New Open World Multiplayer Game Has Serious Minecraft Vibes

Summary

4J Studios, best known for its many Minecraft ports, has announced a new game called Reforj.
Reforj is an open-world survival game with multiplayer elements and voxel graphics. Its building system will allow players to not just place blocks but also sculpt them.
While it currently lacks a release date, Reforj has already been confirmed to be in development for both PC and consoles.

Reforj is the name of a newly announced open-world multiplayer game with some serious Minecraft vibes. Its similarity to Mojang's flagship title is even stronger on account of Reforj coming from a developer that's best known for its numerous Minecraft ports.

Minecraft is one of the most ported 21st-century games, and many of its ports were handled by 4J Studios. Over the five-year period ending in 2017, the Dundee, Scotland-based developer brought Minecraft to everything from the Xbox 360 and PS3 to their next-gen successors, PS Vita, Wii U, and the Nintendo Switch. Since then, the Scottish company made a wacky couch co-op game called Manic Mechanics, which was treated to a multi-platform release in 2023.

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4J Studios Shares First Look at Voxel Sandbox Game Reforj

4J Studios has now revealed its next project in the form of Reforj, a multiplayer survival game with procedurally generated open worlds. The developer's announcement included some pre-alpha footage from the game, which shows that Reforj will boast a blocky aesthetic that makes it somewhat reminiscent of Minecraft, especially when combined with its procedural environments and mechanics. However, 4J Studios' upcoming title will utilize voxel graphics rather than rely on polygons like Minecraft does.

To that end, the Scottish company opted to create Reforj using its proprietary Elements Engine, which is specifically geared toward powering voxel sandbox experiences. 4J Studios originally unveiled this game engine back in May 2024, with Reforj hence being set to serve as its first proper showcase. In terms of its gameplay loop, 4J Studios says that its upcoming game will task players with surviving in a hostile environment by building shelters, establishing settlements, and scavenging for resources. They will also have a chance to explore the remnants of some lost civilizations and take on a variety of mobs.

Reforj's Building System Supports Sculpting Blocks

The Reforj pre-alpha footage also offers a glimpse of the game's wingsuit mechanics, which will allow players to quickly traverse large distances. While its user interface and building mechanics seem somewhat similar to Minecraft on the surface, there is one standout UI difference in that Reforj will feature a fairly detailed minimap. Likewise, the game will allow players to sculpt blocks rather than merely place them, which should be conducive to creativity.

The game itself is currently lacking a release window, though 4J Studios did confirm that it's planned to be released on both PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC. Given how Elements is specifically touted as a next-gen engine and seeing how it's already 2024, the chances of Reforj reaching the PS4 and Xbox One appear slim to none.