Sons Of The Forestis a great horror survival experience that came out of the Early Access gate strong. As it went full release, a host of additions from balance adjustments and improvements to extra features were introduced to make the experience even better.
A lot of changes came with Version 1.0, withthe official patch notesgoing through every painstaking detail because there’s so much to go through. Thankfully, you can simply check out the meatiest changes right here.
Since its launch, Endnight Games has also released a number of hotfixes to remedy certain bugs and issues introduced by Version 1.0. Make sure you update your game to best experience the dread that awaits you in the forest!
10New Intros And Ending
Close The Chapter With Another Route
Sons Of The Forest has already had multiple intro sequences and endings since the Early Access days. The introduction variants would mostly determine what part of the map you would land in, while the ending would depend on your choices throughout the game.
Every ending carries its own questions and answersforThe Forestveterans and new players alike. The new patch offers another potential intro (randomly determined when you start a new game) and alternate endings that range from a gnarly boss fight to a wholesome future with your buddies Virginia and Kelvin. There are also some extra variations that you’ll want to leave for subsequent playthroughs.
9Holey And Legsy
More Cannibalistic Horrors To Haunt You
Just when you thought you finally had a handle on every enemy in this game, here comes a new cast of characters meant to torment you. The most significant newbies of the bunch are the aptly named Holey and Legsy, and you will recognize them immediately from their appearance.
you’re able to first encounter them when you go cave-diving, but they’ll eventually make their way to the surface if you wait for the season to change. There’s also a new puffy variation named Spotty, who is decidedly less adorable than their name implies.
8The Final Artifact
Ultimate Power In Your Hands
As you explore the island, you can come across different mysterious parts that you can put together to form one Artifact. While it isn’t necessary to form the Artifact to finish the game, it does come with some interesting lore and unlocks its own ending.
Some of the parts were already discoverable before, but you can finally get every single piece and create the Artifact. Aside from its role in the ending, it also comes with some nifty perks like enabling teleportation points, reinforcing materials with gold (which not only looks shiny but makes things more durable), and making cannibals keep their distance. And if you’re a sucker for pain, you can also use it to draw in hordes of enemies.
7Jianyu
A Mystery Man Unveiled
Jianyu has been around as the semi-villain of the story but largely remained a mystery. In Version 1.0, you can finally get more details about the man behind the jacket. There is plenty of lore to be found on the island by way of notes and found footage, but you can also spot him in more cutscenes than before.
Even your first interaction with Jianyu has changed, giving some added depth to the antagonist. There are also more voice lines that should help you unmask him and his intentions as you work your way through the main story.
6Reworked And Added Cutscenes
There’s Always Room For More Lore
Quite a few cutscenes have been added that help build the lore of Sons Of The Forest deeper. Existing scenes from previous iterations also see some changes that go beyond cosmetic adjustments. Entire sequences have been reworked, so it’s worth getting into the narrative again even if you’ve already played the game prior to Version 1.0.
For example, the big bunker scene where you find some old residents now includes a bigger Jianyu appearance compared to his old “blink and you miss it” moment. You’ll also have a more significant interaction with some core NPCs tied directly to your journey.
5New And Reworked Buildable Items And Structures
Get Even Craftier To Survive The Forest
Crafting has been tweaked, so it’s very likely that you’ll find it more satisfying than before. More than that, there are tons of new additions to what you can actually build. In fact, there’s so much more you can have fun with that they’ve even added a Creative mode for pure building. You can unlock this mode once you’ve completed the story at least once.
Lots of the new buildables urge you to explore, as there are various recipes littered throughout the island. The golf cart also has active GPS now, so you can more easily seek out these recipes. verify you don’t miss out on the many traps, electricity, furniture, and structures you can create to make your base the ultimate headquarters.
4More Places To Discover
Explore Fresh Spots And Paths
There are plenty of new points of interest you can find throughout the island. Some of these come with new discoverable items while others simply house some curious lore. Other places also come with some handy resources for your crafting needs. The island was already compelling before, but you’ll find tons of cool discoveries as you go around this time.
It’s not just firm locations, either. You can check out new open caves, alternate pathways, and abandoned gear and vehicles all about.
If you want to find all the points of interest for a completionist run, you may want to use theinteractive Sons Of The Forest map. Of course, first-time players should steer clear as you may have a better experience diving in blindly.
3A Few Non-Hostile Entities
Discovering Friends In Unfriendly Lands
It’s not all beings that are trying to kill you. You’ll also spot some new non-hostile NPCs just trying to make their way through the island. For instance, you can find many spots with camped-out soldiers trying to get your attention using flares. Unfortunately, there is no way to help them out.
You will also find an abundance of raccoons that have made their home in the forest. The adorable creatures will just stand and eye you without getting aggressive. It’s a neat addition if you like seeing cute breaths of fresh air around the island. Or if you just want meat. Or trophies, if you’re into that.
There is also a new instance where you can meet Timmy, but it’s best to leave that endgame detail spoiler-free. If you don’t mind spoilers and want to know, check outour complete Sons Of The Forest Guide.
2Changes In Existing Locations
More Ways To Impending Doom
Something not where you remember? Don’t worry, it’s not your memory. The full release has seen many caves, bunkers, and camps get reworked. This means that not only did the contents change, but certain entrances and paths did too.
It’s all part of the joy of exploration, which is easily one of the main reasons this game is one of thebest open-world multiplayer games you can play.
1Sickness
Survival Just Got Harder
As if it wasn’t hard enough to survive through harsh weather and even harsher cannibals and mutants. Version 1.0 introduces the concept of sickness, which means you can no longer expect to be perfectly fine after drinking that murky water with bits in it. And yes, consuming rotten food will also make you sick (even if you try to cook them). Put the moldy leg down!
This feature can be toggled on or off when starting a custom game, but it’s on by default in any standard playthrough. It’s worth trying the game with it on just to add that extra sense of danger as you attempt to get the heck out of this island. you’re able to always get a cooking pot and use that to boil and purify any found water for drinking (it’s better if you have a flask.)
