The Long Dark, developed by Hinterland Studio Inc., is a work in progress that users have been offering “overwhelmingly positive” feedback for since release on Steam last September. The latest patch update highlights the addition of a massive new region, the ability to harvest plants, and new wildlife that should probably be approached with caution.

The Long Dark is a sandbox survival simulation game offering a lot to explore. Hinterland announced last Friday that some huge items were added in the game’s latest update. Below are some of the major additions showcased by the developers:

• New region, Pleasant Valley, offers nearly 10 square kilometers of rural mountain valley

• New mystery wildlife (lions and tigers and bears, oh my?)

• Harvestable plants that can be used to craft natural remedies

• Torches can be crafted and used to scare off wolves

• Improved Inventory interface featuring pictures, improved navigation and embedded Repair and Harvesting actions

Community members have also done some exploring of the game additions and have provided some hilarious experiences and constructive feedback. One member noted, “you still can’t jump in this game.” Another member’s video documentation of the patch updates even had a viewer comment about the wolves’ Stalker Mode being insanely difficult.

[You] can’t walk 10ft without getting attacked by wolves.

The video itself included being attacked by one of the mystery animals and some of the following highlights:

• Environmental location heat gauge

• Bed roll now has Condition, or a lifespan

• An increased number of appliances like lamps throughout barns, which don’t seem to be interactive in this update

• Scent has been added and is affected by the wind, so wildlife can smell raw meat or a bleeding wound

A more comprehensive list of the improvements for this update can be viewed at The Long Dark’s Steam page. You can also purchase The Long Dark from the Steam store or get involved in the game’s early access development.