TheEpic Game Store’s ongoing free game initiative will makeShelteredfree on September 9. The game boasts deep, intricate survival-management mechanics underneath a charming pixel-art aesthetics. The game is yet another installment in the long line of recent Epic Store free games published by Team17.
Like a lot of Team17’s published titles,Shelteredis an indie title with a surprising level of complexity. InSheltered’s case, that includes an emotional maturity and endearing writing.Shelteredbeing free on theEpic Games Storein September 2021 is no coincidence. The reason the title is being made free now, five years after its release, is likely to build hype for the upcomingSheltered2. This sequel is set for release on June 18, 2025, according to its Steam page.
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Interestingly, there is not a page on the Epic Store yet forSheltered 2, and there is no confirmation if it will release on the platform. It would make a lot of sense for Team17 and Unicube to bring the sequel to the storefront, as the free release of the original will likely onboard a lot of new players who could well want to purchase the next game. Whatever the case may be,Shelteredbeing free on the Epic Games Storeis a great get for customers.
What Is Sheltered?
Shelteredtakes a markedly different approach to post-apocalyptic survival when compared togames likeFallout.Unicube’s 2016 title is more similar toThis War of Minein execution, with central gameplay loops involving scouting, gathering, and hunting. Alongside that is the constant need to recreate the central family’s living quarters, developing it from a barely functional bunker into something that approaches a home.
The game’s main characters being a tight-knit family is a clever twist on the typicalpost-apocalyptic gameformula. Rather than having to navigate the complex social web of misfits drawn together in dire circumstances, the game can focus in on another set of tropes. Of course, that is not to say the game sticks to the problematic ideas of the nuclear family, as players can entirely customize the selection of characters they manage (and even have a pet horse if they want).
InSheltered,memories of a time before the apocalypse are always present, but serve as stark reminders of a time the family will probably never see. The game’s whimsicalpixel art graphicshide some of the darker themes that quickly become apparent during play. Trauma mechanics, hygiene concerns, and deadly dust storms all stalk the family. The option to open up to and collaborate with other actors in the wasteland also invites a potential danger, compounding a fraught family dynamic.
Things To Remember When Playing Sheltered
Shelteredemulates the post-apocalyptic survival experience by being a reallyintense management simulatorwith a lot to do. Each family member has stress, sleep, hunger, thirst, hygiene, health, and trauma meters. Any of these dropping to certain levels can cause huge distress not only to that character, but to the family around them. As with the best survival simulator games, players will need to pay close attention to each of these meters, and figure out the most effective way of maintaining a healthy balance across the board.
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The trauma mechanic in particular is one to watch out for. Not only is managing trauma important for a character’s wellbeing, but inShelteredit can also lead to impactful narrative choices that change the game itself. Accruing experience and trauma can alter the family members in various ways, leading to anRPG-style character progression.
Player agency in game storiesis important, andShelteredrecognizes that. In-game statistics like strength, agility, and intelligence for survivors will alter depending on what they experience. This means that the player’s choices with regards who goes on missions can and will impact how the rest of the game plays out.
In a sense, the trauma system works in a similar way toDarkest Dungeon, in which psychological damage from adventuring can permanently affect characters.
Sheltered on the Epic Game Store Before Its Sequel
GettingShelteredforfree on the Epic Games Store in Septemberis useful for anyone interested inSheltered 2’s release at the end of the month. The sequel is set to add a whole host of new mechanics on top of the solid post-apocalyptic gameplay of the original.Sheltered 2also seems to have a more tongue-in-cheek tone than the original, alongside much higher-fidelity graphics in a new art style, if its trailer is anything to go by.
Sheltered 2is bringing more than just a cheekier sense of humor and some updated graphics. The faction system is more fleshed out, allowing players to forge nuanced relationships with other survivor groups in the post apocalypse. Factions can either swap resources and support each other, or they can do battle over the precious materials. As a result,Sheltered 2’s groups will likely be very different to thefactions ofFallout 4.
While the sequel will carry on the trait and trauma systems of the first game, it will have one big difference in terms of characters.Sheltered 2allows players to create a faction leader who acts as the central figure in any given group. These leaders get extra powers and abilities, and their death means losing the game. If players are at all intrigued by what the upcomingShelteredgame might have to offer, the first title is worth checking out for free.
Shelteredwill be free through the Epic Games Store on September 9.
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