Enveloped, now in early access, is similar to other open-world survival games you’ve probably played before. It has a post-apocalyptic fantasy storyline, tons of trees to hit, and crafts that let you build a house where you can store the endless resources you can collect. The biggest negative right now is that it doesn’t really have a unique identity, aside from the ‘shroud’ that will kill you if you stay in it for too long. That said, with exploration, creation, and one of the easiest settlement building systems I’ve ever used, Enveloped is a good time.
However, there is one thing that separates us Enveloped of the rest of the super-popular early access survival games available right now, and that’s sleep. You’ve probably come across a sleep mechanic in games before – Bethesda games often let you heal and spend time while you sleep, for example – but Enveloped ties it into your grand strategy in a way that is both easy to understand and more complex if you want to take full advantage of it. It’s not just about resting; it’s about a good night’s sleep.
The rest enhancement provides you with higher maximum endurance and regeneration over a period of time determined by your level and the comfort of the environment around you. To get the most out of your sleep, you need three things. First, you need to be under shelter, which might mean jumping into a tent, building a roof on your house, or using your pickaxe to make a den in a boulder. Secondly, you need to be warm, so build a campfire and get cozy. Finally (and most importantly), you need to feel comfortable. You can’t sleep on the cold, hard ground Enveloped, but you can find empty cots as you research and eventually build your own. The more furniture a shelter has, the more comfortable you will be.
Image: Keen Games via Polygon
The higher your level, the longer you can extend the buff. Granted, it takes a long time to level up in the early parts of the game, but even a few minutes can make a difference. Checking all three boxes will give you the biggest rest improvement, but you can still reap some benefits if you check just one of the boxes. So if you happen to have a roof over your head, you’ll still get a small stamina boost. It won’t last that long, but if you’re trying to run from enemies or get through the shroud, every stamina boost is worth looking for.
And if you can sleep at night, the game will run at 60 times normal speed. Considering the world of Enveloped is dark and navigating over land is almost impossible at night, it is always useful to use this feature if you can.
Valheim is another early access survival game that has a similar rest buff: sit next to a fire or rest in a bed and you’ll get a boost to both health and stamina recovery. Enveloped‘s buff works better because it’s much easier to figure out, thanks to the game’s simple user interface. In Valheim, there are technically two buffs you can get from relaxing, and what you get from each is a bit complicated to understand (unless you like math). Of Enveloped, you just have to see how long the buff lasts. The higher your level and the better your comfort, the longer it will last. I’ve seen people online making it last a full hour, although the most I’ve gotten was about 20 minutes.
Enveloped has many subtle but effective restrictions on crafting and exploration, designed to keep you gathering resources and exploring endlessly. While this can be frustrating for people who are used to just going out and letting their pick fly for hours, it does add some tension that forces you to head back home to do some other work. This can be circumvented by leveling up to some extent, but most players just starting out will need to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis. And it’s worth it.