Hearthkeeper

Hearthkeeper follows a small group of beings trying to survive the cruel fates of a fantastical world. You manage their colony and base, assign work for them to carry out, and can directly control a character to explore and take part in some battles.

Keep the colony alive

Your characters need food and water, shelter from extreme temperatures, and protection from threats. You can grow food in fields, gather wild fruits and vegetables, hunt game animals or fish. Most food is perishable and will rot unless stored at the right temperature or preserved another way.

Rain provides water, with its frequency and intensity depending on the region: deserts get no rain, while jungles get lots. Natural springs also feed water into the world. Temperatures change between day and night and across the year, rising toward summer and falling into winter. Depending on the region, temperature can be a nuisance or deadly. Clothing helps characters withstand extreme conditions, and objects such as the Hearth can heat rooms.

Manage and explore

You lay out plans for work, then watch your group carry them out. You can also take direct control of one of your characters, which is useful for exploration and some battles.

Prepare for battles

You may need to defend the group from bats, wolves or skeletons. Weapons, protective clothing and skills can help, and having a healer in the group may reduce the number of characters who suffer brain damage. You can also build defenses such as palisade walls or dig a large hole in the game's 2-D world.