Enshrouded: Building A Legacy In The Fog
Release Date:
Developers:
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam)
Price: $29.99
In a genre saturated with survival sandboxes and RPG hybrids, Enshrouded emerges from the mist with a bold promise: to fuse the creative freedom of voxel-based building with the tension of soulslike combat and the allure of high-fantasy exploration. Though this also may not seem immediately inventive, Enshrouded certainly flirts with ambition and dives headfirst into it. After having played it on and off for a year now and watching it grow from when it began to where it is now, admittedly it hasn’t landed every punch cleanly, but it does deliver enough intrigue, polish, and potential to make it one of the most unique survival RPGs in recent memory, as it actively does something different, feels different, and actually looks different..
Coming from someone who has always had an affinity for resource management and building but is still very much in the training phases of Souls-like combat despite a heavy hack-and-slash background (heads up: these do not cross over well), Enshrouded has continuously held my interest due to its worldbuilding. Not to mention how Keen Games has actively been supporting and developing the title since it’s still in Early Access, watching it transform in real time has been as exciting as playing the game itself as you feel the world expand and become richer in content, depth, and detail. The game’s setting, Embervale, is a post-apocalyptic fantasy realm cloaked in a mysterious fungal fog known as the Shroud. It’s a hauntingly beautiful world, rendered in a custom engine that rivals Unreal Engine 5 in visual fidelity. From sun-drenched meadows to eerie Shroud-infested ruins, the environmental design is consistently stunning and immersive. Unlike many survival games that lean into realism or grittiness, Enshrouded opts for a painterly, almost storybook aesthetic. It’s a choice that pays off—players are encouraged to explore not just for resources, but for the sheer joy of discovery.
Enshrouded stands on three gameplay pillars: survival, combat, and construction. Each is robust on its own, but it’s their interplay that makes the experience compelling. Enshrouded feels closest to Valheim in this regard, but with more RPG depth and a stronger emphasis on base-building. It avoids the grind-heavy loops of ARK and the micromanagement of something like, say, Soulmask, offering a more balanced and accessible experience. This is a huge plus as, for me, games like these notoriously feel like they’re fighting against me rather than working with me, so Enshrouded feels fairly balanced in all of these aspects to help give a more refined and accessible experience.
It’s been almost two years now, but it’s safe to say that even in its beginnings, the Early Access launch was met with enthusiasm. Right out of the gate, Enshrouded had relatively good performance stability, rich crafting systems, and the sheer breadth of content available from day one made the game feature-rich from the start, feeling less like an Early Access title compared to most. Though bugs and balancing issues existed and naturally most certainly continue to as well, they’re largely forgivable given the scope and polish already present. It’s also worth noting that the game supports solo and co-op play equally well. Whether you're building a village with friends or braving the Shroud alone, the experience remains engaging. The difficulty overall scales well, and the world feels alive with secrets waiting to be unearthed in every corner. That sense of reward through exploration is something that I’ve always admired, and it keeps the investment in a title strong as you feel compelled to see and do as much as possible.
If Keen Games continues on its current trajectory, Enshrouded could become a genre-defining title. The roadmap hints at expanded biomes, deeper story integration, mod support, and enhanced combat mechanics. With its modular systems and community-driven development, the game is ripe for evolution. Imagine dynamic weather systems, naval exploration, or faction-based PvP—all feasible within the game’s framework. The foundation is solid; now it’s a matter of building upward.
That said, Enshrouded isn’t perfect, but it’s already pretty exceptional. It captures the magic of exploration, the satisfaction of creation, and the thrill of combat in a way few survival RPGs manage. Its flaws are fixable, its strengths undeniable, and its future bright, and as someone who values all of those things in an RPG - especially one focused on survival, crafting, and base-building - it excites me tremendously for what Enshrouded will become when all is said and done.
Pros:
The construction system is intuitive and powerful. Players can terraform terrain, build sprawling fortresses, and place functional structures like farms, crafting stations, and NPC housing. The ability to tunnel through terrain or reshape cliffs adds a layer of verticality rarely seen in survival games.
While not as refined as something like Elden Ring or Lies of P, the combat system is surprisingly deep. Dodge rolls, stamina management, and weapon variety make encounters feel meaningful. Boss fights, especially those hidden within the Shroud, are tense and rewarding.
Crafting is tied to rescuing NPCs, each unlocking new tiers of gear and recipes. This mechanic encourages exploration and adds narrative weight to progression.
Cons:
Hit detection and animation fluidity still need work. Melee combat can feel floaty, and ranged attacks lack impact, feeling like a bit of an afterthought.
The lore is rich but poorly delivered. Aside from scattered notes and brief cutscenes, the narrative feels like an afterthought.
Inventory management and crafting menus are functional but lack polish. Compared to a title like Grounded, the interface feels dated.
A huge thank you to KEEN GAMES for providing us a copy of Enshrouded for the purposes of this review!