Clanfolk looks like RimWorld set in the medieval Scottish highlands

Clanfolk is colony sim set in medieval Scotland, in which you manage generations of Archibalds and Duncans and attempt to survive each harsh winter. It looks a lot like RimWorld, and it’s aiming for an early access release this July.

Here’s a release date trailer:

A lot like RimWorld, yeah?

Clanfolk is described as “intentionally challenging” by its developers. You’ll start the game with plentiful food in a warmer season, but you’ll need to build homes, farm, fish, and stockpile if you hope to survive through the year. Weather conditions and seasons are simulated across the procedurally generated maps.

The folk of your clans also have behavioral traits, meaning that Archie might be afraid of the dark while Duncan might have a high metabolism. You’ll need to manage these varying traits while also maintaining relationships with neighboring clans.

I don’t believe Clanfolk its RimWorld influences – RimWorld was itself inspired by Dwarf Fortress – but as a Scot, I hope it leans hard into its setting. The video above worries me because it seems to feature citizens building their homes by carving them into mountains or by constructing large multi-family dwellings, neither of which strike me as particularly appropriate. Give me blackhouses or crannogs or brochs. Give me more than just names like “Archibald” and “Duncan”.

Maybe it will! I’m still hopeful. Clanfolk is aiming for release into early access on July 14th, and will be in early access for “at least 6 months, but likely longer”. There’s also a demo available to try right now on Steam.