Rafael Silva
Content Creator
Keen Games has spent the past two years turning Enshrouded into a survival RPG worth getting lost in. After a lengthy Early Access run, the game has finally reached version 1.0, bringing its main story to a close and opening the full world to exploration. Between dangerous dungeons, satisfying survival mechanics, interactive NPCs, and an extensive building system, there is a lot going on here, even if some parts land harder than others.
A broken world worth exploring
Embervale, corrupted by the Shroud
As a Flameborn, you set out to explore Embervale, a kingdom left in ruins by the Shroud, a deadly fog that has corrupted the land and its inhabitants. You're one of the few who can survive its effects, giving you a chance to uncover what happened and help its remaining survivors rebuild.
Along the way, you'll get to explore a beautiful world filled with distinct environments, from dense forests and towering cliffs to abandoned settlements and ancient ruins. But there's more to it than just enjoying the view. Every region has its own resources, so you are incentivized to venture into new areas and gather all kinds of materials.
Although Enshrouded was already pretty big during Early Access, the 1.0 release expanded the world with a new zone called Cinder's Cradle, along with additions to existing biomes and dungeons. It's amazing to see such a substantial update after more than two years with the game being out, and it definitely made me excited about future updates.
Building a home and bringing people together
Base building in Enshrouded 1.0
For me, rescuing survivors and helping them rebuild their lives is one of the things that sets Enshrouded apart from other survival games. Instead of being forced to take on the world all by yourself, you can recruit NPCs who help you make the most of your settlement.
From the blacksmith to the farmer, each survivor has their own crafting stations, recipes, and quests. Their services give you more ways to use the resources you collect, while their quests give you reasons to venture into the unknown and discover what else the world has to offer. Even with all this to work towards, the game never feels like it's holding your hand. Instead, it leaves you free to decide what to do next.
Of course, bringing these survivors into your settlement is only half the work. If you want them to stay, you need to build a place for them to live. This could be a bit of a chore in the past, partly because of bugs and some frustrating aspects of the building system. However, with the 1.0 release, building feels much better now, and the new free-flying building mode makes it easier to construct larger structures. There's also a new logic system called Sparkworks, which lets you connect switches and pressure plates to doors, traps, and other interactive elements.
Overall, Enshrouded's crafting and building mechanics give you plenty of freedom to shape your own settlement. There are still some rough edges that need polishing, but the improvements make it much more enjoyable.
Finding your own fighting style
Enshrouded's flexible skill tree
During Early Access, Enshrouded already offered several ways to approach combat, whether you preferred melee weapons, ranged attacks, or magic, but the 1.0 release built on that foundation by increasing the level cap to 50 and reworking the skill tree.
Currently, the skills are divided into different paths such as Warrior, Barbarian, Ranger, Beastmaster, Wizard, and Battlemage, each with its own focus. The interesting part is that you are not locked into a single class. Instead, you can combine abilities from different branches to create a build that suits you.
Even with this, Enshrouded's combat still lacks some of the depth that you'd find in a dedicated action RPG, but honestly, I feel like it fits the wider survival experience.
Verdict
Enshrouded brings survival crafting and action RPG progression together in a way that makes exploration worthwhile. I particularly like how venturing into new areas feeds back into building your base, whether you're gathering resources or finding survivors who can help you expand it. Combat could offer more depth, but experimenting with different builds and learning enemy attack patterns keeps it enjoyable.
The 1.0 release makes the experience feel more complete, with the full map to explore and the main story reaching its conclusion. Between discovering new areas and working on your base, there's plenty to keep you invested well beyond the main story.
Enshrouded Review
8.5/10
Enshrouded is an excellent survival game with an impressive building system and a world that rewards curiosity. While combat could use more depth, the freedom to shape your character and settlement makes the adventure well worth taking.
8.5
Pros
Detailed environments make exploring Embervale genuinely rewarding
Rescuing survivors expands crafting options and adds purpose to exploration
Flexible skill tree lets you mix classes and build your own playstyle
Extensive building tools, including the new free-flying mode, offer real creative freedom
Quests give you consistent reasons to venture beyond your base
Cons
Combat lacks the depth you'd find in a dedicated action RPG
Enemy encounters become repetitive over extended play sessions
Character progression leans heavily on gear upgrades and skill unlocks
Some areas could offer more variety in their challenges