The short answer
Both games are rated "Very Positive" on Steam. Valheim has a higher share of positive reviews, costs $10 less, runs on more platforms and has crossplay. Enshrouded fits more players into one world on PC (16 instead of 10) and offers a handcrafted map with a story, a skill tree and voxel building that also reshapes the terrain. They are two different survival-building games, not a better and a worse version of the same thing.
All numbers are from October 15, 2026, before the Enshrouded 1.0 launch (15:00 UTC). Enshrouded's reviews and playtimes come from Early Access and will change after launch. Valheim has been in version 1.0 since September 9, 2026.
Steam ratings
As of October 15, 2026, 08:46 UTC, reviews in all languages:
| Game | Reviews | Positive | Steam rating | Polish-language reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enshrouded | 106,686 | 85.9% | Very Positive | 1,792 (89.8% positive) |
| Valheim | 560,230 | 93.5% | Very Positive | 12,786 (95.9% positive) |
Valheim has more than 5 times as many reviews because it has been on Steam since February 2021, while Enshrouded arrived on January 24, 2024.
Price
| Enshrouded | Valheim | |
|---|---|---|
| Steam, Poland | 149.99 zł | 99.99 zł |
| Steam, USA | $39.99 | $29.99 |
| Steam, eurozone | €39.99 | €29.99 |
| Discount on October 15, 2026 | none | none |
| Bought in Early Access | no need to buy again | no need to buy again |
Enshrouded's price went up by €10 on September 8, 2026 — a lower price in older articles is the Early Access price. Prices in other regions: Enshrouded 1.0 — price and release.
How long to beat
HowLongToBeat data (October 15, 2026, 08:48 UTC). In brackets — how many player submissions the average is based on:
| Play style | Enshrouded | Valheim |
|---|---|---|
| Main story | about 48 h (9) | about 83 h (3) |
| Main + extras | about 70 h (25) | about 165 h (9) |
| Completionist | about 76 h (21) | no data |
| All styles | about 68 h (55) | about 146 h (12) |
Two caveats. Enshrouded's times come from Early Access, so they don't include the new Cinder's Cradle biome — 1.0 will take longer. Valheim has very few submissions, so treat its numbers as a rough guide only.
What you get in version 1.0
Enshrouded 1.0 (October 15, 2026, Keen Games changelog):
- a new biome, Cinder's Cradle, in the north — lava below, floating islands above,
- the whole map opened up and the story concluded ("concluded — for now"),
- character level cap 50, gear up to 55,
- 9 new spell types, skeleton summons, 37 new enemy types,
- Sparkworks — a logic system for building your own adventures (Sparkworks guide),
- voiced characters and lore notes in English, German and Chinese; the interface in 15 languages, including Polish,
- an easier start: more chests, cheaper recipes, fast travel from your bed (beginner's guide).
Valheim 1.0 (September 9, 2026, Iron Gate patch notes):
- a new biome, Deep North,
- 40+ new weapons, 4 armor sets, 10+ new creatures, 80+ new building pieces,
- a grappling hook, achievements, new cinematics,
- alternate versions of earlier biomes at the edges of the world,
- PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions, with crossplay across all platforms.
Both studios promise more updates. Keen Games plans free and paid content with "No pay to win, no battle passes". Iron Gate says "more content updates" are on the way but hasn't said what they are.
Solo or co-op
You can play both games alone — both are tagged "Single-player" on Steam.
- Enshrouded calls itself a "solo and co-op" game. You settle rescued craftspeople in your base, and they give you gear recipes. World settings let you lower enemy numbers (e.g. "few") and enemy damage. The "Automatic" setting added in 1.0 scales enemy numbers to the number of players nearby.
- Valheim calls itself a game for 1–10 players ("alone or with up to nine friends"). You change difficulty with World Modifiers — the presets are Casual, Easy, Hard, Hardcore, Immersive and Hammer.
| Enshrouded | Valheim | |
|---|---|---|
| Players per world (PC) | up to 16 | up to 10 |
| Players on console | PS5: up to 8 (with PS Plus) | 1–10 on every platform |
| Free dedicated server | yes (Steam: Enshrouded Dedicated Server) | yes (official server program) |
| Crossplay | no at 1.0 | yes, across all platforms |
How to run or rent an Enshrouded server: server hosting and dedicated server.
Platforms
| Platform | Enshrouded | Valheim |
|---|---|---|
| PC Windows (Steam) | yes | yes |
| Linux, Mac | no | yes |
| Steam Deck (Valve rating) | "Unsupported" | "Verified" |
| PS5 | yes, from October 15, 2026 | yes, from September 9, 2026 |
| Xbox Series X|S | planned for spring 2027 | yes |
| Xbox One | no | yes |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | no | yes |
Details of the Enshrouded console version: Enshrouded on PS5 and Xbox.
PC requirements (Steam)
| Component | Enshrouded — minimum | Enshrouded — recommended | Valheim — minimum | Valheim — recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 or later | Windows 10 or later |
| CPU | i5-6400 / Ryzen 5 1500X | i7-8700 / Ryzen 7 2700X | 2.6 GHz quad core | i5 / Ryzen 5 3 GHz |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 1060 6 GB / RX 580 6 GB / Arc A380 | RTX 2070 Super / RX 6700 XT / Arc A770 | GTX 950 / Radeon HD 7970 | GTX 1060 / RX 580 |
| Storage | 60 GB | 60 GB, SSD | 1 GB | 1 GB |
On a weaker PC or laptop, Valheim is much easier to run. Enshrouded asks for 16 GB of RAM even at minimum.
Enshrouded vs Valheim — comparison
| Enshrouded | Valheim | |
|---|---|---|
| World | handcrafted, one map of Embervale | procedurally generated — every world is different |
| Story | main questline with quests from survivors, concluded in 1.0 | progress comes from defeating bosses (the Forsaken) |
| Building | voxel-based — build anywhere and reshape the terrain, e.g. carve a home into a mountain | piece-based (beams, walls, roofs) with structural integrity |
| Character progression | levels (up to 50) and a skill tree, mix classes freely | no levels or classes — skills improve as you use weapons and tools |
| Combat and magic | melee, bows, wands and spells; new spells and summons in 1.0 | axes, swords, bows, magic staffs; food raises health and stamina |
| Exploration | Glider, Grappling Hook, the Shroud with a time limit | sailing the open sea, grappling hook in 1.0 |
| Players per world | up to 16 on PC, up to 8 on PS5 | up to 10 |
| Servers | free dedicated server, rental from hosts | free dedicated server, rental from hosts |
| Crossplay | no | yes |
| Mods | no official support; 108 mods on Nexus Mods | no official support; 3,167 on Nexus Mods, 13,325 packages on Thunderstore |
| Price (Steam US) | $39.99 | $29.99 |
| Steam reviews | 85.9% of 106,686 | 93.5% of 560,230 |
Who should buy which
Enshrouded — yes, if you:
- want to build without a grid and reshape the land — voxels let you dig, carve and build in any shape,
- prefer a handcrafted map with quests and a finished story over a random world,
- like developing your character on a skill tree and playing magic builds,
- play in a bigger group on PC — up to 16 people in one world,
- want to create your own adventures (Sparkworks) or play other people's.
Enshrouded — no, if you:
- have friends on a different platform — there's no crossplay at 1.0,
- play on Steam Deck, Mac or Linux,
- have a PC with 8 GB of RAM,
- want a big choice of mods — there are about 30 times fewer than for Valheim.
Valheim — yes, if you:
- play with friends on different hardware (PC, Xbox, PS5, Switch 2) or on a Steam Deck,
- want to sail and explore a new random world every playthrough,
- have a weaker PC,
- want to play with community mods.
Valheim — no, if you:
- want character levels, a skill tree and a handcrafted map with a story concluded in 1.0,
- want to freely reshape the terrain for building like in a voxel game,
- play in a group larger than 10.
Quick look: Palworld and RuneScape: Dragonwilds
Both also left Early Access in 2026. As of October 15, 2026:
| Palworld | RuneScape: Dragonwilds | |
|---|---|---|
| Version 1.0 | July 10, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Steam reviews | 94.6% of 492,832 | 80.9% of 34,207 |
| Steam price (US) | $29.99 (on October 15 on sale −30%: $20.99) | $29.99 |
| Players | co-op up to 4, dedicated server up to 32 | up to 6 |
| Crossplay | yes | yes (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2) |
| Mods | officially supported by Pocketpair, Steam Workshop | the developers haven't said |
| What it is | catching creatures (Pals) that fight and work in your base | survival in the RuneScape world, skills and dragon fights |
If you want a game with official mod support, only Palworld of these four has it.
FAQ
Is Enshrouded good for solo players?
Yes — the game describes itself as "solo and co-op" and is tagged "Single-player". Rescued craftspeople in your base help, and world settings let you lower enemy numbers and damage. Players took about 48 hours to finish the main story even before the 1.0 biome was added.
Enshrouded or Valheim — which is better for a group of friends?
It depends on your hardware. If you're all on PC, Enshrouded fits up to 16 people in one world. If anyone plays on Xbox, Switch 2 or a Steam Deck, choose Valheim — it has crossplay, and Enshrouded doesn't at 1.0.
Does Enshrouded have mods?
There's no official mod support and no Steam Workshop, including at 1.0. Community mods do exist — 108 on Nexus Mods (October 15, 2026). Valheim has no official support either, but many times more community mods.
How much does Enshrouded 1.0 cost?
On Steam it's $39.99, €39.99 or 149.99 zł. If you bought the game in Early Access, you get 1.0 at no extra cost.
Does Enshrouded run on Steam Deck?
Valve rates Enshrouded as "Unsupported" (reason: graphics performance, as of October 15, 2026). The 1.0 changelog mentions better performance on Steam Deck, but Valve's rating hasn't changed. Valheim is "Verified".
