New Co-Op Open-World Game on Steam Gives Minecraft a Chance

Nothing comes close Minecraftbut many voxel-style sandbox games really try. Very few ultimately feel they understand why gamers fell in love Minecraft primarily. Sure, it's partly a case of 'right release at the right time', but the unforgettable sense of discovery, the sense that the options are endless, the chaos created in the co-op play and a very special sense of progression – all in its blocky/voxel world – all contribute. Still, there is a certain X-factor that is hard to replicate, but new Steam game Taival seems to understand what does Minecraft tick + brings in its own X-factor.

There are tons of Steam games that make use of it Minecrafts aesthetics or blocks, not to mention entire games that use the entire formula, but it's a wonder there haven't been more Minecraft-like games that took off in earnest. That's because most people Minecraft-like games (Minelikes? Craftlikes?) are arguably too similar. Soulslike games, of which there are successful and popular titles outside of FromSoft's catalog, know how to bring in their own X-factor. Games like Cube world and Hytale does just that by focusing on deepening the combat, exploration, or role-playing mechanics, but Taival goes in another X-Factor direction: deepening cooperative gameplay and focusing more on storytelling.

Taival is a Minecraft rival that goes left when other games go right

Taival wants you to explore its open world

There is no doubt about that Taival is inspired by Minecraftbecause it shares the identifiable voxel/block representation, but it really isn't one Minecraft clone or copy/paste games. For example, crafting is not focused on as much as exploration (as it is tied to co-op play and story). IN Taival, players discover a shape-shifting creature named Henki, who evolves throughout the journey by absorbing forms from creatures found in the game's handcrafted world. Some turn Henki into mounts for traversal, while others focus on combat or utility abilities that directly affect how players approach exploration and encounters. Instead of a “craft stronger and stronger gear” gameplay loop, which is more common in survival sandbox games, the gameplay loop is tied to the growth of a player's Henki.

The world itself is more curated than most procedurally generated sandbox games. According to the Steam page, Taival features seamlessly connected handcrafted worlds where encounters are procedurally generated (random encounters, bosses, loot, side activities, etc.). The idea behind the design is simple: random encounters in a handcrafted world reward exploration, which the developer wants to push more. It's not that different from the dynamic encounters in Red Deads open world, but in a Minecraft the world, as a rough comparison.

Taival experiments with Co-Op more than other Co-Op games

There was a time when very few local co-op games were released, but luckily studios like Hazelight have shown up with It takes two and Split Fiction that there is a demand for them. That said, few games have really tried to change much about co-op because, frankly, there isn't much to change. Taival still found something new to do here, as it supports four-player local split-screen and online co-op at the same timewhich is surprisingly rare now. This makes it easier to play with the person you love doing local with, as well as friends you don't live with, and that combination makes for a great game night/double date/what have you.

As players explore and complete quests (which yes, Taival have some loose RPG features), they can also vote on shared dialogue decisions and influence the mission's outcome together. It's this awesome weird hodgepodge Minecraft, Red Dead-esque world design (very rough), expansive co-op like Hazelight and beyond, and the shared influence on missions and story a la the Dark pictures game. But everything together does Taivalwhich is the most important part. Survival games usually focus on resource gathering/base building, but it's very obvious how Taival deviates from it/Minecraftts formula. Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that everyone who burns out on Minecraft can find something to like Taival.

Why Taival looks like a strong Minecraft alternative (in a nutshell)

• Handcrafted voxel-style world focused on exploration instead of pure survival crafting gameplay

• Random encounters in said handcrafted world

• Henki companion for unique progression

• Light RPG elements and quest system

• Four-player co-op with split-screen and simultaneous online support

• Focus on narrative + cooperative gaming experiments

• Important details:

  • Main Quest is 10+ hours, 50+ hours for Completionists at the top

  • Launching in Early Access on Steam. PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2 will follow.

  • Built into Unity

  • Release window: 2026

Total, Taival seems to have a very specific target audience: gamers who want the atmosphere and creativity of Minecraftwith said creativity applied to both mechanical elements and gameplay, and other modern features layered on top. Taival is only listed as coming soon on Steam, but hopefully it really is sooner rather than later.

Taival is betting on himself

In a contracting gaming industry, where sequels, reboots and safe plays are commonplace, it's worth celebrating those willing to bet on themselves. That's exactly what Taivals development studio, Bonobo Software, does. It has worked Taival quiet for the past three years, and the early access version of the game is already playable. Still, such things are expensive, especially before any costs can be recovered. In that spirit, Bonobo Software has launched a Kickstarter for Taival asking for 1 Euro (a little over $1 USD).

$1 obviously won't make anything back, but it exists solely to support the studio and its vision. If you like what you see about Taivalif you like the vision, consider donating yourself at the link above. And if you can't, sharing is caring – as the old saying goes.