Here’s a first look at Blade Runner-esque Cloudpunk’s gorgeous life-sim spin-off Nivalis

Last May, developer Ion Lands got fans of its gorgeous Blade-Runner-esque delivery thriller Cloudpunk a little bit giddy with the announcement of new life-sim spin-off Nivalis, and now, a little over a year on, the developer has given a first look at the game in action.

Cloudpunk, which released back in 2020, was an experience I enjoyed a lot after it received a number of much-needed post-launch nips and tucks, revelling in the chance to play out all my Blade Runner fantasies by careening around its stunningly designed, neon-drenched futuristic city of Nivalis in my trusty flying car.

The biggest disappointment was that Nivalis proved to be rather lifeless at ground level, which is where Cloudpunk’s spin-off comes in, attempting to turn the city from a pretty backdrop into a rich, meaningful world of its own as you attempt to build a business up from scratch.

“Choose how to spend your time each day and discover the wonders and dangers of this cyberpunk voxel city,” explains Ion Lands, “realistic weather simulation and night-day cycles included. Grow your business, furnish your apartment, manage restaurants and nightclubs, learn how to make the perfect dish or cocktail. Need a break? Why not go fishing, or maybe explore the city – on foot or in a HOVA. Meet strangers, friends, customers and lovers alike. This is Nivalis as you’ve never seen it before.”

There’s still word on a release date for Nivalis yet, but you can get a taste of its life-sim action in the newly launched PC trailer above.