The Three Modes
Permafrost ships with three distinct modes. Reporting from fixgamingchannel, based on roughly 30 hours of hands-on play, describes them as follows.
Story mode centers on exploration and building with a narrative thread. It includes a guided tutorial structure, so you learn the systems as Rook's search for Icarus unfolds. This is the intended first experience for most players.
Survival mode keeps the same world and systems but makes resources scarcer and conditions harsher. Expect tighter margins on everything. You get fewer supplies and less room for error. The cold presses harder as well.
Custom mode lets you adjust the experience to your own preferences. If you want the survival systems with your own difficulty balance, this is where you shape it.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | Story | Survival | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Narrative guidance | Storyline with tutorial structure | Minimal | Player-defined |
| Resource scarcity | Standard | Noticeably higher | Adjustable |
| Harshness of conditions | Standard | Steeper cold and survival pressure | Adjustable |
| Best for | First playthroughs | Experienced survival players | Tailored runs |
| Learning curve | Gentlest | Demanding | Depends on your settings |
Which Mode Should You Choose
New players should start with Story. The guided tutorial structure teaches the core systems in context, with temperature management woven into the lessons, and the narrative gives your first hours a clear direction. Roughly 30 hours of hands-on coverage suggests the opening area is forgiving enough to learn in, so Story lets you build competence before the difficulty ramps up.
Pick Survival if you already know the genre well and want the world to punish mistakes. The scarcer resources and harsher conditions reward efficient routing and disciplined preparation. Our beginner guide and cold survival guide still apply, but the margin for error shrinks.
Pick Custom when you know exactly what experience you want. Want survival pressure without worrying about one specific system, or a relaxed exploration run through the frozen city? Custom mode exists for those cases.
Groups should decide together. Since co-op supports up to four players in a shared world, a mixed group will have the most fun in Story, where the guided structure keeps everyone on the same page. A group of veterans chasing difficulty can jump straight into Survival once they agree on the stakes.
Switching Modes Mid-Run
Whether you can switch modes on an existing save is UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. To be safe, treat your mode choice as permanent for each save. If you are unsure, start in Story, since you can always begin a fresh Survival or Custom run once you understand the systems. Co-op is available in all modes, with up to four players, so your group should agree on a mode before creating the shared world.
Do not assume you can toggle between Story and Survival on the same save file. That rule is UNVERIFIED as of October 9, 2026. Pick your mode deliberately at character creation.