Clanfolk
- July 14, 2022
- MinMax Games Ltd.
- 37h median play time
Get on Steam"Clanfolk is a single-player business open world game with stunning graphics and emotional gameplay. Build and manage your multi-generational clan's homestead in the Scottish Highlands, facing challenges of survival, nature, and harsh winters. Craft your family's story and legacy across generations, with options for creating your precise lineage or choosing from existing clans."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Challenging yet relaxing gameplay that focuses on survival and resource management.
- Charming art style and immersive atmosphere set in medieval Scotland.
- Active developer who regularly updates the game and engages with the community.
- AI can be frustrating, as clan members may ignore tasks or prioritize less important actions.
- Limited content after the first winter, leading to a lack of long-term goals.
- UI can be clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to manage tasks and resources effectively.
- gameplay209 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this early access title has been described as a blend of colony management and survival mechanics, drawing comparisons to games like RimWorld and Dwarf Fortress, but with a unique focus on family dynamics and resource management. While many players find the mechanics engaging and rewarding once mastered, there are concerns about a steep learning curve, repetitive gameplay after the initial challenges, and the need for more depth and content to sustain long-term interest. Overall, the game shows promise with its interesting mechanics and regular updates, but it requires further refinement and expansion to fully realize its potential.
“The gameplay is a cross between the building and supply chains of RimWorld and the family legacy aspects of The Sims.”
“Perfect mix of challenging and rewarding, and surprisingly fleshed out gameplay despite being early access.”
“The game is in a working, balanced state with a lot of replayability even in early access, and every update has added really interesting gameplay elements/mechanics.”
“This game is awful with the menu, awful with the intuitiveness of gameplay, awful with balance of work and speed of peasants.”
“It's extremely tedious and unfun to continue to monitor for things that broke and try to figure out how to work around the broken gameplay from the third winter on.”
“After just under 30 hours of gameplay, I feel like I've learned the game mechanics and my only complaint is after getting through the first winter, things aren't challenging enough.”
- graphics112 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming art style and beautiful aesthetics, which enhance the immersive experience. While some players note a learning curve and occasional simplicity in animations, the overall visual presentation is considered appealing and effective, often compared favorably to similar titles like RimWorld. Despite some critiques regarding clarity and detail, many reviewers appreciate the unique character designs and the game's ability to convey a lively, engaging world.
“The graphics are beautiful, the mechanics easy to learn but challenging to master.”
“The charming aesthetic, coupled with its interesting lore, manages to create an immersive world that sparks curiosity.”
“The graphics and atmosphere are just right to give me that rustic family simulator immersion.”
“The art style is messy and it's very difficult for me to determine what is what.”
“It doesn't help that the graphics are hard on the eyes, especially the yellow/green grass or whatever it is.”
“But I got over myself, and behind the very sparse graphics lies a complex simulation that made me, at least, forget after a short while that some of the visuals not only look sparse but, sorry for the honest words, just ugly.”
- story69 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is currently minimal, with many players noting a lack of built-in narrative elements and character development compared to similar titles like RimWorld. While there is potential for creativity and personal storytelling through gameplay, the absence of a structured storyline and dynamic character interactions leaves the experience feeling flat for some. Players are hopeful for future updates that will enhance the storytelling features and add more depth to the game's narrative.
“With consistent game improving updates, in a world where you can make your own story - it ticks all the boxes.”
“I love all of the potential for creativity and storytelling in this game!”
“It's a game where children are only actually born from man and woman, no surrogacy, no woke ideology, no 'representation'; it's about crafting your family's story.”
“Same story on repeat is no fun; I am aware there are different endings, but I don't care for them.”
“Currently in development as story features are currently nonexistent (although recently a new patch has been released).”
“Not sure it is fair to compare this to RimWorld; it doesn't (yet?) have the same depth of storytelling or character building.”
- music64 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as relaxing and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players note that it can become repetitive over time, with a desire for more variety in the soundtrack. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's charm and immersion, though some users suggest improvements for future updates.
“The music adds to the good atmosphere the game has.”
“The music is a meditation.”
“The music is fantastic and I hope that if I keep at it, I'll figure out why I keep screwing up.”
“The music gets a bit repetitive, and some tracks feel more 'generically medieval' than game-specific, but the soundtrack remains very good.”
“The stock music is annoying and they should hire someone for an actual soundtrack.”
“The music is repetitive to the point you will turn it off.”
- grinding48 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth and variety in farming, crafting, and survival mechanics, others find the farming system tedious and lacking in sustainability. Many suggest that the early game can feel overwhelming, with a steep learning curve and a need for extensive resource management, particularly in the first winter. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of simulation elements, but players may need to invest significant time to fully enjoy its mechanics.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The entire farming system is a joke and a total waste of time.”
“It's extremely tedious and unfun to continue to monitor for things that broke and try to figure out how to work around the broken gameplay from the third winter on.”
“And there is no info in the game about gains or uses of animals or farming items, so you have to discover this disappointment yourself.”
- replayability39 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players find it engaging and unique with various challenges and scenarios, others express concerns about limited replay value after completing core objectives. The early access state shows promise for future updates to enhance replayability, but some players feel that once the initial challenges are overcome, the game may lack depth and long-term goals. Overall, it offers a decent amount of replayability, particularly through adjustable difficulty and random map generation, but improvements are needed to sustain long-term interest.
“Every playthrough feels unique and presents different challenges, so it's incredibly replayable.”
“The game is in a working, balanced state with a lot of replayability even in early access, and every update has added really interesting gameplay elements and mechanics.”
“Highly replayable, maps are autogenerated, you can build your own family that you'll be playing with, and pick out the livestock you'll begin with.”
“I'm not sure how much replay value this game has yet.”
“The replayability is lacking, because you will do exactly the same things in the same order, only a little faster so that you squeeze over the line.”
“It has potential, needs more replayability and end game content; once you beat the first winter, there is no challenge left.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its peaceful and immersive qualities, combining heartwarming elements of survival with a charming medieval Scottish setting. Players appreciate the relaxing music, atmospheric effects, and the sense of community as they build and manage their homesteads. Overall, the game offers a unique, comforting experience that stands out in the colony sim genre, appealing to those who prefer a slower, more thoughtful gameplay style.
“The slow nature of the game plus the atmosphere, lighting, and sound design are great in supporting that: seeing your colonists huddle around a lit fireplace in the tavern they built over multiple days is a great feeling, knowing they made everything from scratch with each person fulfilling a role, and every day of hard work finally paying off in comfort and a safe haven.”
“If you like immersive building, careful planning, a medieval atmosphere and survival as well as being able to relax and be creative, it's perfect.”
“Again, I have not played RimWorld, because I am not much into sci-fi, but I think this game captures the atmosphere of old Scottish settlements very well, has very nice, relaxing music, and feels very comfortable. My dad was from Scotland, and I'm sure if he were alive, he would approve of this.”
“If you like quick builds and combat it may not be your cup of tea, but if you like immersive building, careful planning, a medieval atmosphere and survival as well as being able to relax and be creative, it's perfect.”
“Love the rural, peaceful yet medievally realistic atmosphere of this game.”
- emotional16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be a deeply emotional experience, characterized by its wholesome and heartwarming narrative centered around family and generational play. The absence of combat and focus on supportive relationships among clan members create a relaxing atmosphere, fostering strong emotional attachments to the characters. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke feelings of joy and investment in the lives of the clan, making it a unique and engaging experience.
“This isn't RimWorld, but there is really something special and heartwarming about seeing three generations of your family hunting wolves that have ventured a little too close to your homestead.”
“I've become emotionally attached to my clan and I'm going to make sure they live a grand life.”
“I love the fact that the game is pretty family-centered, feels more personal and heartwarming watching the clan grow from generation to generation.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with smooth performance and no major issues reported, though some players note occasional slowdowns as the population increases. While the developers are actively refining the game and addressing performance concerns, further improvements are needed, particularly regarding AI optimization and certain gameplay features. The game shows promise, but players hope for continued enhancements to ensure a consistently smooth experience.
“Everything runs smoothly, and the game is obviously exceptionally well-coded and exceptionally well-designed.”
“No performance issues at all, music is great and the dev is very active in the forums.”
“This Scottish medieval colony sim runs smoothly and is very promising so far!”
“Continued refinement and optimization are needed to ensure a smoother gameplay experience.”
“The AI needs optimization and tweaking; some standard base-building tools (like marking plans on the map you want to save space for later in the game) are absent, and the art could use refinement even if I like the style.”
“I have found that the game starts to chug a bit at the start of the day once your population hits double digits - so it could use some optimization there.”
- stability11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 64 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many players reporting a smooth experience and minimal bugs, especially on Linux. However, some users have noted occasional glitches and issues with gameplay mechanics, particularly related to survival elements and crafting, which can lead to frustrating experiences. While the game is still in early access, it shows promise, but players may encounter some challenges that could affect their enjoyment.
“The developer is constantly updating and refining, and the game has been 100% bug free for me so far.”
“I will say for an early access game it runs great; I spent over 30 hours playing it and not one bug or crash so far, and everything in the game works perfectly.”
“Game runs great on Linux out of the box. Well and truly recommended.”
“Then, everyone freezes and dies of thirst because nobody will light a fire regardless of how many resources you have and what their priorities are set to.”
“Personally, I did enjoy my playtime, but for now it's a bit riddled with bugs and glitches and often unclear or not well explained features and techs.”
“You start at the beginning of summer... you get 10 days of summer and 10 days of autumn before the winter snow freezes your clan folk and they all die... you restart and try again and get similar results... this game needs a casual player difficulty level before I'll recommend it to anyone.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by a mix of clever and light-hearted elements, with update logs often providing amusing insights into the development process. While some players find humor in unexpected bugs, the overall tone avoids darker themes, leaning instead towards mild and playful jokes. However, expectations for a purely comedic experience may not align with the game's broader appeal.
“The updates are frequent, and the creator keeps bringing more interesting aspects into the game. I love reading their update logs and how they came about because they're usually funny, like the rabbit hole the beaver update became.”
“Great game, well made, balanced, and funny; highly recommended.”
“I ran into a weird bug that caused my clan to fail on my last attempt; it was both equally hilarious and frustrating.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while "Clanfolk" shows promise in its focus on family and character development, it currently lacks depth in character interactions and customization. Players express a desire for more engaging character dynamics and additional features to enhance the development experience, particularly as the game is still in early access. Overall, there is optimism for future updates to improve these aspects.
“Although I was initially disappointed by Clanfolk, I can see the potential for a great game that centers on family and character development.”
“I just wish during later updates they do add plagues and maybe more character customization and add a little bit of character development. I would love to see the developers add character interactions; I want to know what they're thinking and what they're saying to one another.”
“A surviving the first winter, but that's really about it after the first winter maybe the second one the game is a breeze. You've discovered everything, not much else to do other than making your base look pretty and having your folks make tons of babies to the point you have them all starve to death because you can't produce enough food for them. I just wish during later updates they add plagues and maybe more character customization and a little bit of character development. I would love to see the developers add character interactions; I want to know what they're thinking and what they're saying to one another. Again, the game is still in early access; I have high hopes for it. Nonetheless, it's still a very great, fun, laid-back game; I just wish there was more to do, and I know the developers will implement these features in future updates. You guys are doing a great job.”
“While it may not be perfect in its current state, I believe that with some tweaking and refinement, it has the potential to be a great game that truly centers on family and character development.”
