Steam title The Forest, currently in alpha, has undergone a huge transformation since its launch, and represents the best of what early access can be.
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Developer Endnight Games keeps an open line of communication with those who have bought in to the early access stage or are considering doing so--something a lot of small teams have struggled with. Often, a studio to will go dark and leave fans uncertain about a game's future after it goes live, when people have already paid money and expect incremental improvements. This happens with both Steam early access and funded Kickstarter games.
It's not so with The Forest: there's a timer on the main menu counting down to the next content update (usually about a month), and Endnight has been extremely consistent in delivering. It's something that you simply don't see done this well by indie studios very often. The timer is pretty unique, and by including it the developers are very publicly holding themselves accountable to the fans. What's more, the game has noticeably improved with each update--these aren't just small fixes. So far, Endnight has succeeded in both working towards its vision for the game and responding to fan feedback effectively.
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The Forest is still clearly in its early development stages, as expected. While playing last night, I was chopping a cannibal's body for parts to make an effigy (you can scare enemies away from your camp with these horrific decorations), when a swing of the axe sent me hurtling hundreds of feet into the air. I gradually lost my upward momentum and began careening back towards earth, where I of course died on impact.
It was a frustrating glitch, though it makes a funny story, but it's also one I have no doubt the developers will address. The game is still in alpha and has already seen the introduction of new buildable structures, improved AI, gameplay balances, a peaceful mode, and hundreds of other fixes. Most recently, the developers added some stealth mechanics and a weapon upgrading system. Before that, they introduced treehouses, visible lizard armor, and improved weapon balancing.
There's plenty left to fix--hit detection is frustrating and it's not too well-optimized--but the makings of a great game are there. More importantly, it's easy to see that the developers are committed to improving the title and seeing it through to completion. It's a boon to The Forest's success, and a reason you should check out the game. On a larger scale, though, it's proof of concept for the much-maligned early access system as a whole--I'm not sure which accomplishment Endnight should be more proud of.
