Crafting

Graveyard Keeper 2 had more than seven hours to prove itself today, and somehow those seven hours disappeared remarkably fast. ...

Anymaker has entered Early Access with the beginnings of a game I enjoyed, but also one that very clearly feels like it has only just begun. What’s here already provides a solid foundation. The problem is simply that it needs more of it: more content, more items and more reasons to keep digging into its systems. There are also plenty of smaller tweaks and quality-of-life improvements that could make the experience smoother. None of that soured me on the game; it mostly reinforced that this is exactly what Early Access is for. I enjoy the idea of making your vehicles from pieces and don’t mind the survival side being a big part. Give me the full survival mechanics though. If I need water, let me craft things to have fresh water, not just looking for bottles. ...

Valheim and I had some good times during Early Access. Three years later, returning for 1.0 revealed that those times are probably best left in the past. What once felt fun and interesting now feels dated. Modern quality-of-life conveniences I’ve grown accustomed to in survival games are absent, with something as simple as crafting at the base using materials already sitting in storage not possible and digging through chests becoming an unnecessary chore. ...

Outbound presents itself as a survival crafting game, though one stripped almost entirely of the genre’s usual hostility. There are no enemy attacks, no PvP concerns, and little pressure beyond managing resources and continuing the journey. Instead, the experience focuses on exploration and gradual expansion of a mobile home built around a customizable van. Players gather materials, establish campsites, unlock technology, and slowly transform the vehicle through additions such as expandable rooftop living space. ...

Windrose enters Early Access as a crafting-survival experience that blends familiar elements from the genre with a pirate-focused setting. Drawing comparisons to titles such as Valheim and Enshrouded, the game incorporates the typical exploration, resource gathering, and combat into a solid game loop. ...