When there is conflict, there is always opportunities for the enterprising to make the most of the situation. Some might profit from the constant strife, while others may look to seize power and ascend to the top of whatever's left. Others are just looking to survive, and that is where players will find themselves in The Forever Winter.
As a co-op tactical survival horror extraction shooter, it is up to you to decide how best to progress and whether to do it alone or with trusted allies. While your skills at combat will come in handy, your choice of character will also play a big role in determining your playstyle out in the wastelands. Here's a guide to all five characters in The Forever Winter, and how they play.
6 Beginners Mistakes To Avoid In The Forever Winter
Anyone trying The Forever Winter for the first time might feel a little disoriented, but they would do well to heed the following warnings.
Choosing the Right Character in The Forever Winter
At this Early Access stage, the extraction shooter has five different characters for players to choose from, each possessing a distinct skill tree and stats that affect how they play. Naturally, for players who gravitate towards a certain playstyle, it is likely that there will be a specific character that fits that profile.
Old Man
This character is a Survivalist, and has skills that focus on making the most out of medical supplies. He is proficient enough with basic weapons, so you can count on the likes of rifles, shotguns, heavy rifles, and pistols. With his average health and speed, the Old Man is a decent choice for a solo player, but works best in a group.
Scav Girl
As for the Scav Girl, this individual is all about speed and covert ops, giving them an advantage over others when it comes to movement. Her skills affect speed and small arms, and she has a smaller health pool to balance her increased speed. Trained in rifles, shotguns, pistols, and submachine guns, her ability to see loot icons via the HUD at twice the distance of others make her a valuable looting pro.
Mask Man
The Mask Man is a Master at Arms for a reason, forgoing any nuance for weapon skills that make him a force to be reckoned with. Even with average health and speed, his training in rifles, shotguns, pistols, and submachine guns will level the playing field, and being able to see extraction locations at twice the distance compared to others always has its uses.
Shaman
For those needing a larger carrying capacity, the logistics master that is the Shaman is the best choice. Similar to the Scav Girl in being able to see loot icons with more effectiveness, the Shaman can utilize rifles, shotguns, pistols, and submachine guns at the start. The skills focusing on a blend of speed, carrying load, and weapons allow players to be more of a generalist.
Bag Man
Lastly, the Bag Man is all about strength, with his skills focusing on carrying capacity and heavy weapons. His low speed balances his high health, but his ability to wield rifles, shotguns, light machineguns, heavy machineguns, and heavy rifles can make this character a helpful ally to have both in conflict and in looting.
How to Upgrade Characters in The Forever Winter
By using specific characters and weapons, players will gain experience in various ways. Gain enough weapon experience, and you will start unlocking more items to buy from vendors. So, if you have been eyeing a powerful weapon, it is best to keep refining your craft with the weapon type. At the same time, character experience will accrue, allowing players to unlock skills to increase their effectiveness or unlock new items and rigs for use.
Once you hit an XP cap, there will be the option to prestige. Every time you choose to prestige, you will:
- Improve a character's core stats
- Rise the XP cap for another level of prestige
- Reset all previously earned skills
This is the best way to improve a character while gaining access to the whole skill tree. The more you play, and the better you are at surviving, the more you can look forward to. Do take note that while items and upgrades may be lost if the Innards run out of water, your XP, unlocked skills, and prestige levels will not reset.
The Forever Winter
- Released
- September 24, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Fun Dog Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Fun Dog Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Extraction, Shooter, Tactical
