Subsistence

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"Subsistence is a challenging, open-world survival game with dynamic seasons and weather. Build and defend your base, gather resources, and develop technology while contending with AI hunters and the elements. Engage in resource gathering, farming, and animal husbandry for sustenance. Co-op and single-player options available. Current features include crafting, AI base building, weapon upgrades, and more."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,426 reviews

gameplay202 positive mentions

grinding708 negative mentions

Incredible hours of gameplay with a challenging and rewarding survival experience.
Gorgeous graphics and immersive environment that enhances the gameplay.
Regular updates from the developer, adding new content and features.

Unbalanced gameplay with excessive grind for basic resources, making early survival frustrating.
Difficult mechanics, such as the need for specific items that are hard to find, leading to frequent deaths.
Lack of tutorials or guidance for new players, resulting in confusion and a steep learning curve.

grinding
710 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a major point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and frustrating. While some players appreciate the challenge and find satisfaction in the grind, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a repetitive experience focused more on resource gathering than meaningful gameplay. Overall, the game is characterized as heavily grindy, requiring significant time investment for minimal rewards, which may appeal to dedicated survival game fans but could deter those seeking a more balanced experience.
- “But it's not grinding for the sake of grinding.”
- “Everything about this game is a grindy exercise in frustration.”
- “The most tedious, grindy, un-fun survival game I have ever played.”
- “The game is overly grindy so the majority of your time is spent scavenging for materials.”
gameplay
662 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this survival game is characterized by a steep learning curve, requiring players to adapt to challenging mechanics such as resource scarcity, aggressive wildlife, and complex crafting systems. While many players appreciate the depth and realism of the survival elements, others criticize the grindy nature and lack of balance, particularly in early game progression. Overall, the game offers a mix of rewarding and frustrating experiences, appealing primarily to hardcore survival enthusiasts.
- “Excellent base building, lots of goals to work towards, and unforgiving mechanics that make you feel accomplished when you overcome them is what this game has to offer.”
- “The gameplay is addictive, the atmosphere is immersive, and the feeling of fighting for survival is intense.”
- “The gameplay is really for hardcore survival game players.”
- “Grindy, clunky combat, no map markers, and far too many mechanics that only exist to make the game harder for the sake of it.”
- “The gameplay is repetitively tedious to the point of being annoyingly grindy.”
graphics
524 mentions
60 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are frequently praised for their beauty and detail, with many players noting the stunning environmental visuals, including dynamic weather effects and immersive landscapes. However, some critiques highlight that while the graphics can be impressive, they may not reach the level of modern AAA titles, and there are occasional performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout in the survival genre despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “The graphics are beautiful & the gameplay is very smooth.”
- “The graphics are stunning, water and foliage textures are fantastic, surpassing a lot of current games that need higher spec machines.”
- “The graphics are absolutely amazing for being early access!”
- “The graphics are completely inadequate for the tasks needed to survive.”
- “Graphics are from some age long gone by about 15 - 20 years ago.”
- “Graphics are lackluster even on ultra settings, it's a 32-bit turd made for PS2's.”
story
131 mentions
9 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game lacks a coherent story or narrative, leaving players to navigate a survival experience without any quests or objectives. Many reviewers express frustration over the absence of a backstory or context for their character's situation, which contributes to a sense of aimlessness in gameplay. While some players appreciate the freedom to create their own stories, the overwhelming consensus is that the game would benefit significantly from the addition of a structured storyline or quests to provide purpose and direction.
- “If you need missions or quests for direction in a game, then this is not for you; if on the other hand you enjoy just trying to survive while building a better life, then this is right up that avenue.”
- “A nice addition would be a storyline of why the avatar is in the situation of survival.”
- “If there was a short story of how you came to be there, and that you have to find a radio in an airplane crash in the mountains to contact others, and you have to go to a certain section to get supplies, and eventually find your way to civilization or rescue, that would be great, and keep me involved.”
- “After almost a decade of 'early access', the game still has no backstory.”
- “There is no story to the game if you were wondering.”
- “Probably my biggest gripe is that I have to keep asking myself, 'why am I doing this?' A little story or better yet, some objective(s), even just a general push towards some distant goal would lend a welcome sense of purpose to the grind.”
stability
106 mentions
15 % positive mentions
3 % neutral mentions
82 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is a mixed bag, with many players reporting frequent glitches and bugs that significantly impact gameplay, particularly during swimming and interactions with NPCs. While some users have noted improvements and a relatively smooth experience, others have encountered game-breaking issues, such as disappearing items and infinite death loops. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further polishing to address the numerous stability concerns highlighted by players.
- “For an alpha stage game, it is surprisingly bug free.”
- “Overall, I am happy with the game; it is relatively speaking fairly bug free, plays quite smoothly even on older hardware, and has some nice features, different difficulty modes along with the ability to turn the hostile human NPCs on or off and alter their behavior regarding how they interact with the player.”
- “Very well rounded and mostly bug free for an early access game.”
- “Very buggy and lacks proper programming; when you try to get out of the water, it glitches and you're stuck inside the lake. On top of this, on easy mode, the lack of fibers and products causes you to crash and die.”
- “That combined with sudden death/missing inventory glitches, infinite death loops due to respawning on the opposite end of the map, and freezing to death over and over make this game unplayable.”
- “Right now the game is too buggy; there should be some more frequent updates because it's a good game overall, it just needs to get polished soon.”
optimization
103 mentions
38 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and high frame rates, while others report significant stuttering and low FPS even on high-end systems. Many users note that the game requires further optimization, particularly in graphics and sound, but some appreciate the ongoing updates and improvements from the developer. Overall, while there are instances of good performance, many players feel that optimization remains a critical area needing attention.
- “I do not experience any game-breaking bugs, and optimization is great with no stuttering or lag.”
- “The game itself is incredibly optimized for an early access game; I was running it at 60 frames plus on the highest settings.”
- “The optimization is great; I was getting a consistent 60 fps with my i5 6600k CPU and GeForce GTX 970.”
- “Poorly optimized, it's like playing a game that was made in 2003.”
- “I had a huge issue with stuttering; I couldn't go 2 seconds (not exaggerated) without major stutters and the occasional game-breaking bugs.”
- “Not only is the game horribly optimized, but the game just wasn't fun.”
atmosphere
49 mentions
63 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and realistic qualities, featuring dynamic weather, changing seasons, and detailed sound design that enhances the survival experience. Many players find the environment captivating, often describing it as beautiful and haunting, which contributes to a meditative gameplay experience. However, some critiques mention that certain gameplay mechanics can detract from the overall atmosphere, particularly due to issues with AI behavior and grind-heavy elements.
- “The atmosphere in this game is really realistic.”
- “Very immersive atmosphere and weather, where one can become lost for a few hours.”
- “The whole atmosphere of the game is quite good, sound, lighting, the total ambient package.”
- “The world is covered, like every inch, with wolves and bears which ruins any atmosphere there might be with their janky AI behavior and overabundance.”
- “Don't get me wrong, they're decent graphics, but it looks and feels lifeless if you ask me; no atmosphere. It clearly still needs a lot of work.”
- “The crafting materials required are all over the place in an unbelievably unbalanced and unrewarding fashion to attempt at creating the 'survival' atmosphere for the game.”
humor
39 mentions
90 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as both hilarious and absurd, with players finding amusement in the game's mechanics, such as the unpredictable behavior of animals and the challenges of survival. Many reviews highlight the comedic moments that arise from gameplay, especially when playing with friends, though some also note that the difficulty can lead to frustration. Overall, the humor is a significant aspect that enhances the experience, making it entertaining despite its flaws.
- “There's base building, seasons (not even implemented in most survival games but makes a huge difference), fishing, farming, vehicles, wild animals hunting, they also attack other AI hunters (it's hilarious and satisfying to watch), the list just goes on and all from one very talented dev who takes a lot of negative criticism but has stuck by his vision to create an awesome brutal survival game.”
- “Finding just the right touch of humor in the mechanics.”
- “It's funny to hit him a few times and watch him gut you with his antlers; just as in real life :D (wasn't a flame, the moose genuinely makes me laugh watching it wreak havoc on hunters).”
- “This game is so imbalanced it's not funny.”
- “Not funny, not good in any way.”
- “I have died so many times that it is not funny, and I have yet to find a single body or what I dropped.”
replayability
22 mentions
45 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players noting that it offers endless challenges and opportunities for exploration. While some users suggest that certain mechanics, like loot tables and crafting resources, could be improved for a better experience, the general consensus is that the game remains engaging and fun, making it worth revisiting. Many reviewers express that the game's replay value justifies its price, highlighting the care and attention put into its design.
- “A cracking game with infinite replayability.”
- “They have done a great job in making this a fun and replayable game; you can feel the care and attention that has been given to this game.”
- “The replayability is endless with many places to build and explore.”
- “Honestly would be $50-60 even for replayability, but I'm cheap.”
- “Didn't refund but will just wait five to ten years for this to be more playable.”
- “$13 might be a little steep for this thing when I spent $10 (first beta releases) on Minecraft back in the day and it kept me going back for years of replay value.”
monetization
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
78 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" due to aggressive microtransactions and misleading advertising. Critics express frustration over the lack of essential features and the perception that the developers prioritize profit over gameplay quality, while a few users note that some developers are genuinely committed to their projects. Overall, the sentiment suggests a strong distrust in the game's monetization strategy.
- “In-app purchases for early access game.”
- “Microtransactions added before the game has even left the alpha stage show the developers' priorities.”
- “There's still no ads sensitivity slider, and raiding hunters can be profoundly unrewarding depending on your game stage.”
- “And looking at the microtransactions added before the game has even left the 'alpha' stage, it's very clear where the dev's priorities lie.”
- “This game is abandoned, it's a big cash grab, avoid at all costs.”
- “Marking it down as a 'making survival games is easy' cash grab unless some massive updates come along.”
music
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game currently lacks any music, which has led players to suggest using their own playlists while playing. Many reviewers believe that the addition of music could significantly enhance the overall experience, potentially raising the game's sound rating to a 7 or 8. Suggestions for a simple radio feature or ambient sounds have been made to create a more immersive atmosphere.
- “Put a playlist of your choice of music on and get to building, farming, fishing, etc. Overall, I would give this game a 7/10!”
- “I think once music is added, it will really push the sound into a 7 or 8 at that point.”
- “No music in this game.”
- “Music, audio: there's no music.”
- “- A simple radio would bring a chilling soundtrack for your base during the days or nights.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users express strong emotional reactions to the game, with some feeling frustrated and disappointed due to a lack of difficulty and customization options, leading them to reconsider their recommendations. Conversely, others appreciate the game's basebuilding mechanics, highlighting the satisfaction derived from the seamless construction features.
- “I am so glad to give this game a thumbs down after the way it made me feel.”
character development
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for more character development in the game, indicating that it feels lacking compared to other titles they enjoy, such as Remnant. This suggests that the current game may not meet their expectations for depth and growth in its characters.
- “The character development is lacking; I was hoping for more depth and growth throughout the game.”
- “I feel like the characters are one-dimensional and don't evolve in any meaningful way.”
- “There’s a missed opportunity for character arcs; it feels like they just stay the same from start to finish.”