Sons of the Forest Patch 03 Adds Knight V, Night Vision and Solar Power

Endnight Games released Patch 03 for Sons of the Forest on 6 April 2023, introducing the Knight V electric unicycle, Night Vision Goggles, a new Spring Trap and solar-powered lighting. The update also brought improvements to building, companion behaviour and enemy encounters during the game’s Early Access period.

The biggest attraction was undoubtedly the Knight V, a rideable electric unicycle designed to help players travel across the island more quickly. Pronounced “Knight Five”, the vehicle offered an alternative to covering long distances on foot, making journeys between camps and exploration sites considerably more convenient.

Patch 03 also introduced Night Vision Goggles, giving players another way to explore dark caves and travel after sunset. Unlike a flashlight, the goggles provided a green-tinted view of the surrounding environment rather than a concentrated beam of light.

Base building received an equally significant addition. Solar panels, wires and light bulbs brought the first version of an electrical system to Sons of the Forest, allowing players to begin powering lights around their structures. Although Endnight described it as an initial implementation, the change laid the foundation for the more advanced lighting and electrical systems that followed.

For me, the contrast between these additions is what makes Patch 03 interesting. The Knight V was an unusual and entertaining way to get around the island, but introducing electricity gave players who preferred building permanent bases something new to develop.

The update also expanded defensive construction with a Spring Trap capable of launching enemies into the air. Players gained the ability to build ramps and stairs between beams and walls, while the existing mannequin was replaced by a functional Armor Rack for displaying equipment.

Beyond the new items, Endnight made several improvements to Kelvin and Virginia.

Kelvin could now collect different types of arrows, visibly carry them and return to Hunting Shelters or beds when instructed to seek shelter. Virginia also received behavioural adjustments, including putting away her firearms when carrying gifts and dropping those gifts when entering combat.

Enemy encounters were another focus. Cannibals became more capable of avoiding heavy attacks, while adjustments to cave spawning were intended to prevent mutants from appearing visibly in front of players or accumulating in excessive numbers over time.

Patch 03 also introduced a save-file deletion option and limited the number of save slots to 30, addressing problems with Steam Cloud synchronisation. Other fixes targeted lost backpacks, disappearing fish on Drying Racks and enemies spawning inside player-built bases.

Taken together, these changes made Patch 03 more than a vehicle update. It expanded how players travelled and built their settlements while addressing several frustrations affecting the game’s early survival experience.

The complete list of features, improvements and fixes was published in Endnight Games’ official Patch 03 announcement.

Later Update: Endnight subsequently improved the brightness of Night Vision Goggles and introduced a restriction preventing the Knight V from climbing particularly steep slopes. Both changes arrived in Sons of the Forest Patch 04, refining two of the major additions introduced in Patch 03.