Eternal Return: Black Survival, a refreshing spin on the MOBA, crafting survival, and battle-royale genres

Screenshot taken from game’s website: playeternalreturn.com

Eternal Return reminds me of an anime-style Hunger Games, where you drop as one of 18 different “Test Subjects” on a small island full of loot boxes and animals. The point of the game is the be the last survivor, and just like most battle royale games you need to be one of the last one(s) standing. There is a solo, duo, and team mode.

Screenshot taken from: https://eternalreturn.gamepedia.com/Eternal_Return_Wiki

Before the match starts, you can choose where to drop on the island. Each location contains different materials and drops, and you will need to collect and craft with these to get stronger. Each time you perform an action such as searching boxes, making food, or hunting animals you level up the “mastery” of the skill and also gain experience points towards leveling up your character. With each level, you also gain another point in a skill of your choice.

In game loading screen before we drop into the island

You start with a weak weapon and one skill point, and generally you want to finish upgrading your weapon first. At the same time, you need to keep an assortment of food and refreshments to recover your health and stamina. With limited inventory of 10 spaces, inventory management becomes really important and one of the more difficult things in the game tends to be choosing what to hold and what to drop.

Areas of the map turn yellow and then red, just like other battle royales where the map closes in slowly on the players until it converges on one final fighting area. Every time you venture into a red area, there is an ominous timer over your head counting down from 30 seconds. Once it reaches 0 your body explodes (very brutal!). Sometimes you can lose people by purposely running away into a red area, but be careful because the timer doesn’t go back up.