Playing Permafrost Solo: What's Different
Updated:
Quick answer: Yes. Steam lists single-player, and the entire story is playable alone. Start a private session, pick Story difficulty for the gentlest first run, and your dog companion becomes your co-op partner substitute.
How to start a solo run
Main menu → Play → Host, set the world to private (or a password), one slot. Three preset options:
- Story — the intended first experience; gentler hunger, rest and damage pressure.
- Survival — the full challenge: scarcer resources (coal notably), harsher injuries, fewer animals.
- Custom — sliders for hunger, damage taken, stamina, friendly fire, temperature, skill XP, building points and item loss on death. You can change settings later, so start gentle and tune up.
What solo changes
- You're the whole economy. Every log, ingot and bandage comes from your hands — blueprint-point pacing matters more; don't overspend early on decorations.
- The dog pulls double duty. Its saddle bags are your second inventory, and its danger warnings replace a teammate's eyes. Rescue it early (Dog Days).
- No revive safety net. Death drops your backpack where you fell — claim beds often, and save manually before cold zones and caves.
- Menu pause: in a solo private session, opening the menu pauses the world — plan routes and recipes in safety.
Solo survival tips
- Keep campfire materials (2 stone + wood) on you permanently; solo has nobody to bail you out.
- Invest early in clothing cold resistance — warmth management is the solo killer. See staying warm.
- Renovate ruins near resources instead of building far-flung bases; your time is the scarcest resource.
- Do the Skinwalker and main-story steps at your own pace — they're designed to be completable solo (in co-op, ironically, they're best done by the host alone anyway).
FAQ
Is solo harder than co-op? Mechanically identical; logistically harder — no role-splitting, so everything takes longer.
Can I convert my solo world to co-op later? You can open your hosted world to friends; the save stays with you as host.
Related: Co-op guide · Beginner guide · Stay warm
Related guides
- Permafrost Co-op: Hosting, Joining and Save RulesCo-op is 1–4 players, player-hosted, PvE only. The host owns the save, guests need to be at the main menu for Steam invites, and there are no dedicated servers yet.
- Permafrost Beginner Guide: Survive Your First DaysA practical opening route: pick a background, craft stone tools, master campfire discipline, rescue your dog, build a first cabin, and learn how blueprint points and saving actually work.
- Permafrost: How to Stay Warm and Survive the ColdThe cold is the real enemy. How body warmth, gear ratings, cold zones, campfires and heaters interact — and how to loot cold zones without dying.