no small feat for an independently developed title!
As seen in today’s trailer, Aloft’s new demo content includes new characters and monsters, new environments, an overhaul of the game’s survival system, a new simplified building mode, a new photo mode, UI and icon improvements, new sounds, new animations, gliding controls, and new features like cooking, campfires, fireplaces, doors, windows and more.
In Aloft, players must survive on islands floating around an eternal hurricane sitting at the center of their world. After building a base and calling any of these islands home, would-be adventurers can outfit their enclave with sails to travel the winds so that they may discover new territories and collect resources, technologies, and equipment upgrades. On their journey, travelers must cleanse nature of dangerous fungi that contaminate flora and corrupt wildlife in order to free and heal the ecosystem from harm. As they make progress on their expedition through the sky, players will uncover the secrets of a lost civilization and find their origins by soaring to the highest altitudes of this mysterious new realm.
“Our team is honored for the accolades Aloft has received from esteemed members of the industry so far. It is a testament to the game’s sense of wonder, ingenuity, and unbridled fun,” says Manuel, CEO of Astrolabe Interactive. “We are excited to participate in more Steam festivals this year to show off all the improvements we have made to Aloft’s popular demo since its debut last summer. Get ready to set sail on an overhauled floating island adventure.”
The final version of Aloft will include the following key features:
Key Features:
- Creative Sail Crafting – Build the perfect sails for your floating island. Adjust the height and width of masts, rotate and expand your canvas, move around anchor points, and inflate/deflate the cloth to craft any decoration you can imagine. Use your sails to move your island and navigate the sky. Fly on wind currents and jet streams to move faster.
- Head In The Clouds – Craft buildings to protect you from the harsh wind or simply let the wind pass through. Use your glider to move quickly across your archipelago of floating islands. Farm crops and raise livestock by gathering water from passing clouds, erect windmills that automate your machines, and admire the amazing view. Jump off and fly freely using your glider. Dance among the clouds with a friendly bird or two.
- Cleanse Corruption – Some islands are corrupted by a dangerous form of fungal infection. Toxic and colorful mushrooms grow on top of contaminated flora and poison the local wildlife. Develop treatments for various forms of fungi and cleanse the islands of infection. Gain access to new animal companions, livestock, crops, and resources by healing and freeing the ecosystem.
- Brave The Hurricane – A giant hurricane in the middle of the map hides the answers to your past and future in its eye. Endure rock fragments, lightning strikes, toxic spores and freezing temperatures to complete your journey through the tempest. If you listen closely, the bellows of ancient leviathans can be heard through the storm…
- Wind Automation – Build windmills to harness the power of the hurricane and automate machines across your island. Optimize your windmill placement and chase the best winds to power your production. Create automated oars for navigation, machines for crafting advanced resources, or traps to protect your islands against enemies.
- Island Editor – Create your own floating island in Aloft’s Island Editor. Save it and show it off in your world, or export and transfer it to a friend’s game.
- 8-Player Co-op – Jump into an adventure with up to 7 other friends and conquer the skies together. Chain attacks while fighting as a group, take on a meaningful role in your day-to-day activities, and sail as a team to explore and discover more of Aloft’s world.
A free demo for Aloft is now available for PC via Steam. The game will launch on the platform in early 2024. To keep up to date with the latest information on the title, please join our Discord community, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, follow us on Instagram, visit our website, and visit the game’s Steam page.