Don't Starve: Shipwrecked
Tough island-survival game could confuse, frustrate players.
Kids say
Based on 1 review
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Don't Starve: Shipwrecked
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Don't Stave: Shipwrecked is the sequel to 2016's hit forage-and-survive role-playing game. Like the original, the game has a dark sense of humor that might be a bit scary for younger players, but there's no blood or gore and the darkness is offset by the game's humorous tones. Players will battle wildlife and monsters, but there's nothing explicit. Parents don't have to worry about language, sexuality, or that their kids will be "upsold" on anything, because the purchase price covers everything in the game. Read the app's privacy policy to find out about the types of information collected and shared.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
In DON'T STARVE: SHIPWRECKED, Wilson, the ill-fated hero of Don't Starve, returns, only to find himself shipwrecked on a desert island filled with new resources and new threats. This time, he not only has to battle starvation (by collecting resources and building tools and traps) and monsters in the night but also the elements. The game brings a new variety of tropical seasons, which make it harder to survive. Additionally, resources are scattered over a large number of little islands, meaning you'll have to brave the sea as well (once you collect enough resources to build a sailing vessel). Every world is different each time you play, as the game creates them randomly.
Is It Any Good?
While it improves upon some of the faults of its predecessor, this darkly humorous survival game is still a tough sell to some customers. The learning curve is less steep, but there's no tutorial or any instruction on what you're supposed to do or how to get it done, which can be frustrating for new players. And once you figure out Don't Starve: Shipwrecked, it's still an intentionally difficult game. That's going to make it irresistible to some people and off-putting to others.
Feature-wise, though, Shipwrecked is a solid title. It demands players wisely allocate resources and always focus on the game. While it's hard, it doesn't go out of its way to alienate players. There's already an established community around the PC version of this game -- and this mobile sequel likely will keep them happily satisfied. The biggest complaint probably will be the lengthy time the game takes to generate new worlds. Rather than the five to 10 seconds most players are used to, there are load times of more than two minutes (and there's a black screen delay between the load and the start of gameplay that may cause you to think the app has crashed). If you can overlook this and the high level of difficulty, you could find an enjoyable adventure to take on the go.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how best to allocate limited time to prioritize tasks. When approaching tasks, how do you know what to start with first? Why do you approach things that way?
Talk about learning to utilize your environment to improve your situation. How can orienting yourself around landmarks and your environment help you when camping, when hiking, or in an emergency?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Release date: January 19, 2017
- Category: Role-Playing Games
- Topics: Adventures, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Publisher: Klei Entertainment
- Version: 1.3
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 8.0 or later.
- Last updated: January 27, 2017
Our Editors Recommend
-
Don't Starve: Pocket Edition
Morbidly fun survival game with fighting, hallucinations.
-
Minecraft
Worthy spin-off of popular PC game encourages creativity.
-
Terraria
Finicky but fun Minecraft-style game set in a 2D world.
For kids who love role-playing games
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate