Relaxing Survival Adventure in the Wild West
Indie survival games often live or die on the strength of their hook. Some lean into brutal difficulty, others into expansive crafting systems, and a few manage to charm through atmosphere alone.
Above Snakes does something a little different. It carves out a niche with a tile-based world-building system that makes the act of exploration as much about creation as discovery. That single mechanic makes the game memorable even if the rest of the package can sometimes feel undercooked.
A Wild West World with a Twist
The backdrop is the American frontier, with rolling plains, dusty trails, and sparse settlements. It’s a rare setting in survival gaming, or video games alone for that matter, and Above Snakes deserves credit for leaning into it with a distinctive art style. The chunky, isometric visuals are approachable and easy on the eye, making it a game that’s pleasant to spend time in.
That said, the developers also introduced a supernatural twist in the form of zombie-like monsters. Personally, I wasn’t sold. The Wild West aesthetic is strong enough to stand on its own, and the horror elements feel like they belong to a different game entirely. When I’m foraging for berries under a pink-orange sunset or crafting tools by the campfire, I don’t feel like I need shambling ghouls breaking the immersion.
There’s an aesthetic present in Above Snakes that screams Old School Runescape, from the blocky visual presentation to the grindy skill elements. This is where Above Snakes thrives and will perfectly scratch the itch for those looking for a skill-driven, crafting-heavy indie RPG. It’s got all the good vibes of an MMO in a dedicated singleplayer experience.
Innovative Tile-Building Gimmick
The standout feature, and really the heart of the game, is the tile map system. Instead of generating a massive fixed world, Above Snakes lets you expand the frontier one tile at a time. You gather resources, craft tiles, and then decide how the land around you unfolds. Do you want a patch of forest to the east, a river to the south, or a prairie leading into the horizon? It’s completely down to you to build the world around you.
It’s a clever mechanic that encourages experimentation and lends a puzzle-like quality to exploration. Every piece you place can shape how your survival journey unfolds. There’s strategy in choosing the right environments for the resources you need, and that sense of control makes the game stand out from the crowded survival genre.
To call it a gimmick feels a bit harsh as it’s genuinely impressive and works so well. Unfortunately, there’s not quite enough variety in the tiles and landscapes for it to be as successful as it deserves.
Survival Loop: Solid but Familiar
Moment-to-moment gameplay revolves around the usual survival suspects: gathering wood and stone, cooking meals, crafting tools, and managing hunger and health. It’s not reinventing the wheel, but it’s executed competently enough that it feels satisfying for the first stretch of hours.
However, repetition sets in. After several sessions, the core survival rhythm becomes predictable, and because quests and narrative threads are thin, there’s little motivation beyond the immediate loop of resource gathering and building. This is where the lack of variety starts to bite. The mechanics are decent, but they don’t evolve in ways that keep long-term play exciting.
For fans of traditional survival crafting games, there’s more than enough to chew on. Above Snakes just doesn’t bring anything new to the formula.
Quests and Storytelling: A Weak Link
The game does attempt to weave in quests and a loose narrative, but these elements rarely rise above the level of filler. Most tasks are straightforward fetch quests or routine objectives, with little in the way of character development or world-building to make them memorable. The overarching story simply doesn’t grip, and for a setting as rich as the Wild West, that feels like a missed opportunity.
Imagine if the game leaned fully into frontier tales of settlers, lawmen, outlaws and survival against nature. Instead, the writing is sparse, and the supernatural elements feel tacked on rather than integral. For a survival game, the Wild West is nothing short of a perfect setting for all kinds of narrative exploration. Unfortunately, it’s the monsters at night trope that holds this back once again.
Relaxing Frontier Vibes
Despite those shortcomings, there’s a meditative quality to the game that works in its favour. Expanding your frontier tile by tile, watching the map sprawl outward, and quietly gathering supplies can be soothing in the right mood. The art direction helps a lot with saturated colours, crisp outlines, and tranquil environments. The visuals and the relaxing sound effects and OST give the game a laid-back tone that makes it easy to play in short bursts.
It’s at its best when treated as a sandbox to unwind to rather than a gripping survival odyssey. There’s no punishing difficulty spike, no overwhelming systems to juggle, just a manageable flow of crafting, exploring, and building. And that’s more than enough to satisfy.
Combat and Monsters
Combat exists, but it’s not the highlight. Encounters with zombie-like foes feel clunky, and the mechanics don’t have the precision or weight of a dedicated action game. It’s serviceable and something to break up the crafting cycle, but doesn’t add much to the overall game.
As mentioned earlier, I’d happily trade the monsters for more natural threats like wolves, bandits, or simply harsher survival conditions. It would have fit the Western theme better and avoided the tonal clash that occasionally undermines the experience. Think The Long Dark in a top-down isometric Wild West setting – that’s what I was hoping for from Above Snakes.
Where It Shines and Where It Falters
Above Snakes is at its strongest when it lets you breathe. The sense of ownership over your growing map, the charm of its visual style, and the comforting cadence of its survival loop can create hours of pleasant play. But its weaknesses like repetitive quests, an underwhelming story, and uninspired combat, hold it back from greatness.
Still, as a small budget development, it punches above its weight in certain areas. The tile system is genuinely inventive, and the presentation is polished enough to make you want to keep building, even when the gameplay beneath it starts to show cracks.
Above Snakes isn’t going to redefine survival games, but it doesn’t need to. It offers a charming, occasionally relaxing, sometimes frustrating journey into a frontier world that’s part history, part imagination. The Wild West setting is a breath of fresh air, even if the supernatural twist doesn’t quite land.
If you’re looking for a laid-back survival game with a unique spin on world-building, it’s worth saddling up for. Just don’t expect groundbreaking quests or a narrative that sticks with you. This is more about crafting your own pace and shaping your own frontier than following a story.
Important Links
Craft Your World, Piece by Piece – Wild West Adventure Above Snakes Arrives on Xbox, PlayStation & Switch – https://www.thexboxhub.com/craft-your-world-piece-by-piece-wild-west-adventure-above-snakes-arrives-on-xbox-playstation-switch/
Buy Above Snakes on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/above-snakes/9ND07H5F9QGR/0010
