Conan Exiles, an open-world survival game set in the brutal universe of Conan the Barbarian, has intrigued many with its promises of vast landscapes, intricate survival mechanics, and epic adventures. Released in early 2018 by Funcom, this title aims to immerse players in a world of danger, exploration, and barbaric glory. But does it live up to its lofty ambitions, or does it fall short, leaving players stuck in a dull and dense experience? This comprehensive review delves into every aspect of Conan Exiles to provide a clear picture of what to expect.
Introduction to Conan Exiles: A Brief Overview
What is Conan Exiles?
Conan Exiles is a sandbox survival game where players are thrown into the harsh and unforgiving lands of Hyboria. As an exile, players must navigate a world filled with threats from both the environment and other survivors. The game emphasizes survival elements, including hunger, thirst, and health, while also incorporating crafting, building, and combat mechanics.
Setting and Storyline: A World of Barbaric Fantasy
Set in the Conan the Barbarian universe, the game offers a dark and gritty setting characterized by ancient ruins, hostile creatures, and treacherous terrain. The storyline, while not deeply integrated into the gameplay, revolves around your character’s quest for survival and eventual escape from exile.
Gameplay Mechanics: Survival and Crafting
Survival Elements: Is it Engaging?
The core of Conan Exiles’ gameplay revolves around survival. Players must manage their hunger, thirst, and health while fending off environmental hazards and hostile enemies. While these mechanics are fundamental to the genre, they can quickly become repetitive and dull, especially when the survival aspects don’t evolve or offer significant challenges.
Crafting and Building: Creativity vs. Complexity
Crafting and building are central to Conan Exiles, allowing players to create weapons, armor, and structures. The crafting system is expansive but can be overwhelming due to its complexity. With numerous resources and crafting stations, new players might find themselves lost in the myriad options, which can make the experience feel dense and cumbersome.
Combat System: Is it Thrilling?
Combat in Conan Exiles is a blend of melee and ranged encounters. While the combat system offers a variety of weapons and tactics, it often feels repetitive and lacks depth. The AI of enemies can be inconsistent, leading to moments of frustration rather than excitement. This can contribute to a sense of dullness, especially during prolonged gameplay sessions.
Graphics and Art Design: Visual Appeal vs. Performance
Visual Quality: A Double-Edged Sword
Conan Exiles features a detailed and expansive world that captures the essence of its barbaric setting. However, while the visual design is commendable, it is marred by performance issues. The game can suffer from frame rate drops and graphical glitches, detracting from the overall experience. The visuals, though striking, might not always compensate for the technical shortcomings.
Art Design and Atmosphere: Immersive Yet Dense
The art design effectively conveys the harshness of the Conan universe. The landscapes are diverse, from desolate deserts to lush forests. Despite this, the dense environments and repetitive textures can contribute to a feeling of monotony. This might hinder the game’s ability to maintain a fresh and engaging atmosphere throughout extended play sessions.
Multiplayer Experience: Social Aspects and Challenges
Co-op and PvP: Engaging or Overwhelming?
Conan Exiles offers both cooperative and player-versus-player (PvP) modes, allowing players to team up or compete against each other. The multiplayer experience can be engaging, providing opportunities for social interaction and collaborative gameplay. However, the game’s balance and mechanics can sometimes lead to frustration, particularly in PvP encounters where the gameplay may feel unbalanced or overly punishing.
Server Management: A Learning Curve
Managing and joining servers in Conan Exiles can be a complex process. With various server settings and mods available, new players may find it challenging to navigate the options and find a suitable server. This complexity can be off-putting and add to the sense of density in the game.
Updates and Community Support: Ongoing Development
Developer Updates: Improving or Declining?
Funcom has made several updates to Conan Exiles since its release, addressing bugs, adding content, and balancing gameplay. While these updates show a commitment to improving the game, the pace of updates and the effectiveness of changes can be inconsistent. This can affect the game’s overall appeal and contribute to a sense of stagnation.
Community Feedback: Positive or Negative?
The community around Conan Exiles is active, with players sharing experiences, tips, and mods. However, community feedback on forums and social media often reflects mixed opinions. While some players appreciate the game’s depth and complexity, others express frustration with its repetitive elements and technical issues.
Pros and Cons of Conan Exiles
Pros:
- Expansive World: The game offers a large and diverse world to explore.
- Deep Crafting System: Provides extensive options for crafting and building.
- Multiplayer Options: Offers cooperative and competitive gameplay modes.
Cons:
- Repetitive Gameplay: Survival and combat mechanics can become monotonous.
- Technical Issues: Performance problems and graphical glitches detract from the experience.
- Complex Systems: Crafting, building, and server management can be overwhelming.
Conclusion: Is Conan Exiles Worth Playing?
Conan Exiles presents a rich and immersive world with deep survival and crafting systems. However, its execution can lead to a dull and dense experience, especially for those not fully invested in the genre or the Conan universe. The game’s strengths lie in its expansive world and detailed art design, but its repetitive gameplay, technical issues, and complex systems can detract from the overall enjoyment.
For players seeking a challenging survival experience with a barbaric twist, Conan Exiles may offer the depth and complexity they desire. However, those looking for a more polished and engaging experience might find the game’s shortcomings more pronounced.
FAQ
What is Conan Exiles about?
Conan Exiles is an open-world survival game set in the Conan the Barbarian universe. Players must manage survival aspects such as hunger and thirst, craft items, build structures, and combat enemies in a harsh and unforgiving world.
Is Conan Exiles worth playing in 2024?
As of 2024, Conan Exiles has undergone numerous updates and improvements. While it offers a deep survival and crafting experience, its technical issues and repetitive gameplay might still be concerns for some players. If you enjoy complex survival games and the Conan universe, it may be worth a try.
What are the main criticisms of Conan Exiles?
Criticisms of Conan Exiles include repetitive gameplay, technical issues such as frame rate drops and graphical glitches, and a complex crafting and server management system that can be overwhelming for new players.
How is the multiplayer experience in Conan Exiles?
Conan Exiles offers both cooperative and player-versus-player (PvP) modes. While the multiplayer experience can be engaging and provide opportunities for social interaction, balancing issues and server management complexities can affect enjoyment.
What improvements have been made to Conan Exiles over time?
Funcom has released several updates to Conan Exiles, addressing bugs, adding new content, and making gameplay adjustments. However, the effectiveness of these improvements can vary, and some players may still encounter issues.
