Kenshi
" Immersive action RPG with deep emergent gameplay and sandbox freedom but steep learning curve "
Kenshi Review
Kenshi is a unique and unforgiving open-world sandbox RPG that challenges players to survive and thrive in a harsh, post-apocalyptic environment. The game emphasizes emergent storytelling and player-driven experiences without handholding or explicit guidance. Players start as vulnerable characters and through hard work, strategic planning, and perseverance, can evolve into powerful leaders or factions. The world is hostile and indifferent, featuring permanent limb loss, enslavement, and brutal combat mechanics that contribute to its gritty atmosphere.
While the game boasts a massive map, deep mechanics, and a strong modding community, it suffers from technical issues such as bugs, crashes, and an outdated UI. The grind can be tedious, and some gameplay elements feel unpolished or inconsistent. Despite these flaws, many players find the challenge and freedom deeply rewarding, praising its emergent gameplay and the satisfaction of overcoming adversity. Kenshi remains a cult classic for those seeking a hardcore, sandbox RPG experience.
Highlights
Players praise Kenshi's deep and emergent gameplay mechanics, where survival depends on skill, strategy, and persistence rather than narrative handholding.
The game's open-world sandbox nature allows immense freedom, enabling players to build bases anywhere, engage in trade, or form armies.
The unique setting and environmental storytelling create a dark, immersive atmosphere reminiscent of games like Dark Souls.
Strong mod support enhances replayability and improves many aspects.
Many enjoy the feeling of gradual progression from weak to powerful, emphasizing the game's hardcore and rewarding challenge.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include the steep learning curve and lack of tutorials, which can frustrate new players.
Technical issues such as frequent bugs, crashes, poor pathfinding, and UI scaling problems detract from the experience.
The game can feel grind-heavy and tedious, especially when training stats or gathering resources.
Some gameplay mechanics lack polish or internal consistency, such as unrealistic weapon weights or incomplete crafting systems.
Audio design and immersion are considered lacking by some, with minimal background music and awkward sound triggers.
Pros
- • Deep emergent gameplay with player-driven stories and freedom of choice.
- • Massive open world offering exploration and base building anywhere.
- • Gritty, immersive post-apocalyptic setting with strong environmental storytelling.
- • Highly rewarding progression from weak character to powerful leader.
- • Robust modding community and official mod tools enhance replayability.
- • Unique combat mechanics with permanent consequences like limb loss.
- • Multiple species with different playstyles and faction interactions.
Cons
- • Steep learning curve with minimal in-game guidance or tutorials.
- • Numerous bugs, crashes, and technical issues hinder smooth play.
- • Outdated UI and poor pathfinding frustrate many players.
- • Grinding for stats and resources can become tedious over time.
- • Some gameplay mechanics feel inconsistent or unpolished.
- • Audio design and background music are sparse and sometimes awkward.
- • Base building is buggy and sometimes crash-prone.
Rating Criteria
About This Game
A free-roaming squad based RPG focusing on open-ended sandbox gameplay features rather than a linear story. Be a trader, a thief, a rebel, a warlord, an adventurer, a farmer, a slave, or just food for the cannibals. 
Research new equipment and craft new gear. Purchase and upgrade your own buildings to use as safe fortified havens when things go bad, or use them to start up a business. Aid or oppose the various factions in the world while striving for the strength and wealth necessary to simply survive in the harsh desert. Train your men up from puny victims to master warriors. Carry your wounded squad mates to safety and get them all home alive.
FEATURES
Freeform gameplay in a seamless game world in the largest single-player RPG world since Daggerfall, stretching over 870 square kilometers. The game will never seek to limit you or restrict your personal play style.
Custom design as many characters as you want and build up a whole squad to fight for you. Characters will grow and become stronger with experience, not just in their stats but their appearance too.
Build a base where you can research new technologies, upgrade your defences and craft new gear.
Original take on the RTS-RPG hybrid genre. No "hero" characters with artificially stronger stats than everybody else- Every character and NPC you meet is potentially an equal, and has a name, a life.
You are not the chosen one. You're not great and powerful. You don't have more 'hitpoints' than everyone else. You are not the center of the universe, and you are not special. Unless you work for it.
Purchase and upgrade your own buildings to use as safe fortified havens when things go bad, or use them to start up a business.
Variation and possibilities of gameplay. Be good, be evil, be a businessman, be a thief, live in a town, live in the desert, travel alone, travel in hordes, build a fortress, raze a city. Devote yourself to freeing slaves, or maybe end up a slave yourself.
Dynamic, ever changing world. Support or hinder whoever you wish, or keep to yourself, the world won't stop moving. This is not just a "game", you are living and surviving in a simulated world.
Get captured by cannibals and eaten alive, or sold off by slavers and forced to work in the mines. These are not scripted events, just a regular part of this chaotic world that ruins your life by chance. Anything can happen, yet anything can be overcome if you have the strength.
Absolutely no Level-scaling. The world does not level up along with you, and the shops don't change their inventory to only items matching your level. At the start of the game almost everyone will be stronger than you, and survival will always be a struggle. The game won't hold your hand or help you when you're down.
Realistic medical system that affects gameplay. A character with a wounded leg will limp or crawl and slow the party down, wounded arms means you must use your sword one-handed or not at all. Severe injuries will result in amputees needing robotic limb replacements. Blood loss means you can pass out, and the blood will attract predators. A character’s stats are affected by equipment, encumbrance, blood loss, injuries and starvation.
Intelligent AI that allows for characters to reason and work towards long-term goals and desires. Squads work together and carry their wounded to safety. Characters can be setup to take care of micromanagement for you and run production in your base.
Aid or oppose the various factions in the world while striving for the strength and wealth necessary to simply survive in the harsh environment.
Independently developed with no design influences, or alterations dictated by men in gray suits who have never played a game before in their lives.
Original game world. There are no fantasy-knock-off cliches. No magic.
"84/100 - Work through the presentational ugliness and technical awkwardness, and you’ll find an experience of frightening depth." - PC Gamer
"8/10 - Kenshi has a unique style with anything you accomplish in the game feeling like a true achievement." - Cultured Vultures
A free-roaming squad based RPG. Focusing on open-ended sandbox gameplay features rather than a linear story. Be a trader, a thief, a rebel, a warlord, an adventurer, a farmer, a slave, or just food for the cannibals. Train your men up from puny victims to master warriors.
