I’m a huge fan of Survival games, I have played various ones over the years. My favourites to date are ARK and The Forest. Earlier this year we were graced with Palworld and this was one of many survival games that are due out this year that I’m interested in playing. This seems to be a good year for this particular genre and I couldn’t wait to see what Enshrouded has to offer. So, I took a break from being a pirate on the Indian Ocean and took my venters to Embervale where I would embark on a new journey and try to survive the Shroud.
Enshrouded was released into early access on the 24th of January 2024. It is a survival action role-playing game by Keen Games. Currently only available on PC but there is an aim to get it released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox series X and S later this year. It currently supports up to 16 players at once which seems quite limited compared to games like ARK. Set in the open world of Embervale you can freely explore this massive world in a third-person perspective.
You’ll be able to build bases, gather resources, and craft new equipment and gear. You can come across non-playable characters which can summon to your base, these will provide new quests and crafting options for the player. You’ll need to craft, survive, and journey across the mountains and deserts as you are free to choose your path and shape your destiny.
There is a thick layer of fog that covers areas of Embervale called “The Shroud”. In the Shroud there are numerous dangers and hostile monsters. While in the Shroud you will notice that you can only spend a limited period of time in it before you die. Not to worry you can come across various locations that when interacted with will replenish how long you can stay within the Shroud. One of the main incentives for exploring the Shroud is that it holds valuable loot and treasure that will aid you and allow for more things to be crafted.
Enshrouded sees the player needing to manage their hunger and thirst level but eating and drinking in Enshrouded gives the players buffs in combat rather than a hunger factor. One of the things I like about the combat in this game is there are a lot of different weapons that allow you to build your character in several different ways. There are three class types these being Trickster, Battlemage, and Survivor.
The skills tree is pretty big too which allows for you to again build your character however you want. When you start unlocking the more advanced crafting items and gear and get a hold of the grappling hook and glider traveling around becomes so much easier and you get to explore so much more of the world. One thing I did like about Enshrouded was that when I died, I didn’t lose all my equipment, only the raw resources. After playing hundreds of hours in ARK and dying time and time again losing everything, it was nice to only lose resources when you died in Enshrouded.
The building is amazing, it feels smooth and simple and you can get so much out of it. You could build massive castles and entire villages. Adding the NPCs to your base gives you new quests and items to craft. The combat is pretty basic and doesn’t go too in-depth. The axes and swords feel similar and the magic elements are good but nothing spectacular. It is a nice foundation and works well, it would be nice to maybe see a bit more combos added or maybe some bigger spells.
The online element of Enshrouded allows for up to 16 players to join one server and journey together, however, there is no option for PVP at the moment only PVE. This is brilliant for those who love co-op play as it adds to the Enshrouded experience. There is nothing more epic than having a mage, swords wielder, and ranger go after a big boss and conquering quests together. It also makes gathering resources and building big bases a lot quicker and you feel like you can get more done.
When playing Solo you do find yourself spending a lot of time dedicating yourself to one area of the game due to playing solo but that’s why I enjoy playing with others in these types of games as you can get the most out of it.
Graphically Enshrouded is beautiful, it looks very polished for a game in early access and the world design and mob design are brilliant. It would have been nice to have a more complex character customisation as it felt pretty limited. The Shroud itself does take up a lot of the world but even when you are inside it the world has a lot of character and it doesn’t take away visibility to the point of not being able to see.
There is so much lore scattered around that it helps tell the story of Enshrouded via books, notes, and quests. The early hours of the game can feel quite sluggish but once you have unlocked the glider and grapple it opens up the world and allows you to access areas that were originally cut off.
Like most survival games there is plenty of replay value in Enshrouded. With the game being in early access there is plenty of opportunity for Keen Games to add more to this already fantastic game. With the ability to play with up to 16 other players, it makes the game a whole lot more fun when playing with others but you can manage perfectly fine on your own. The map is huge and full of content that will keep you entertained for hours.
Even if some of the quests do become repetitive after a few hours. I like the building element in Enshrouded, I feel like it is a solid foundation that has areas that need work but it allows for you to build epic bases with ease and offers plenty of variety with shapes and sizes.
Conclusion
Enshrouded, despite being in early access was an instant hit for me. It quickly became one of my favourite survival games and the best one I have played when it comes to building mechanics. If you are into Survival games this is one you need to play. Playing solo can make the game feel difficult at times but when you start adding others it quickly becomes a level playing field and super enjoyable.
The RPG system, crafting, and building are amazing for a game in early access and Keen Games has done a tremendous job at creating something brilliant, fresh, and visually stunning. I can’t wait to see what else is in store with Enshrouded as it moves towards being fully released and post-launch content. There is some much potential with Enshrouded and after many hours already embedded into it, I’m sure there will be many more over the coming months
Read more of our previews here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/previews/
Buy this game on Steam here
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