Enshrouded Early Access review: The successful foundation of an epic survival-crafting gem

We might only be in the first month of the new year, but the early access of Enshrouded has ensured that fans of the crafting-survival genre don't feel left out amidst all the new releases. Palworld, with its own take on the survival and crafting aspects, does share a few similarities with Keen Games' latest offering. That said, Enshrouded is very different since it's just you taking on the manifestations of the Shroud, which has corrupted the land around you.

In today's world of gaming, new titles in the same genre often turn out to be similar. The crafting-survival genre has witnessed plenty of fresh blood in recent times, and yet Enshrouded has managed to capture a special space in my heart. Of course, there are certain key areas I feel Keen Games should concentrate on as part of their development roadmap. However, there's plenty of substance already that was quite evident from the moment I stepped into Embervale.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinions.

---

Enshrouded's early access hints towards a bright feature

The crafting-survival genre can be a bit tricky to maneuver for developers. After all, it's a mix of two genres, and there's plenty of scope for things to go wrong. Enshrouded's stronger emphasis certainly seems to be on the crafting part (the survival aspect still has plenty of influence on your in-game activities).

What could set this game apart in the future is the infusion of the RPG elements that begin with a character creator right in the beginning. There's a very well-defined system of developing specific attributes for your characters as you level up. This additional aspect often allowed me to have a different type of fun that has been missing from other titles of this genre.

---

Story

The underlying concept and the plot are rather simple - you wake up in Embervale, which used to be a wonderful land at first. But now, the Shroud has covered its major areas, leaving death and destruction in its wake. There is a more than decent quest system whose plot I will hide for now to ensure there are no spoilers.

That said, Enshrouded doesn't force your hands to follow a definite path, and there's ample scope for you to treat this title like a hardcore survival sandbox to a large extent. While the story is nothing unique or full of suspense, I liked its presence purely because it acted as an explanatory tutorial to teach me the basics.

---

Gameplay

Enshrouded's greatest strength is crafting, and it implements one of the best systems I have seen in any video game. You begin by setting up an Altar Flame, meaning you can now start crafting your sweet home. While the structures, materials, and other elements are not revolutionary, this game makes the entire job very simple.

Building the Flame Altar is the first step towards building your base (Image via Keen Games)

Many crafting games allow you to use the mouse to scroll across the different options. Enshrouded does the same but also allows you to scroll between entire inventories with the use of the left ALT button. So, instead of opening a cumbersome menu each time to access an item, all you do is press a button.

Additionally, the CTRL button allows you to quickly switch between the different building materials. I have played a fair few crafting titles but never found building structures to be so easy. Then, there are the pre-made structures that come in different sizes and shapes. With the crafting mechanic being straightforward, Enshrouded certainly has one major area sorted as of this writing.

The core gameplay loop is pretty much per the industry standard - you explore the different areas of the world, complete quests, scavenge different resources, and survive. However, how you choose to survive and grow can take different paths. There's an entire character wheel on which you can allocate Skill Points.

The class tree feels innovative with its flexible nature (Image via Keen Games)

There are 12 classes to choose from, and you're not restricted to one or two. You can easily go all-on on a single class or build up a hybrid. You can also reset your Skill Points, so there's no penalty if you make poor decisions early in your adventure.

---

Exploration and quests

As mentioned earlier, there's a line of quests that serve as explanatory tutorials. The quests could have been slightly varied, but they get you up to speed with the core fundamentals and also unlock five NPCs, who will help you with different jobs later in the game. However, all the quests and exploration can be unlocked with up to 16 players, and joining a co-op game seems rather easy.

However, sadly, I didn't have the opportunity to test the multiplayer side of things. That said, Enshrouded does have plenty of different elements to keep you engaged on your own as you go about exploring the different parts. Things can also get tricky very quickly, thanks to the Shroud.

The Shroud is full of many dangers (Image via Keen Games)

When roaming the lands, you'll encounter areas filled with fog that automatically start a timer once you enter. You'll have to exit the Shrouded area before the timer expires, or else you'll be automatically killed. It goes without saying that the Shroud is certainly the key element that aims to differentiate Enshrouded from other survival titles. While the idea is pretty neat, I didn't feel threatened by it.

---

Combat

Not only can being in the Shroud kill you, but the corrupted lands also contain different enemies. It is pretty evident that Keen Games has tried to insert a Souls-like feel with the combat rather than hack-and-slash. But the combat starts to feel flat after a while. Yes, fighting enemies is pretty important since you can get better equipment from them, and there are different ones available. Yet, the combat tends to become repetitive once you get the hang of the action.

---

Scope of improvement

Enshrouded, despite being in early access, gets a lot of tick boxes checked. The crafting part is its greatest strength, and it outdoes any other title in this genre. Not only is building your house and the general art of crafting fun, but the ease with which you get to do them is truly amazing.

The presence of a class system, and a flexible one at that, is another brownie point for the developers. On the one hand, there's a good incentive for you to unlock all the skill nodes of at least one class to get their class-specific ability. On the other hand, the possibility of going hybrid encourages you to mix and match between different styles.

That said, traversing the huge map of Enshrouded, especially in the beginning, can be a bit problematic. As you play along, you'll get the glider, and there's also a system of fast travel. Unlocking the grappling hook will also allow you to bridge the gap between broken structures without having to take longer routes. However, the entire traveling system can be slightly reduced, at least in the early game.

Performance-wise, I didn't experience too many hiccups, barring momentary frame drops, but then again, this is early access only, and I hope that the next few updates will certainly improve the overall optimization of Enshrouded. The core fundamental stage of this game is really well-established, and Keen Games, in my opinion, could have a game-changer on their hands. However, the roadmap taken by the developers for the immediate future will also determine if Enshrouded manages to attract more players on PC and, eventually, on consoles after full release.