Enshrouded, Keen Games’ latest survival action RPG, has launched in Steam’s Early Access program today. The game is expected to launch on consoles once it’s out of Early Access development, which is expected to last a year.
Enshrouded’s main feature is its editable world that allows players to build and craft anything and everything they need. Known as “Flameborn,” players have the choice right at the beginning whether they want to explore and build their ideal homebase or explore the area and learn its mysteries. Skill trees are available and are interchangeable to suit the player’s choices. Best of all, the game is playable solo or co-op with up to 16 players.
Keen Games, who also developed a similar building-based game called Portal Knights, is using their prior development experience of editable worlds to bring Enshrouded to life. But instead of relying on cutesy characters and large, blocky worlds, they’re diving towards the deep end to create an all-encompassing narrative in Enshrouded. The game is voxel-based to allow players deep customization when building while keeping their preferred aesthetic.
You can see the game in action below.
At the moment, Enshrouded already has an expansive world for players to explore despite being in Early Access. There are already several distinct biomes to explore, such as mountains, ruins of an ancient city, and a desert, but the developers are hoping to expand the world and add more areas depending on player feedback. Keen Games are also planning to add more enemy varieties, more crafting and building materials, and additional skills in the skill tree.
The game is also expected to have a price increase once the game is fully released. At the moment, Enshrouded costs $29.99, with a 10 percent discount until January 31. It’s currently unknown how much Keen Games will charge for the game once the full version is ready, and whether there will be any price difference between the PC and console versions. On that same note, there are currently no published plans as to which consoles Enshrouded will release on, although it’s likely to be on PlayStation 4 / 5, Xbox Series S / X, and possibly on the Switch.
Despite the game only having been released today, Enshrouded already has a “Very Positive” rating from 80 percent of 2,035 reviews. Most players can’t help but compare the game to Valheim, another multiplayer survival RPG with a very similar concept. A majority of the reviews refer to Enshrouded as “Valheim on steroids,” citing the detailed building system and the uncomplicated combat as the main positive points.
However, there have been some complaints about performance and limitations on progress. One player review mentioned FPS stutters and the lack of a few adjustable graphical settings as their main problems. Another mentioned that story progress is currently saved server-side instead of per player, so those who haven’t progressed as much in the story reap the same benefits as those who decide to plow through. According to them, this kind of shared (albeit forced) progress in a game where players are free to choose their own adventure is unacceptable.
