While it may look like a simple mod for Rust or DayZ, Duckside is a new open-world survival game that put the players in the webbed feet of ducks. The game offers a persistent PvP/PvE world, where ducks fight each other but also team up against human NPCs. There isn’t really a story explaining the situation here—you just select a server and fly into the battleground.

What the quack…

Playing the game for the first time, you might think this is one of those games developed specifically for content creators and for the memes. While this can be partially true, the gameplay is actually very polished in the early access version available on Steam. Each server can host up to 50 players and includes a day-night cycle.

The core mechanics revolve around crafting, survival, and combat. The first thing to do is gather crafting materials and choose a location to build your shelter. Since the server is persistent, your shelter will deteriorate over time and can even be destroyed by other players, so it’s essential to find a good spot, preferably hidden, and to constantly return to the game.

You have a selection of items you can craft at the beginning, but you can also find blueprints that can teach you to create new items. These blueprints can be found in the game world and especially inside human NPCs outposts. Additionally, you can use white feathers collected from other dead ducks to start a sacrifice, which unlocks an airdrop filled with resources that anyone can see on the map. This is a great opportunity to gather rare supplies quickly, but it’s also very risky and creates some interesting moments where most players will fight for the loot. Flying is another interesting mechanic and even if it makes you an easier target, it can be strategically used to find inaccessible resources, escape from a dangerous situation or shoot enemies from above.

Duckside is In Early Access With Continuous Updates

Being an online-only game, the biggest challenge for Duckside is maintaining an active player base. At the time of writing, the game has around 340 daily active players but has seen a steady decrease since its release. This is partially understandable considering it’s still in early access, but servers are being wiped bi-weekly or monthly, so it’s currently impossible to keep your progress for a long time and this can drive players away.

On the bright side, the developers are very active. They just released a Christmas update with new content and have a clear roadmap for 2025 and beyond. Streamers and content creators will likely enjoy playing the game because it manages to be both silly and competitive at the same time. The game can be perfectly enjoyed solo, but it works best when shared with others, building your bases, teaming up and raiding human outposts or other players’ shelters.

STREAMER SCORE

Duckside (PC) - 2024

Overall

3.3

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User Review

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Summary

Even though it’s still in early access, Duckside shows a lot of potential and offers a different take on the survival genre by putting players in the webbed feet of ducks.