POST 1.0 Edit: Woo! It's been a long time! I've nearly put 1000 hours into this thing, and that's not even including unlogged Forgotten Construction Set time or the weird amount of hours I've put just into creating and maintaining the pages for that one mod I made.. I love this thing to absolute death. A lot of what I say below is still pretty relevant, but the pathing issues are close to non-existent now (although it starts to freak out after 3-4 hours of in-game play), there's still s lack of a "return to main menu button, but they let you import your saves and start a new game right from the escape menu now. Music is also significantly better, incredibly varied across the biomes, and perfect for its setting. Overall, I can still say for sure that Kenshi has a hell of a learning curve and is brutal as all bollocks, but I love it to death and recommend it to any one that's willing to approach it with an open mind and feels they might like it.

Allow me to say this: If you do NOT have a large amount of patience, this game is not for you.

Kenshi is a wonderful game, I've sunk days and days of my time into this Early Access, and I love it. The feeling of being horribly puny in a world that seeks to better itself , and then becoming strong enough to crush the world is a feeling only comparable to doing the same thing in your everyday life. That is Kenshi. You write your story, you act it out. Crush your opposition, or bankrupt their pocketbooks? Annihilate the bandits, or help them take over cities? You are, or will, be asked these questions over and over.

Another of the great things about Kenshi is that it takes the motto of Urbanprophet; Unfair, Random, Brutality; and takes it to the next level. The game is exceedingly Unfair. You will probably lose men. That one-man army you really want to be? Well, he's lying on the ground, dying slowly after being attacked by 30 bandits. It's a painfully wonderful experience. It is Brutal, the enemies do not go easy on you- You just killed those Samurai's buddies? The entire faction wants you dead now, and you have armies of some of the strongest people in the game after you. Oh, now you can watch your 12 man squad rot slowly on the dusty desert. It is Random. No two people are the same unless they're twins or you made them that way. Every combat experience is utterly random. Yes, there's SOME consistency, as a soldier with 40 combat skill and 40 Defense skill probably won't get taken out by a couple of hungry bandits, but lucky hits DO happen. It can be frustrating to see that up-armored beast get KO'd by some thugs with sticks, but even SAS Operatives get shot by untrained Guerillas.

You almost have to be a masochist to play Kenshi. Almost.

Unfortunately, the game is consistently buggy, whether it be from minor graphics glitches caused by saving/loading, upto pathing issues that can be game-breaking. It's painful to be forced to watch your men die on the sands, and the fact that the game can't recognize your men are all pretty much dead and allow you to start a new game is a little offensive. The lack of a "Return to Main Menu" button is a little disconcerting in itself.

In addition to that, it lacks a lot of diversity in its content. The "Music" is virtually nonexistent. It almost makes it difficult to want to play the game. Almost. Weaponry and Armor for your characters has a distinctly Asian flair, but doesn't deviate far from that. Combat animations are virtually the same for all people and weapons, and Melee combat is currently all there is. You buy Mercenaries. You kill things. You might even build a base. It's easy to become disillusioned if you aren't patient, or a good role-player.

At the moment, the one game I can compare this to is a 3D Version of Caravaneer, without guns, and that is a very good thing. What the developer here tries to pull off is an extensive trade network with fluctuating prices; towns that have surplus stocks and will pay desperately with whatever they can to get what they're on a shortage of. That doesn't happen.

Despite all of its flaws, Kenshi is a masterpiece. While dated in its mission, lacking in content, and occasionally utterly monotonous, Kenshi delivers the ultimate RPG experience that even real life cannot give you: The chance to write your own story, completely unfettered by society. The only problem you have left to figure out is: Do you cut your path into the ground, do you line it with the ruins of empires, do you gild it with coin, or do you merely walk it? It's upto you to write the story; it's upto you to buy and play Kenshi.

POST 1.0 Edit: Woo! It's been a long time! I've nearly put 1000 hours into this thing, and that's not even including unlogged Forgotten Construction Set time or the weird amount of hours I've put just into creating and maintaining the pages for that one mod I made.. I love this thing to absolute death. A lot of what I say below is still pretty relevant, but the pathing issues are close to non-existent now (although it starts to freak out after 3-4 hours of in-game play), there's still s lack of a "return to main menu button, but they let you import your saves and start a new game right from the escape menu now. Music is also significantly better, incredibly varied across the biomes, and perfect for its setting. Overall, I can still say for sure that Kenshi has a hell of a learning curve and is brutal as all bollocks, but I love it to death and recommend it to any one that's willing to approach it with an open mind and feels they might like it. Allow me to say this: If you do NOT have a large amount of patience, this game is not for you. Kenshi is a wonderful game, I've sunk days and days of my time into this Early Access, and I love it. The feeling of being horribly puny in a world that seeks to better itself , and then becoming strong enough to crush the world is a feeling only comparable to doing the same thing in your everyday life. That is Kenshi. You write your story, you act it out. Crush your opposition, or bankrupt their pocketbooks? Annihilate the bandits, or help them take over cities? You are, or will, be asked these questions over and over. Another of the great things about Kenshi is that it takes the motto of Urbanprophet; Unfair, Random, Brutality; and takes it to the next level. The game is exceedingly Unfair. You will probably lose men. That one-man army you really want to be? Well, he's lying on the ground, dying slowly after being attacked by 30 bandits. It's a painfully wonderful experience. It is Brutal, the enemies do not go easy on you- You just killed those Samurai's buddies? The entire faction wants you dead now, and you have armies of some of the strongest people in the game after you. Oh, now you can watch your 12 man squad rot slowly on the dusty desert. It is Random. No two people are the same unless they're twins or you made them that way. Every combat experience is utterly random. Yes, there's SOME consistency, as a soldier with 40 combat skill and 40 Defense skill probably won't get taken out by a couple of hungry bandits, but lucky hits DO happen. It can be frustrating to see that up-armored beast get KO'd by some thugs with sticks, but even SAS Operatives get shot by untrained Guerillas. You almost have to be a masochist to play Kenshi. Almost. Unfortunately, the game is consistently buggy, whether it be from minor graphics glitches caused by saving/loading, upto pathing issues that can be game-breaking. It's painful to be forced to watch your men die on the sands, and the fact that the game can't recognize your men are all pretty much dead and allow you to start a new game is a little offensive. The lack of a "Return to Main Menu" button is a little disconcerting in itself. In addition to that, it lacks a lot of diversity in its content. The "Music" is virtually nonexistent. It almost makes it difficult to want to play the game. Almost. Weaponry and Armor for your characters has a distinctly Asian flair, but doesn't deviate far from that. Combat animations are virtually the same for all people and weapons, and Melee combat is currently all there is. You buy Mercenaries. You kill things. You might even build a base. It's easy to become disillusioned if you aren't patient, or a good role-player. At the moment, the one game I can compare this to is a 3D Version of Caravaneer, without guns, and that is a very good thing. What the developer here tries to pull off is an extensive trade network with fluctuating prices; towns that have surplus stocks and will pay desperately with whatever they can to get what they're on a shortage of. That doesn't happen. Despite all of its flaws, Kenshi is a masterpiece. While dated in its mission, lacking in content, and occasionally utterly monotonous, Kenshi delivers the ultimate RPG experience that even real life cannot give you: The chance to write your own story, completely unfettered by society. The only problem you have left to figure out is: Do you cut your path into the ground, do you line it with the ruins of empires, do you gild it with coin, or do you merely walk it? It's upto you to write the story; it's upto you to buy and play Kenshi.