Donkey Crew’s New Survival Crafting Game ‘Bellwright’ Launches Into Steam Early Access

Snail Games and Donkey Crew’s new multiplayer survival game Bellwright has launched into Steam Early Access even. Surprisingly, it’s received a lot of praise from the Steam community in stark contrast to the lukewarm reviews that’s been thrown at its predecessor, Last Oasis.

The game thrusts you into the role of a medieval warrior forced to rebel against the Crown after being framed for the murder of the Prince and sentenced to death. You can’t exactly mount a rebellion on your own, so you’ll need to establish and expand your settlement, recruit followers to your cause, and train them up into a battle-hardened army that can stand against the might of the Crown and end its oppressive reign once and for all.

“Establish and expand your own settlements, liberate the land and assist its villagers, and recruit others to your cause while learning more about a life you had to leave behind. Command your forces, prove your valor through combat, and cement yourself as the hero of your people.”

It’s worth noting that while Bellwright has received “Mostly Positive” reviews on Steam, most players were quick to point out its extremely unfinished state despite its potential. Players lauded its city building gameplay and companion AI but complained about the amount of time it takes to craft even basic tools and equipment, persistent game crashes, optimization issues, and buggy gameplay.

The fact that both studios seem to have abandoned Last Oasis altogether has also had a negative effect on Bellwright’s reviews. “It needs work, I still have trust issues from their last game (Last Oasis) to have much faith in this one,” reads one review. “Do yourself a favor before you think about buying this: Go look at the history of this company's other games,” reads another.

If you want to check it out for yourself regardless, it’s currently on sale at 10% off on Steam until May 1.