Wurm Unlimited

About

Wurm Unlimited is a standalone fantasy sandbox game that allows players to control server settings and explore a detailed world, offering creative or adventure modes and the ability to host personal servers. Experience a deep, feature-packed adventure with options for building, conquering, and hunting in a player-influenced environment. The Server Management GUI facilitates customization of settings such as skill gains, action timers, and creature populations.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,818 reviews

gameplay54 positive mentions

graphics98 negative mentions

Great game to unplug from the real world for a while and just relax and build things.
The music is amazing and adds to the overall experience.
The crafting and building aspects are very rewarding and provide a sense of achievement.

The game is no longer being updated, leading to concerns about its longevity.
The user interface is clunky and not very user-friendly, making it difficult for new players to learn.
Combat mechanics are poorly implemented and can be frustrating.

graphics
492 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The graphics of Wurm Unlimited are widely regarded as outdated, often compared to early 2000s titles, with many users noting a clunky user interface and subpar animations. Despite these visual shortcomings, players emphasize that the game's depth, crafting systems, and immersive gameplay more than compensate for the lack of modern graphics. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm of its visuals, others find them a significant drawback that may deter new players.
- “While the graphics are dated, there's a beauty and charm to be found.”
- “Graphically, Wurm is not up there with the biggest and best, but after a while, the graphics don't matter, you're immersed in your world, changing the very shape of the land, digging, leveling and moving the very dirt under your feet, shaping the rocks, mining deep and vast caverns to get at the ores, growing your food, tending your animals, and fighting off the beasts who want you dead.”
- “If you can get past the graphics, you'll find an extremely addicting and rewarding game with mystical creatures to slay or tame, form alliances and kingdoms and wage war between each other.”
- “The graphics are absolutely terrible.”
- “The graphics have aged terribly, and I understand that does not make or break a game, so just an observation.”
- “The game runs like arse; graphics look like something from the early 90's.”
grinding
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest hundreds or even thousands of hours to achieve meaningful progress. While some players find satisfaction in the slow, immersive nature of skill development and crafting, many others describe the experience as frustratingly repetitive and lacking in excitement, particularly in combat and resource gathering. Overall, the game appeals primarily to those who enjoy deep, grind-heavy gameplay, while others may find it overwhelmingly dull and uninviting.
- “I can't recommend a game this grindy to anyone.”
- “This game is hellishly grindy, just a forewarning, however, once you get past this aspect (and about 3 days in, usually) you begin to get an understanding of the trip you are in for.”
- “The game is very time consuming, and just grinding skills and such will quickly turn the game into a boring waste of time.”
gameplay
302 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
75%
7%
The gameplay of Wurm Unlimited is characterized by its deep and complex crafting mechanics, requiring significant time investment to master. While the game offers a rich sandbox experience with extensive building options, it suffers from a steep learning curve, clunky UI, and outdated graphics, which may deter some players. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy slow-paced, immersive gameplay and are willing to navigate its intricacies, but it may not be suitable for everyone due to its grind-heavy nature and lack of modern conveniences.
- “The game does have a bit of a learning curve at first, but once you understand how the mechanics work regarding building items, the gameplay becomes easy.”
- “I would highly recommend the game to anyone looking for a very deep crafting/building experience, and a slower, more relaxed pace of gameplay.”
- “Extremely deep and immersive gameplay which you will like to play for a very long time, maybe for years, once you get the hang of it.”
- “The gameplay sucks because it is all a giant grindfest and there are bugs in the code that will kill you and make you lose all of your hard-earned items or the bugs will prevent you from making your house look the way you want it to.”
- “Graphics are very outdated and overall gameplay is boring and tedious.”
- “I cannot stress enough that this game is not worth $30, maybe $10, but even then still pointless to buy because the mechanics and interfaces are so dated and clunky that it is aggravating to do the simplest tasks.”
story
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
92%
5%
The story aspect of Wurm Unlimited is largely defined by its open-ended nature, allowing players to create their own narratives rather than following a predefined plot. While some players appreciate the freedom to build and explore without strict quests, others find the lack of structured storytelling and NPC interactions limiting, leading to a desire for more engaging missions and quests. Overall, the game emphasizes player-driven experiences over traditional storytelling, making it ideal for those who enjoy sandbox gameplay.
- “In this game, you write your own story and tell your own tales or form your own kingdoms/alliances.”
- “Creative is a blank canvas of a world, and adventure has a storyline with kingdoms and NPCs established around you.”
- “And we have a 'god' system in Wurm, this is a very big part of the game, as we have 'missions' (sort of like quests that random-generate) to do things for them for karma (used in spells) and sleep bonus (used for gaining double experience for a short time).”
- “If you're looking for a plot to follow, this isn't for you.”
- “There is no story.”
- “There are extremely few functional NPCs (just traders, really) and no quests, so combat is entirely sandbox.”
music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising its relaxing and immersive qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during building activities. However, some users find the soundtrack inconsistent, describing parts of it as ill-fitting or generic, leading to frustration with the default volume settings. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its ambiance, opinions vary on its suitability for the game's fantasy setting.
- “This game is wonderful, it's pure balance; by that I mean you can easily drift off in your own thoughts while building something and listening to some good music.”
- “Most of all, the OST of this game is so, so wonderful and magical; I listen to it on YouTube on a regular basis.”
- “The background music is so amazing, and really sets the mood, perfect background music while building your village.”
- “Music is -by default- loud and dominating.”
- “The music gets on my nerves (easily disabled).”
- “But having played Wurm Online since 2008, I'll have to say that the music doesn't fit in-game at all.”
optimization
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
50%
38%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, even on high-end hardware, and a lack of recent quality-of-life improvements. The user interface is described as dysfunctional and poorly scalable, contributing to a frustrating experience. While some independent modded servers offer better performance, the overall consensus is that the game suffers from significant optimization shortcomings that detract from its potential.
- “Many independent modded servers have sprung up over the years, some have a long history of solid performance now.”
- “It seems well-optimized and does not require a top of the line computer to max out the graphics settings, allowing you to play in a visually satisfying world.”
- “As a fairly new continuation of the age-old rock solid Wurm Online, I am giving this the thumbs up to those who are not in search of the flashiest graphics, best performance, or latest tech, but those who want the true meaning of sandbox, virtual life, and customizability.”
- “They won't be fixing the terrible server list UI; any fixes with the game after the big fix will have to be done by modders, and the heavy optimization that Wurm Online just had—Wurm Unlimited will never see that.”
- “It'll always be terrible performance (yes, your PC will groan from how much memory this game eventually starts to take up after running it for a while).”
- “The performance is horrendous even on CPUs like an i7 6700k; the UI is extremely dysfunctional and tough to use (nor can it even scale properly).”
monetization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The monetization strategy of Wurm Online has drawn significant criticism from users, who describe it as a blatant cash grab, particularly due to the presence of unavoidable advertisements and player-made microtransactions. Many feel that the focus on monetization detracts from the game's development and overall enjoyment, leading to a negative perception of the game's value.
- “The only thing I would want to change is that annoying advertisement to play Wurm Online, that pay-to-win game; considering this is a paid game, the last thing I would want is an advertisement that can't be disabled.”
- “Their only focus is to pump out another 'version' for a Steam release so they can do another cash grab.”
- “In my opinion, it's a cash grab.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
The stability of the game is currently a significant issue, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezing upon server startup, and various graphical glitches. Despite some players experiencing smooth performance on different hardware, the overall consensus highlights a frustratingly buggy experience, particularly following recent updates that have exacerbated existing problems. Many hope for future patches to address these stability concerns.
- “It runs great on both my outdated laptop and my gaming PC.”
- “The updates with Wurm Online have been a buggy explosive mess that often destroys specific playstyles such as animal husbandry and priests.”
- “There are some glaring glitches and there are many crashes to desktop (CTDs).”
- “Game is extremely buggy.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of hilarious character interactions and absurd situations, with players finding amusement in both the game's mechanics and the antics of others. However, some elements, like the ability to fart on characters, are seen as falling flat or becoming annoying rather than funny. Overall, while there are moments of genuine humor, the game's reliance on player interactions can lead to frustration, overshadowing the comedic potential.
- “We have hilarious stories and character traits that have arisen from our situations, and we just celebrated the maiden voyage of our first large ship, a corbita.”
- “Even though I only spent about 45-60 minutes at the forge in the game making tools, I actually walked away chuckling to myself about how it’s the closest thing to realistic I’ll get for forging something in a game.”
- “This game is a fantastic opportunity for uncouth humor, profanity, and general idiotic behavior.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
Players appreciate an atmosphere that is welcoming and community-oriented, highlighting the importance of an active and responsive game master team. The transformation of the environment, such as growing a forest from planted trees, significantly enhances the immersive experience and contributes to a unique and engaging atmosphere.
- “If you ever get to a point where you have planted a couple hundred trees in a field and then saw them grow into a full-fledged forest, it's just really neat how different it looks and feels; the atmosphere is incredible.”
- “Find one that has an atmosphere that feels welcoming to you, with a GM team that is active and responsive, and has the mods and quality of life improvements that you want.”
- “I joined another server which had just started and did not have the same neighborly atmosphere.”
- “If you ever get to a point where you have planted a couple hundred trees in a field then saw them grow to a full-fledged forest, it's just really neat how different it looks and feels, atmosphere.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the game highly replayable due to the time investment required for projects and the ability to explore different roles across various servers. This diversity in gameplay experiences encourages repeated playthroughs, making it a recommended choice for those seeking longevity in their gaming experience.
- “Projects in this game take a lot of time (depending on the server you join), which is what makes it interesting and very replayable.”
- “I recommend the game because of the replayability; you can be multiple things on multiple servers.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its extensive character development and creative possibilities, making it ideal for players who appreciate a relaxed and collaborative gaming experience.
- “Great game for a relaxed and creative mind who enjoys endless character development.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the graphics can induce feelings of discomfort, likening the experience to travel sickness when adjusting the camera angle. This suggests that while the game may aim for emotional engagement, technical issues can detract from the overall experience.