Windbound

If you combined Sea of Thieves, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Don't Starve, you'd wind up with a game very much like this terrific little sea-based survival adventure. Windbound has a charming cartoon appearance and intuitive interface that makes it instantly welcoming, regardless of your experience with survival games. Harvesting resources is as simple as tapping a button, and complete recipes are automatically added to the crafting menu as new materials are discovered, eliminating the need for trial and error. Just select what you'd like to make, and if you have the necessary resources, Kara will craft it. And while many survival games suffer from a lack of story or purpose, this one draws players into its fantastical lore through not just a likable protagonist but also the slowly revealed mystery of her people and the sea monsters that have played a key role in their lives and destiny.

And satisfaction comes as the game evolves and Kara grows stronger -- not just gaining more health and endurance, but upgrading her tools and weapons while also building better boats. You're bound to form attachments to both your skiff and certain pieces of gear, valuing them for their ability to help you survive and also simply because you crafted them yourself from scarce resources. This is the sort of game in which you'll take pride in your progress, even when playing on the easier of the two difficulties. There's room for some improvement: Kara's climbing and jumping movements are a bit wonky feeling, and it's easy to accidentally lose resources stored in baskets on your boat (either due to shipwrecks or purposeful disassembly), but these problems can and hopefully will be patched with updates. Windbound is that rare survival adventure game that's surprisingly suitable -- and legitimately fun -- for a wide range of players spanning most ages and all genders.