For those who’ve long awaited a Lovecraftian survival craft game, the Eldritch have heard your call. Set in a grim world shaped by the horrors of H. P. Lovecraft, RailGods of Hysterra promises a bold new twist on the survival genre.

The game takes players to a world twisted by the arrival of the Great Old Ones, powerful cosmic entities that have shattered reality and left humanity on the brink of madness. You awaken as a Dreamer, torn from the Dreamlands and bound to a colossal, living locomotive known as your RailGod. As you journey across desolate landscapes haunted by fanatical cultists and nightmarish beasts, you have to survive and endure the fate of this doomed world.

Your RailGod train is more than mere steel and steam. Born of forbidden rites and unholy sorcery, it pulses with an eldritch life force that craves the flesh of your foes. Sacrifices power its relentless movement, transforming the train from a refuge into a devastating weapon. As you explore outposts, you can enhance the train’s carriages with useful features, unlocking new abilities that lead you closer to confronting the titans that serve the Great Old Ones.

Whether you brave the horrors alone or band together with up to four friends in co‑op, survival depends on careful planning and resourcefulness. In each settlement, you must scavenge for food and materials, craft tools and weapons, and study ancient tomes of dark magic. The more you embrace the symbiosis with your RailGod, the greater your GodKeeper skills become, which allows you to trap Deathless enemies, extract their Dark Gifts, and wield arcane powers that turn the tide in desperate battles.

Every stop along the Endless Railways brings fresh mysteries and unique dangers. Time and space warp under the influence of the Great Old Ones, revealing hidden dungeons and twisted realms that challenge your survival. You may find yourself racing against creeping madness as you balance health, hunger, and sanity, or forging alliances with fellow survivors whose own stories and perks can alter your journey.

Combat in Hysterra feels familiar to V Rising, blending brutal melee attacks, ranged gunplay, and sinister spells imbued by your RailGod. Facing off against colossal monstrosities and corrupted cultists demands teamwork and strategy, especially when you combine forces to unleash devastating chain attacks or protective wards granted by Dark Gifts.

The game also offers in-depth personalization, from the design of your character’s attire to the layout of your train’s fortress-like carriages. Upgrades and cosmetic choices reflect your playstyle and your commitment to defying the deities that reside in the shattered world.

The game’s Early Access unfolds in chapters. In June and July, the Shadow Over Innsmouth update will introduce sprawling new zones, unseen enemies and interactive workbenches that reshape the way you build and explore. A reworked quest system and expanded character customization promise fresh paths through madness. By August and September, the Dunwich Horror chapter will add deadly bosses, dungeon delving mechanics and further RailGod carriages to deepen your strategic choices. Between these milestones, regular patches will fine‑tune balance and bring smaller surprises to tide you through the long night.

The developers aim to reach the 1.0 release within the next six to twelve months. Before the full launch, players can expect entirely new RailGod designs, additional realms, new mechanics such as fishing, and expanded Obelisk Challenges.

RailGods of Hysterra will be available in Early Access on Steam starting May 7, 2025, with the console release date still to be announced.