The Survivalists on Xbox One is a very enjoyable experience. Its gameplay feels a bit like Don’t Starve, and its monkey system a bit like Factorio. But above all else, its charm and general aesthetic is all its own.

The Survivalists is a good survival game with the essence of The Escapists. The exploration and coop works so well, but the crafting system is awkward.

The Survivalists is just an OK game that you will probably enjoy for a few weeks and then put away and never play again. It’s a shame because it has the foundations of something excellent, but it’s all just too simple and tedious. If the mechanics were better, the crafting was easier, there were more things to build, more types of mobs, and some clear objective like escaping the island or fighting a series of mini-bosses, we wouldn’t be talking about a little throw-away game, here; we’d be talking about a true hidden gem.

I came into The Survivalists with high hopes, being such a fan of The Escapists. Sadly I came away from my time with it underwhelmed. There’s certainly fun to be had, and the feel of Escapists is here is parts, but some of the elements, such as the lack of storage space when out exploring, kept bringing my experience further down the longer I played. Here’s hoping Team 17 can bring me back in with the eventual (please) Escapists 3.