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e-River Cabin Journal

44%Game Brain Score
replayability, music
gameplay, stability
47% User Score Based on 45 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $9.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

"e-River Cabin Journal" is a survival strategy game set in the Alaskan Wilderness, where players must fight to carve out a new life over the course of changing seasons. The game offers a unique 'diary driven' experience, with daily struggles against starvation, animal attacks, and injuries. With an extensive trading card system, players can collect cards that reflect the passing seasons of the e-River park, creating a truly immersive and long-term gameplay experience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
e-River Cabin Journal screenshot
+10

47%
Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews
replayability1 positive mentions
gameplay5 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and immersive survival experience set in the Alaskan wilderness, requiring players to think strategically and plan their actions carefully.
  • There is a significant depth to gameplay, with various tasks such as foraging, fishing, and building that provide a lot of content and options for players.
  • The developers are actively engaged with the community, frequently updating the game and addressing player feedback, which shows a commitment to improving the overall experience.
  • The real-time gameplay mechanic can be frustrating, as tasks take a long time to complete, and players may find themselves unable to progress if they cannot check in frequently.
  • The game suffers from poor balance, with frequent and unrealistic animal attacks, as well as a lack of effective energy and health management systems that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult for players to navigate and understand the game mechanics, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
  • gameplay
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users citing poor mechanics, imbalanced systems, and frustrating controls that hinder enjoyment. Many players found the experience tedious and confusing, with a lack of clarity in navigation and gameplay features. While some appreciated the survival elements and the developer's intent, the overall execution left much to be desired, leading to a consensus that the game is not worth recommending.

    • “The complex and ever-changing mechanics make the game a joy to play and keep returning to.”
    • “The idea of a 'real-world' survival game is appealing, and I was open-minded when approaching the game and its 'real-time gameplay' features.”
    • “The developer clearly loves 'the great outdoors' and there is a realistic sense of survival that almost shines to the surface of the game, even through the chaotic gameplay mechanics and overall design choices.”
    • “Overall, the energy/starvation mechanic is very poor.”
    • “Sloppy game, poor interface, poor mechanics, horrible playability, and terrible game experience that easily sums up this 4-day experience in one sentence: this was a total waste of my time.”
    • “If it sounds confusing, well it is, and the way the game was designed doesn't help much in enlightening gamers to the finer points of the gameplay or its mechanics.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is currently a concern, with users reporting numerous bugs and rough edges that hinder the experience. While there is potential for improvement and replayability, many feel it lacks essential features and may have benefited from an early access phase to address these issues.

    • “There is a lot to learn, and there are a few rough and buggy bits... but it's getting better, and will have a huge replayability factor once it's completed.”
    • “So then I restarted the game and used fast forward, which only gives you 12 uses, so for the next hour I used it and then it got very, very buggy.”
    • “It's hard to say whether or not E-River Cabin Journal would have benefited from starting off in early access, but as it stands, it really does feel like it's lacking quite a few basic features and is still far too buggy for a recommendation from any informed gamer.”
  • graphics
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics have been criticized for their low resolution, with some users suggesting that the differences in visual quality between the freeware version and the paid version are minimal, primarily affecting only the graphics and sound. Overall, the user interface and gameplay remain largely unchanged regardless of the version.

    • “Low resolution graphics.”
    • “Be sure to download and try that freeware version first, because aside from some slightly better graphics and sound, the user interface and gameplay are almost identical.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players note that while the game currently has some rough edges and bugs, its potential for replayability is significant due to the depth of content and learning opportunities. Many believe that as the game continues to improve, its replay value will greatly increase.

    • “There is a lot to learn, and while there are a few rough and buggy bits, it's getting better and will have a huge replayability factor once it's completed.”
  • music
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is praised for its quality, complementing the stunning visual designs and enhancing the overall experience.

    • “The music and visual designs are wonderful.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is appreciated for its simplicity and design, but the lack of adjustable features and slow gameplay detracts from the overall experience, making interactions feel frustrating and cumbersome.

    • “You can't adjust the screen size, the speed of the game, or any other basic features. While I appreciate the simplicity of its design and the attempted atmosphere within the game, I find interacting with its gameplay to be slow, frustrating, and a bit of a chore.”
  • story
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story emphasizes survival and self-reliance, placing players in a solitary environment where they must navigate challenges independently. While the concept of documenting one's journey in a diary adds a personal touch, the narrative execution is described as somewhat unclear and disorganized, suggesting room for improvement. Overall, the minimalistic approach aligns with the indie game's style but may leave players wanting a more cohesive storyline.

    • “From now on you are completely on your own... no handholding, you have to try to survive alone and make your own experience. Luckily, your cabin is full of books and magazines about how to survive. I also like the idea of 'write your story' in your diary. The graphics are minimal and essential, as I could expect from an indie team of two people on their first attempt. That said, it does its job well enough for me, but it really needs to be improved, as it appears not totally clear and a bit messy.”
    • “From now on you are completely on your own... no handholding, you have to try to survive alone and make your own experience. Luckily, your cabin is full of books and magazines about how to survive. I also like the idea of 'write your story' in your diary, but the graphics are obviously minimal and essential, as I could expect from an indie team of two people at their first attempt. That said, it does its job well enough for me, but it really needs to be improved, as it appears not totally clear and a bit messy.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's monetization strategy is perceived positively, with users noting that it is not a cash grab, as confirmed by direct communication with the creator.

Buy e-River Cabin Journal

100h Median play time
100h Average play time
100-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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