Deal | $0 instead of $25: Dog-sled survival roguelite now free on Steam

If frostbite has kept you from becoming a sled-dog musher, The Red Lantern now offers a digital alternative. Developed by Timberline Studio and published by Kepler Interactive in 2021, the game puts players in the role of a musher – the leader of a sled-dog team. The goal is to reach a remote cabin deep in the Alaskan wilderness and start a new life there. The journey is framed as a survival game with roguelite elements. According to SteamDB, this is the first time the title has been available for free on Steam. Thanks to its “Verified” status on the Steam Deck, the offer should also be of interest to handheld gamers.

Players guide the dog sled stage by stage through the Alaskan wilderness. At waypoints, the team encounters animals, abandoned places or other events. Each time, a decision has to be made: hunt, evade, gather supplies or keep moving. Every action either costs resources or brings in new ones. Between sections, the musher sets up camp, feeds the dogs, treats injuries, cooks meat and manages ammunition. Anyone who hunts too recklessly or manages supplies poorly risks the musher and the dogs never reaching the cabin. Since The Red Lantern also uses roguelite elements, failure is part of the gameplay loop. If an attempt fails, the journey starts over, but certain upgrades remain – such as unlocked dogs.

On Steam, The Red Lantern has nearly 1,400 reviews with a solid 81% positive rating. The Metacritic scores are significantly lower, with a Metascore of 65 and a User Score of 5.6. However, since players and critics have each submitted fewer than 20 reviews, the Metacritic scores are not very representative. Overall, the game seems to be well received, especially for its Alaskan atmosphere and lovingly designed dogs with individual traits and abilities. However, the heavy reliance on chance has drawn criticism. Many encounters and resources depend on luck, which can make runs frustrating.

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