Craft of Survival is the latest mobile sandbox survival title heavily inspired by LDOE and its clones. Despite using such an old format, this game mages to slip in some interesting innovations.
In terms of looks, there's not much difference from other such titles. Everything is in slightly stylized 3d, not terribly detailed, just a little darker & more violent than typical fantasy. Yet, you can notice some elements setting Craft Survival apart after a second look. Textures look realistic, especially with some dust or blood; special effects can be stunning, particularly at night. Then, there is UI and 2d art, bringing the feel of this harsh, depressing, medieval/fantasy world. Even the tiny item icons are detailed & almost realistic-looking.
From the first moment of play, you can see this game is slightly different than others. You're able to create your character, selecting traits like skin or hair - but also race & class - and that affects gameplay. Also, your first steps will be escaping from prison - the beginning of a story you'll follow with quests - and that story even got some real choices!
When you get out, there's some castle & outskirts to rebuild - meaning there are some essential buildings ready for you. As always, you can run around, collect some things from the ground, craft basic tools and then cut down trees/crush rocks. To get more resources/follow quests, you'll need to leave the castle - to a nearby town or some dangerous areas. There'll be hordes of monsters to kill, and that killing will be especially exciting because of its unique mechanics. Your attack won't be specifically targeted at a single enemy. Instead, you'll be able to cut through several enemies with one slash, send a long arrow to begin a fight, or even cast area skills.
Overall, Craft of Survival seems to be more single-player/campaign-focused, putting less emphasis on multiplayer. You'll be able to see others in town write on chats, but there are no raids - which can be an advantage for some. Still, it's a new title, and devs already hinted at the PvP arena feature.
As always, one of the limiting factors is the energy needed to move between areas. You can get it - and some other rewards - after seeing some ads - but you won't spend hours watching videos. There's a rich in-game shop to help you survive - but the game is pretty generous, giving many resources for free.
