Clanfolk

About

Clanfolk is a single player open world role playing game with medieval, historical and business themes. It was developed by MinMax Games Ltd. and was released on July 14, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

Clanfolk is a medieval colony sim set in the Scottish Highlands. Harness your environment to survive - fish, gather, hunt, and farm as you prepare for the harsh winter. Build an inn, trade with other clans, have children and marry them off - live life and prosper across the generations.

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,137 reviews

gameplay59 positive mentions

story12 negative mentions

Cozy and immersive colony building experience set in 1300s Scottish Highlands with a strong focus on survival against nature and managing a growing clan/family.
Deep and engaging mechanics including detailed resource gathering, crafting, a logical tech progression unlocked by usage, family tree and relationships system, and meaningful seasonal challenges especially the brutal winters.
Active and passionate solo developer providing steady, substantial updates and running an engaged community, which makes the game highly replayable and continuously improving.

Late-game content and challenges can feel limited or repetitive after stabilizing past the first few winters, with a need for richer long-term goals, dynamic events, or conflict systems to keep gameplay fresh.
AI and task management can be frustrating with pawns sometimes not prioritizing critical survival activities, causing micromanagement issues and inefficiency in resource use or emergency responses.
User interface can be cumbersome or cluttered at times, with difficulties in building selection, managing large populations, and lack of certain quality-of-life features like multi-level buildings, scheduling, or more direct control over clanfolk.

gameplay
289 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
77%
3%
The gameplay of this colony sim is a slow-paced, cozy survival experience that emphasizes natural resource management, family and clan dynamics, and historically grounded mechanics, offering a unique alternative to rimworld-like games. While the gradual introduction of deep production chains, seasonal challenges, and research systems is engaging and satisfying for players who enjoy strategic planning and micromanagement, some find the pacing tedious, early-game difficulty harsh, and late-game content limited, leading to occasional repetitiveness. Continuous updates and the developer’s active engagement show promising growth in gameplay depth, complexity, and variety, making it highly replayable for fans of thoughtful, atmospheric colony sims.
- “The game introduces new mechanics gradually so it never feels overwhelming, even though there’s a lot going on behind the scenes.”
- “The production chains are deep without being overwhelming, and the seasonal survival loop keeps the gameplay engaging.”
- “Drawing strong inspiration from games like RimWorld and Banished, it still manages to carve out its own niche through its historical setting, survival-focused mechanics, and tight integration of familial and social systems that feel both authentic and engaging.”
- “The gameplay is generally boring and frustrating because everything takes so long.”
- “It doesn't seem to matter what priorities you set for the characters, they always seem to be more occupied with something else, and certain things feel like they unlock way too late gameplay wise.”
- “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.”
graphics
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
66%
4%
The graphics of the game feature a clean, minimalist, and cozy art style that emphasizes clarity and functionality over flashy visuals, often compared to Rimworld and Prison Architect but with its own unique charm and historical atmosphere. While praised for its harmonious colors, beautiful lighting, weather effects, and expressive pixel art, some users find the visuals sparse, stiff, or occasionally hard to distinguish, noting room for improvement especially in UI design and detail. Overall, the graphics effectively create a relaxing and immersive environment that complements the gameplay, though they may not appeal to everyone’s tastes.
- “It has beautiful graphics, wonderful lighting and shaders, an amazing weather system, and many other gameplay mechanics that allow you to play for hours and adjust to your desired gameplay style.”
- “The pixel-art graphics are clean, expressive, and perfectly capture the rustic atmosphere, making settlement management both engaging and enjoyable.”
- “Competent colony sim (think Dwarf Fortress or RimWorld) that shines with its gorgeous graphics.”
- “What makes it even worse is that the subpar graphics make them hard to visually spot.”
- “The UI is terrible, the management side of things is far more tedious than it should be, the graphics are pretty bad - at least in Rimworld, everything is cohesive and objects look like they belong in the game.”
- “The art style is messy and it's very difficult for me to determine what is what.”
music
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
47%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing, cozy, and atmospheric qualities that perfectly complement the medieval Scottish setting, enhancing immersion and relaxation. However, many users note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over extended playtime and express a desire for more musical variety and additional tracks, especially flute melodies. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the game's ambiance and player experience.
- “The art and atmosphere is very evocative; the music and sound design transport you and your fledgling clan to this beautiful bit of 1300s Scotland, which veers between lush and inviting and unforgivingly barren.”
- “The soundtrack complements the setting with gentle folk tunes and ambient sounds that reinforce the slow, deliberate pace of clan life.”
- “Even now it's definitely worth playing; the sound design is fantastic and the music is really good. They clearly put care into the audio experience, and it helps a lot.”
- “However, one aspect that I really didn't like is the soundtrack.”
- “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.”
story
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
76%
13%
The game's story aspect is currently minimal, focusing more on survival and clan progression rather than narrative depth or character development. While it offers emergent storytelling through player-driven events and clan management, it lacks structured storylines, dynamic character traits, or complex relationships seen in titles like RimWorld. Developers are actively working to expand story content and add more immersive narrative features in future updates.
- “If you're like me, and you're starting to feel like all the farming sims (Rune Factory, Story of Seasons, ...) and management games (Planet Zoo, SimCity, ...) are starting to melt into a repetitive rerun of the same concept without even an ounce of passion, this game is a breath of fresh air.”
- “As your clan grows and develops, the randomized traits that you can choose to foster or breed out add to the backstory of your clan as you watch your folks sow their seed, multiply, and make the Highlands their home.”
- “The game opens up many opportunities for storytelling, both via its dynamic events-style system and the way it leaves so many decisions entirely up to the player... as well as the consequences (mua-ha-ha).”
- “The biggest thing this game is lacking right now and the one thing where if it was added I would excuse every other thing I disliked is just any real sense of story or challenge other than just survive the winter and later on balance your budget with several workers.”
- “As of now, you can't travel anywhere, barring visitors you randomly receive with certain items, you can't purposefully meet people from other clans, can't develop interesting relationships between characters (there is no "relationship" system akin to Rimworld in this game. Pawns have family ties but they can die right in front of them and it won't cause them distress or anything other than a "saw dead" debuff that fades. Marriages are done by maxing out a happiness bar with itinerant workers from other clans), there's very little storytelling other than what you imagine in your own mind.”
- “I was looking forward to a Rimworld-like story generator, but it's not anywhere close to being that.”
grinding
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Grinding in the game is often described as a slow and sometimes tedious process, especially early on with farming and resource gathering requiring significant time investment. Some players appreciate the challenge and strategic management required, while others find task micromanagement and AI pathing cumbersome, leading to repetitive gameplay. Despite occasional grindiness, fans of colony-building and farming sims find the overall experience engaging and rewarding.
- “I went from constantly building new technologies and expanding to all of a sudden coming to a grinding halt while waiting for my guys to explore more of the map.”
- “All that's left to do for me now seems to be just grinding to build a base with brick walls.”
- “Entire farming system is a joke and a total waste of time.”
replayability
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
Replayability is generally praised, with many highlighting the game's depth, varied scenarios, and regular updates that continually add new content and challenges, making each playthrough feel unique and engaging. However, some users note limited replay value once core objectives or the tech tree are completed, expressing a desire for more endgame content and long-term progression incentives. Overall, the game is considered highly replayable, especially for fans of management and base-building genres, though its full potential may be realized with further development.
- “The developer puts out solid improvements on a regular basis that consistently improve gameplay and make the game quite replayable.”
- “Even in its early form, the game offers significant depth and replayability, with no two settlements feeling quite the same.”
- “Every play-through feels unique and presents different challenges, so it's incredibly replayable.”
- “An early access game which is currently a challenging mix of micro-managing and base-building, with questionable replayability and a lacking AI.”
- “Replayability is questionable. Once you get through the first winter, by the time you get to the next one you're already at the end of the tech tree with no goals other than expanding your family, making food, or earning more gold.”
- “The game is survive-one-winter in length, so no replay value.”
atmosphere
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
32%
7%
The game is widely praised for its calming, cozy, and immersive atmosphere, with evocative art, sound design, and music that beautifully capture a rustic 1300s Scottish setting. Its slow-paced, peaceful gameplay emphasizes everyday life, survival, and small victories, creating a warm and inviting experience distinct from more combat-driven colony sims. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, deeply enhancing player engagement and relaxation.
- “Clanfolk is a wonderfully atmospheric survival colony sim that focuses on the small, meaningful details of everyday life.”
- “The art and atmosphere are very evocative; the music and sound design transport you and your fledgling clan to this beautiful bit of 1300s Scotland, which veers between lush and inviting and unforgivingly barren.”
- “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.”
- “A slower, more gradual formula for progression would benefit the atmosphere, the immersion, and the flow of gameplay.”
- “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.”
- “- It really scratches that medieval itch, and the soundtrack (whilst limited right now) really adds atmosphere.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Clanfolk delivers a deeply wholesome and emotionally engaging experience focused on steady growth, family bonds, and community survival in the harsh Scottish highlands. Its thoughtful, cozy gameplay fosters strong attachment to settlers across generations, creating a heartfelt and relaxing atmosphere that resonates with players seeking a grounded, meaningful colony sim.
- “Players begin with a founding clan and must navigate the brutal demands of highland life, from harsh winters and food scarcity to sickness and emotional well-being.”
- “It’s a dynamic system that fosters emotional investment in your settlers, making their survival and success all the more impactful.”
- “I've become emotionally attached to my clan and I'm going to make sure they live a grand life.”
stability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
71%
The game is generally stable with few bugs or crashes, especially impressive for an early access title, and runs smoothly across different platforms including Steam Deck and Linux. However, some users report occasional glitches and unclear mechanics that impact gameplay, particularly during the difficult winter phase, which can feel punishing and may benefit from adjustable difficulty settings. Overall, ongoing developer updates continue to refine stability and performance.
- “Great colony sim, very well thought out, not buggy at all.”
- “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 with no bugs or crashes, and everything in the game works perfectly.”
- “Buggy as hell.”
- “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 clanfolk and they all die... you restart and try again and get similar results... you keep restarting and trying again, maybe surviving one day longer each time... once you finally make it past that first 10-day winter, you're able to survive winter after winter with little problem afterwards... so basically the game punches you right in the face with such horrible difficulty, and if you make it past that, you get a small slap on the butt every so often... you barely get anything done before the seasons change, and if you're a beginner player you'll never get everything done that's needed to survive winter (20 days from start)... this game needs a casual player difficulty level before I'll recommend it to anyone... or a setting that at least lets you customize the days per season to your level of gameplay.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The game is generally well-optimized, running smoothly even on older machines with minimal performance issues or lag, though some players note occasional slowdowns mid-game and slight stuttering as the population grows. The developers actively address performance improvements and fixes, but certain features like AI behavior and base-building tools still need optimization. Overall, the game offers a stable, well-coded experience with room for further refinement.
- “The game runs smoothly on any quality setting while still looking beautiful and cozy.”
- “Everything runs smoothly, and the game is obviously exceptionally well-coded, and exceptionally well-designed.”
- “I never encountered a bug and performance is very good on an older machine like mine.”
- “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.”
- “There’s a bit of stuttering now at around 50 clanfolk but the devs made improvements, so it’s getting better.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is well-received, highlighted by witty object descriptions, amusing update newsletters, and lighthearted, relatable moments during gameplay failures. The community is positive and non-toxic, and the humor is mild and clever rather than overtly comedic. Overall, the humor adds charm and balance, enhancing the player's experience.
- “I love the look of the game, I love the music, I love the object descriptions that are written with a sense of humor, and I love how the update newsletters from the developer are written.”
- “Sure, it’s challenging, but every success feels earned, and every failure is a hilarious learning moment… usually followed by some emergency oat porridge and a lot of swearing at the cold.”
- “The updates are often 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.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
Players appreciate the game's focus on family and character development, recognizing its potential despite current limitations. They express a desire for deeper character interactions, customization, and evolving story elements to enhance engagement beyond the early gameplay. Overall, there is optimism that future updates will expand and refine character development features.
- “Although I was initially disappointed by Clanfolk, I can see the potential for a great game that centers on family and character development.”
- “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.”
- “I just wish during later updates they add more character customization and a little bit of character development. I would love to see the developers add character interactions to know what they're thinking and saying to one another. The game is still in early access, and I have high hopes for it.”
- “After surviving the first winter, the game becomes a breeze with not much else to do besides decorating your base and managing population growth to the point of starvation due to insufficient food production. There's a wish for future updates to add plagues, more character customization, and deeper character development with interactions to understand what characters are thinking and saying to one another.”
- “The game currently lacks significant character development and interactions, which limits player engagement beyond basic survival and base building.”
- “To improve the experience, a character designer mod was necessary, highlighting the game's shortcomings in character customization and development.”