As other reviews have stated, this is an amazing survival game. Arguably the most realistic (in terms of mechanics, not graphics) to come along in years. Possibly period. There are loads of skills you can take at the beginning of the game, such as Strong, Melee, Ranged, Botany, Mechanic, Lockpicking, Trapping, Tracking, etc. All are useful, though some more than others. Also, you can find a huge number of items in the game, from twigs to glass shards to pants to plastic bags to crowbars to gas masks to shotguns, and so on. All have their uses. The crafting system is quite ingenious as well, with an insane number of possibilities if you have the knowhow. Also, as mentioned by others, this game is far from easy. The atmosphere is great, and the story tidbits keep things intriguing, but you die easily and frequently. And there is permadeath. But you learn bit by bit as you go, and it can be an extremely rewarding experience. One of my favourite aspects of the game though, is how many interesting stories can come out of playing it. Let me share a couple. 1) On one run, I was doing fantastically. I found loads of clothes, fashioned myself a spear out of a branch, a glass shard, and some dirty rags, found a backpack and some plastic bags and a ton of gear. I fended off/killed enemies, even scaring one of them into dropping all his gear and clothes and running away naked. Then, just as I was about to make camp for the night, I ran into a shirtless guy who also had a spear, and made the mistake of trying to talk to him. He took that opportunity to stab me to death, and I was unlucky enough that I couldn't get a hit in. 2) On another run, I got EXTREMELY lucky. I ran into the leader/king of one of the big cults in the game immediately after starting. I snuck up behind him and beat him to death with a large stick, and took all his stuff. That included lots of clothes, water, a gas mask, a duffel bag, and a shotgun. Then I accidentally drank a vial of clear liquid he had and contracted blue rot (a very deadly lung disease). This game is awesome.
