Summary
Enshrouded has been on my radar since its closed beta and the bonkers creations players came up with. Not only had they already made massive sky castles, but also brilliantly detailed country manors, sprawling cathedrals, and cozy taverns. On the merit of its Minecraft-esque building system alone, Enshrouded seemed like one to look forward to.
It’s all voxel based, which means building is seamless and easy. Blueprints of certain structures fit together simply, and then you can switch to individual blocks to add more details. This is a great system and I can already envision some of the amazing builds coming out of this game when it hits early access. But there’s a lot more to it than building pretty cottages.
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I got to check out the game in a hands-off preview at Gamescom last month and a run-down from developer Thorsten Ropke about what we can expect from this open world survival crafting RPG. Everything I saw, from the detailed building mechanics, to combat, to world exploration and progression, impressed me. With co-op support for up to 16 players, Enshrouded looks like the sort of game that will arrive quietly, and then explode in popularity. It’s still relatively early doors, but Ropke tells me that the plan is to have a fairly hefty early access period where adjustments are made based on player feedback. It’s the sort of development plan that quite a few developers at Gamescom talked about this year.
It’s clear that there are elements ofValheim’sDNA in Keen Games’ crafting RPG, and as a result Enshrouded will face a lot of comparisons. Progression is tied to certain zones and resources, usually defended by a large boss, and you’re able to build houses, play with your friends, and use magical weapons. These are staples of the genre and anyone who’s enjoyed these types of games in the past will get the same kicks out of Enshrouded. However, its combat, detailed base-building, and larger co-op servers help set this game apart.
As you progress, you’ll encounter enemy camps in the wild that can be cleared in order to unlock various NPCs and powerful loot. Combat is complemented by a large skill tree, and there are no RPG class restrictions here - you can take any angle you like. From the brief glimpse I saw, it looked like the tree was still divided by more recognisable class archetypes, like mage, or archer, but there were also skills that impact your movement abilities. Combat looks straightforward but satisfying, with unique skills (like evasion or jump attacks) that add a bit of variety.
As you might have guessed by the name, vast areas of the map are covered in the ‘Shroud’, which needs to be cleared by defeating a boss and chopping down the Shroud Root. you’re able to only spend a certain amount of time within the Shroud, although there are plenty of places to replenish your available time while you explore the fog. Once you’ve chopped down the root, the area becomes clear, and its resources and other valuable areas can be explored at will. That being said, the fog only clears for a short time - it will reappear, along with the boss and root, so that content can be repeated or enjoyed by one of the other fifteen players on the server.
Enshrouded is a familiar game in many ways, but it also pushes out of genre stereotypes to introduce something new. If Keen Games can stay true to its idea of a decent early access period with a focus on player feedback, there could be a new player to contend with the likes of Valheim. Enshrouded will be a part of Steam Next Fest in October, too.
