New base building game on Steam looks satisfying with added emphasis on combat and trains

Open world survival crafting and base building games are very popular on Steamwith some of the great ones who Satisfactory, Subnauticaand Factory stand as shining examples of the genre. As the genre has flourished over the years, Steam has seen a huge influx of games that build on the mechanics established by these highly regarded titles. While some have seen more success than others, it's usually the games with a unique twist on the core gameplay loop of survival, crafting and base building that have stood out the most.

ExoTrain from developer Harpoon Games is an upcoming entry in the genre that aims to join the ranks of these titans with its train-based hook. Although it doesn't have a firm release date yet, the Steam page for ExoTrain lists a release window for the third quarter of 2026, which places the launch somewhere between July 1st and September 30th. If there is not a significant delay, it is possible ExoTrain can end up as one of the best survival crafting games in 2026 and serve as a real competitor to Subnautica 2.

ExoTrain features at a glance

• Survival fight against hostile alien wild animals

• Open world exploration

• My resources while defending exercises from enemies

• Craft materials from collected resources

• Upgrade the train as a home base

• Play options for solo and co-op

ExoTrain lets players explore a ruined planet by train

The starting point for ExoTrain sees players embark on a journey across a planet in ruins after expecting to arrive there to begin their new job for Exoplanet Industries. Instead of finding the planet inhabited, players discover only ruins overrun with hostile wildlife. They must explore what remains of the colony to extract the necessary resources for survival, starting from basically nothing and building up to a survival habitat similar to a game that Subnautica.

A large part of ExoTrains identity is the titular train itself, which serves as the player's home base and serves as their primary method of transit as they explore the planet. While ExoTrain usually has an isometric gameplay perspective, when driving the train to reach new areas of the planet, the camera moves to a top-down view. Players can also switch back to an isometric perspective to move their character around the train as it moves, giving them access to storage and upgrades on the fly.

Upgrading ExoTrain's titular train is the key to survival

The train is more than just a means of transportation ExoTrainand upgrading its components is the key to survival. Players will be able to build various modules for the train to aid in its development, including a research station, a weapon manufacturing station, and storage boxes. Fans of games that Satisfactory will quickly realize the importance of upgrading these features, as they often hold the key to accessing more complex crafting trees that act as progression gates.

Combat is an important aspect of ExoTrain's gameplay

Alongside exploration and crafting i ExoTrains gameplay loop is combat, and it plays a much bigger role than it does in other games of this genre. Fight in ExoTrain plays similar to an APRG-like Diablo or The path of exilewhere players take on enemies from an isometric perspective and grant different skills when fending off enemies. ExoTrain also has a solid variety of weapon types for players to choose from, including:

• Battle-axe

• Ax

• Spear

• Sword

• SMG

• Rifle

• Thermal sniper rifle

Armor and equipment upgrades are also an important part of preparing for battle in ExoTrainand the game includes mechanics that allow players to customize their builds through the overclocking system. At an overclocking station, ExoTrain players can add modules to their equipment that offer enhanced abilities, such as increasing the critical hit chance of a rifle or reducing its heat generation. This system provides ExoTrain an almost RPG-like progression system that resembles something similar Diablo 4s Tempering mechanics, along with a crafting progression system.

ExoTrain shares many features with games like Satisfactory and Subnautica

Using trains in a survival crafting game or including some degree of combat is nothing revolutionary for the genre. Satisfactory includes both train and battle, with the former used to transport resources around the map and the latter allowing players to collect resources from creatures. Subnautica also has progression locked behind vehicle upgrades, with players needing access to the Cyclops submarine to reach the deepest parts of the ocean. However, ExoTrain takes these functions and puts them at the center.

Automation is at the heart of a game that Satisfactoryand ExoTrain has its own combat-ready twist on this system. While extracting resources is an easily automated process i ExoTrainwith players able to build mining rigs on ore fields, they won't be able to completely leave these structures alone to gather resources. With combat as a central part of ExoTrains gameplay loop, players will need to defend mining drills from enemy attacks to ensure that they can continue their resource gathering undisturbed. But players will also be able to set up defensive measures, like automatic turrets, to keep these creatures at bay, so they don't necessarily have to actively defend their structures.

Riding the rails is nice, but building a permanent base is also fun

ExoTrains titular train need not be the player's only base. The game also allows players to build much more permanent structures as they are given resources and technology to do so. Similar Subnautica or Satisfactorythe ability to create large-scale production facilities and outposts across the game's world should help ExoTrain players in their quest to restore a destroyed colony and clean up what remains of a planet devoid of human life.