Demesne

Demesne is a survival game set in the taiga, where you must stay alive among wild animals and other people trapped in the area. You explore forested wilderness and human-made structures on foot or by other means, including trucks and horses, while searching for food and shelter. There are no supernatural creatures or items that do not belong in the setting: the threats and equipment are drawn from the real world.

Survive in the taiga

You hunt and forage for food, find shelter in caves or buildings, and endure cold, wet conditions and unforgiving nights. You need to keep your clothes dry, warm and in good condition, while managing hunger, illness, injury and fear. You can eat meat raw if you cannot cook it, but doing so risks poisoning or illness; meat can also serve as bait for predators or fish.

Hunting provides meat, skin, bones and tendons. You can use skin to craft cloth, belts, rope, bags, tents and sleeping bags; bones for needles, glue, wild game calls and fish-hooks; and sinew for thread and rope. You can also build a temporary shelter or pitch a tent.

Weapons and wildlife

The available firearms are hunting rifles and semi-automatic pistols, alongside knives, axes, spears and bows. Fishing gear includes loops, traps and fishing rods, which can also serve as means of self-protection.

Animals may attack as you move through their territory. Wolves are especially defensive and dangerous: grappling with them is almost always fatal, and they may appear alone or, more rarely, in packs of three or more. A gunshot can draw wolves toward you, so firing at another person may bring an additional threat.

Wildlife includes predators such as wolves, tigers, bears and lynx, as well as deer, roe deer, wild boar and elk. Fish include grayling, goldilocks, pike, catfish, carp and chum; game birds include pheasant, grouse, mallard and teal.