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The Next World

Welcome to The Next World - a strategic visual novel telling the story of a crashed colony ship and its ragged group of survivors, trying to make a new life on the wrong planet. Craft plans, make decisions, and manage your colony's limited resources in a desperate fight to stay alive.

Steam Page
Developer
Illuminated Games
Publisher
AAD Productions
Release
March 7, 2016
10 years and 150 days ago
Steam Reviews
Mostly Positive115 reviews73.0%

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Updated: Jul 13, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher.
A separate publisher is listed for this release.
Search Google: Is The Next World self-published or published by AAD Productions?Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified.
Search Google: How is The Next World and AAD Productions funded?FundingThe known source of funding behind the game.
Search Google: Who controls the creative direction and IP for The Next World and Illuminated Games?Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game.
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released.
The game was released through a separate publisher.

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About the Game


Welcome to The Next World - a strategic visual novel by Illuminated Games, telling the story of a crashed colony ship and its ragged group of survivors, trying to make a new life on the wrong planet.

TNW is a visual novel/strategy hybrid inspired by The Banner Saga, King of Dragon Pass and Oregon Trail, with an emphasis on planning and decision-making over combat. Keep as many colonists alive as possible by making the tough decisions which will determine how your adventure unfolds. Build colony structures, salvage wreckage, resolve problems with multiple branching outcomes, and manage your colony's dwindling supplies; all while playing through an intense story of political intrigue, sabotage, desperation and survival, by writer Ryan A. Span (FRONTIERS, Mount&Blade, Euclidean).


  • Robust strategy system - manage your colony on a hostile world & keep your people alive
  • Fully hand-drawn art in retro-industrial sci-fi style
  • Two different protagonists to choose from, each with their own quirks and methods
  • Colourful and memorable cast of NPCs
  • Dozens of events to help you or challenge you
  • Hundreds of decisions to make, each with its own consequences
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