– Open-world freedom with high risk: start as a defenseless survivor and pursue diverse paths (trader, thief, mercenary, settler, faction member) with consequential outcomes.
– Deep progression and survival systems: skills improve with use, research tech unlocks better gear, and injuries have lasting, impactful effects.
– High difficulty yet strong long-term motivation: punishing start and complex UI, but huge replayability and positive reception for scope and depth.
Kenshi is an open-world role-playing game that deliberately breaks away from classic genre conventions. Instead of starting as a powerful hero, players begin as almost defenseless survivors in a world where almost everything and everyone is stronger than they are. What they make of that situation is largely up to them. Almost anything is possible. The title from Lo-Fi Games is currently 72% off on Steam, dropping from around $29.99 to $8.39 – a new all-time low according to SteamDB. Steam Deck compatibility is listed as “Playable.”
Freedom and scope
The huge sandbox world gives players a great deal of freedom. They can roam the land as traders, pursue a career as thieves, build their own mercenary force, establish a settlement or join one of the many factions. Just as easily, however, they can end up enslaved in a mine, robbed by bandits or captured by cannibals.
Gameplay and progression
In gameplay terms, the focus is on character development. Skills improve through use, while technologies can be researched and increasingly better equipment crafted. At the same time, the injury and survival system ensures that every confrontation has consequences. Injured legs slow down travel, while lost limbs later have to be replaced with prosthetics.
Reception and critiques
On Steam, Kenshi has more than 110,000 reviews and a very positive average rating of 95%. The game was also well received by PC Gamer, scoring 8 out of 10. Its enormous gameplay freedom and strong long-term motivation were praised in particular. Even after 30 hours, PC Gamer’s Robert Zak still felt there were new things to discover. However, the game also has weaknesses, including its very tough start, which can certainly lead to frustration. Kenshi is also said to suffer from a cumbersome interface and is not exactly easy on the eyes.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: The price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
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