Ant Simulator is a promising survival game about being an ant

Antsim

I've always wanted to play a game loosely based on either Honey I Shrunk The Kids or Brian Aldiss's Hothouse, so Ant Simulator looks like a dream come true. Unlike the film and novel mentioned, you don't play as a tiny human in Ant Simulator (it's all in the name), but it does let you explore a world where the grass is a jungle and pollen flecks are the size of large rocks.

The final game will feature several ant species, a colony management system, as well as digging, building, harvesting and resource gathering. You'll need to "attack and defend against other insects and ant colonies" too. Studio ETeeksi is currently working on procedural map generation, a campaign and VR support.

Ant Simulator is in development using Unity 5. There's no word on the company's website about a release window, but it looks like a pretty ambitious project for a (relatively) small team. The video below features a substantial look at the game in action, as well as discussion about lighting, and the challenges of curbing disorientation when you're an ant (the answer is pollen).

Cheers to Kotaku for the heads up. More info on the game is on the studio's official website. A playable prototype is available here, though it's the result of a 48 hour Ludum Dare game jam and doesn't reflect the title's current state.

Shaun Prescott

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.