Review: Is Conan Exiles Enhanced Worth Playing?

Game Overview.

Returning to Conan Exiles with the Enhanced version has been a surprisingly different experience.

There are obviously familiar elements everywhere, and at its core, this is still the Conan Exiles I have spent so much time with over the years. However, it looks like a modern game, feels like a modern game, and perhaps most importantly, performs like one.

Performance during my time with Conan Exiles Enhanced was rock solid. The lack of stuttering was immediately noticeable, and combined with improved visuals, smoother gameplay and more convincing NPC behaviour, it often felt less like revisiting an old survival game and more like returning to something that had been rebuilt around the foundations of the original.

Conan Exiles was already one of my favourite survival games when I originally reviewed it.

Conan Exiles Enhanced is simply a better version of that game.

Character Customisation.

As I mentioned in my original review of Conan Exiles ↪, it has some of the best-looking character models in the survival genre.

Compared to some of the horrors that populate titles such as Ark: Survival Evolved, 7 Days to Die and Rust, Conan Exiles has always stood apart by allowing players to create genuinely attractive and distinctive characters.

That matters more than it might initially appear.

Conan Exiles has an enormous role-playing community and places considerable emphasis on cosmetic armour, clothing and player-built settlements. Having characters that actually look like people rather than creatures dragged screaming from an early access character creator makes that side of the game considerably more appealing.

Enhanced does nothing to diminish one of Conan Exiles’ longstanding strengths and, thanks to the improved presentation surrounding those characters, arguably makes them look better than ever.

Singleplayer Mode.

In my original review, I said that while I generally do not consider survival games worth playing solo or offline, Conan Exiles was one of the few exceptions.

That opinion has not changed.

Unlike many survival games, there is a world worth exploring even without other players. There are NPCs, enemies, locations, lore and progression systems that provide something to do beyond simply farming materials and constructing increasingly elaborate boxes to store those materials in.

Enhanced makes that experience considerably more immersive.

The world feels smooth and responsive, while NPCs appear more cohesive and enemy AI feels noticeably more intelligent than I remember.

I was surprised by how much resistance some relatively early-level enemies offered. They were obviously not endgame encounters, but I felt more challenged by some early NPCs than I remember feeling against considerably more advanced enemies in older versions of Conan Exiles.

Rather than finding that frustrating, it made me curious about what the Enhanced endgame has waiting for me.

Performance and Presentation.

Performance may be one of the biggest improvements I noticed when returning to Conan Exiles.

Enhanced looks and feels substantially more modern, but thankfully that visual improvement has not come at the cost of constantly fighting stutters, hitches or poor responsiveness.

During my time with it, performance was rock solid.

That smoothness affects far more than graphics. Combat feels better when enemies react properly. Exploration feels better when moving through the world is seamless. Building feels better when placing and removing objects happens without fighting the game.

There may naturally be more demanding hardware requirements than older versions of Conan Exiles, but for players with hardware capable of running Enhanced properly, I cannot think of anything about this version that I would consider a downgrade.

Even the installation size has been dramatically reduced compared to what I remember from previous versions.

Overall, Conan Exiles Enhanced simply feels like a much more modern game.

Combat.

Combat was an area where Conan Exiles traditionally showed its survival-game roots.

It worked, but it was fairly simplistic.

That has changed.

Combat in Enhanced is more involved and considerably more challenging than I remember. If your only objective is to run around the Exiled Lands goofing around and killing everything that gets too close, that increased complexity arguably makes things slightly less convenient.

However, I consider that a positive change overall.

Conan Exiles feels as though it is moving away from the simplistic combat traditionally associated with survival games and towards something more familiar to modern action games, with perhaps the slightest hint of Soulslike influence.

I would not describe Conan Exiles Enhanced as a Soulslike, nor does it need to become one, but combat now demands more attention than simply running towards an enemy and repeatedly introducing their face to whatever weapon happens to be in your hand.

That increased challenge works particularly well alongside the game’s increasingly ambitious PvE content.

Building and Crafting.

Building is dramatically better than it was when I originally played Conan Exiles.

Older versions regularly required players to walk around carrying what felt like half a forest and half a quarry in their back pocket just to construct anything substantial.

Enhanced is far less cumbersome.

Building can dynamically pull required materials from nearby inventories and storage, removing much of the tedious inventory management that previously accompanied large construction projects.

The building hammer is another enormous improvement.

Rather than manufacturing stacks of individual building components in advance and discovering that you have somehow created fifteen more triangular foundations than any sane human being could possibly need, you can select the piece you want while building and change components as required.

The same tool can also be used to add or remove building pieces.

Some elements of this improved building philosophy appeared during later versions of the original game, but Enhanced brings everything together into a much cleaner and more enjoyable system.

It transforms building from something that was enjoyable despite its inconveniences into one of Conan Exiles’ strongest features.

Crafting itself remains one of the foundations of the experience.

As I mentioned in my original review, the enormous number of furnishings, cultural weapons, armour sets and specialist items also creates opportunities for players on multiplayer servers to specialise in particular crafting disciplines.

Thralls.

The thrall system remains fundamentally recognisable to anybody who has previously played Conan Exiles.

Yes, Conan Exiles allows you to knock people unconscious, drag them back to your settlement and force them into your service.

It is slavery.

Slavery in the real world was obviously abhorrent. Conan Exiles, however, takes place in a fictional barbarian world populated by monsters, sorcerers and characters who look suspiciously like somebody ordered Arnold Schwarzenegger from Temu.

The system itself does not particularly bother me within that fictional setting.

What has improved is the behaviour of the thralls themselves.

Many improvements to thrall behaviour and autonomy began appearing towards the end of the non-Enhanced era, but those systems feel considerably more polished here.

Thralls seem more intelligent, possess greater autonomy and generally feel more like inhabitants of your settlement rather than decorative crafting stations with legs.

They feel more alive that ever, despite not being as realistic as those found in titles such as Soul Mask ↪

Dungeons and PvE Content.

As I mentioned in my original review, Conan Exiles has increasingly borrowed ideas from MMORPGs.

That description is even more appropriate now.

Dungeons, raids, special events, bosses and more elaborate PvE encounters make Conan Exiles Enhanced feel increasingly like an MMORPG-lite wrapped around a survival game.

Some of these systems existed during later versions of the original Conan Exiles, but Enhanced takes the concept considerably further.

It is obviously not World of Warcraft.

Very few games can compete with World of Warcraft when it comes to the sheer scope and refinement of decades of dungeon and raid development.

However, there were moments where Conan Exiles Enhanced reminded me of the PvE experience offered by games such as early Guild Wars 2 or early Elder Scrolls Online.

That is an enormous compliment for a game whose foundations are ultimately those of an open-world survival title.

MMORPG-Lite Content.

When I originally reviewed Conan Exiles, I described it as a survival game that borrowed heavily from MMORPGs through world bosses, PvE dungeons, boss mechanics and dungeon-specific rewards.

Enhanced has pushed the game even further in that direction.

The survival mechanics remain absolutely central to Conan Exiles, but PvE is no longer something that merely exists to give players a break between gathering materials and building.

It increasingly feels like a substantial part of the game’s identity.

Conan Exiles still lacks the population sizes and enormous shared worlds traditionally associated with MMORPGs, but mechanically the gap between the two genres feels smaller than ever.

Thriving Modding Community (PC).

The modding community was one of Conan Exiles’ greatest strengths when I originally reviewed the game.

Thousands of modifications had been created for the PC version, ranging from the inevitable mountain of revealing outfits and body modifications to enormous projects capable of substantially changing the game.

Total conversions and major content modifications demonstrated just how flexible Conan Exiles could be, while quality-of-life tools such as Pippi allowed private server administrators to construct quests, cinematics, dungeons and other custom experiences for their communities.

Mods such as Fashionist also helped expand the already substantial role-playing and cosmetic side of Conan Exiles.

For PC players interested in community servers, role-playing or heavily customised gameplay, mod support has historically been one of the strongest arguments for playing Conan Exiles.

Diverse Community.

One of the things I praised in my original review was the extraordinary variety of people Conan Exiles attracts.

Builders, dungeon runners, hardcore PvPers, PvE players, casual players and dedicated role-players can all approach the same game in completely different ways.

That versatility remains fundamental to Conan Exiles.

Two people can purchase the same game and effectively end up playing entirely different experiences depending on their server, community and preferred style of play.

That has always been one of Conan Exiles’ greatest strengths.

Massive Role-Play Community.

Conan Exiles remains almost uniquely suited to role-playing.

Attractive characters, extensive customisation, an enormous building system, cosmetic equipment, private servers and PC modifications provide almost every tool a role-playing community could ask for.

As I mentioned in my original review, however, a substantial portion of that community revolves around erotic role-play.

Traditional role-playing communities certainly exist, but players searching for them may find that some of the larger communities lean heavily towards adult content.

Even non-erotic role-playing servers sometimes use modifications originally developed for that community.

Whether that matters will depend entirely on the individual player.

Nudity and Mature Content.

This is an area where my recommendation needs to come with a very substantial qualification.

Conan Exiles is an adult game.

Full male and female nudity can be present depending on settings and region, characters can be made to dance while nude, violence can be extremely graphic, and limbs have an unfortunate habit of becoming separated from their previous owners.

Players need to understand what they are getting into before purchasing Conan Exiles.

From my own religious perspective, I would not recommend Conan Exiles to somebody who has a serious problem with blasphemous material, sexual temptation or lustful content.

The ability to disable or reduce some mature elements does not change the fundamental tone of the game.

Likewise, I would absolutely not consider Conan Exiles suitable for children.

Players who know that nudity or sexualised material is likely to tempt them or cause them to struggle with lust should seriously consider whether playing Conan Exiles is wise for them personally.

Those who are simply squeamish about violence have more options because some settings can reduce the gore, but by default Conan Exiles is an extremely violent game.

Religion.

As I mentioned in my original review, religion in Conan Exiles is far more significant than the mostly cosmetic or passive systems found in many RPGs.

Religious progression can provide access to specialised equipment, items and enormous divine avatars capable of playing a meaningful role in conflict. The gods and religions of Conan’s world also contribute substantially to its atmosphere and reinforce the deliberately mythological setting.

I am a Follower of Jesus, and I believe in one God and believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. However, I feel no conviction about interacting with the fictional deities presented in Conan Exiles.

To me, they are simply make-believe elements of a fantasy world, no more real than any other fictional monster, deity or supernatural creature. I regard them in much the same way as any other imaginary figure: they are part of a fictional setting and nothing more.

That does not mean every Christian will feel the same way.

If interacting with fictional gods troubles your conscience, feels like engaging with false religion, encourages an unhealthy interest in other religions, or you simply feel convicted that you should not participate in that part of the game, then I would not recommend ignoring that conviction simply because somebody else is comfortable with it.

For me, these fictional religions remain exactly that: fiction.

For somebody else, they may represent a genuine personal or spiritual boundary, and that is something each player needs to consider for themselves.

Controversial.

Conan Exiles has always been controversial.

Slavery, nudity, extreme violence, human sacrifice and other mature themes are not incidental background elements. They are woven directly into the game’s mechanics and world.

My original review discussed some of those subjects at length, particularly the ability to capture and enslave NPCs.

My view remains largely unchanged.

These mechanics exist within a deliberately brutal fictional setting, and I am capable of separating those fictional actions from their real-world equivalents.

Not everybody will feel the same way.

Conan Exiles is consequently one of those games where knowing your own limits matters considerably more than simply looking at a numerical age rating.

Conan Barbarian IP.

One of the advantages I highlighted in my original review was Funcom’s access to the wider Conan universe.

Conan Exiles has always benefited tremendously from being able to draw upon the creatures, cultures, religions, imagery and atmosphere associated with Conan the Barbarian.

It gives the game an identity that many survival titles struggle to establish.

You are not simply surviving in another procedurally forgettable wilderness.

You are surviving in Conan’s world.

Soundtrack.

The soundtrack continues to contribute enormously to that identity.

As I said in my original review, certain pieces of Conan music have become instantly recognisable to me after playing multiple games set within the universe.

Hearing those themes while exploring helps transform what could otherwise be another survival sandbox into something unmistakably Conan.

Business Model Changes.

Conan Exiles has undergone several substantial changes to its monetisation model over the years.

When I previously reviewed Conan Exiles, Funcom had moved away from its traditional DLC-focused model towards seasonal updates, a Battle Pass and the Bazaar cosmetic cash shop.

The Battle Pass has now been retired.

The Bazaar remains active and continues to sell cosmetic and building-related content, while the older DLC packs are still available for purchase.

However, Funcom is no longer releasing new DLC packs under the previous model. At the time of this updated review, no new traditional DLC packs have been announced, and none have been released since the final DLC produced for the original version of Conan Exiles.

I can understand why some veteran players continue to prefer the older DLC model.

Those packs frequently provided substantial collections of armour, weapons, building pieces and decorative items for a comparatively modest price. When compared directly with individual Bazaar purchases, the old DLC packs often represented considerably better value for players interested in collecting large amounts of cosmetic content.

The removal of the Battle Pass also means the current model is substantially simpler: older DLC remains available, while new cosmetic content is primarily monetised through the Bazaar.

Whatever players think of that approach, however, my concerns regarding monetisation do not substantially change my opinion of Conan Exiles Enhanced itself.

Is Conan Exiles Enhanced Worth Playing for New Players?

Yes, with an important caveat.

Mechanically, I think this is probably the best time there has ever been to begin playing Conan Exiles.

Enhanced looks modern, runs extremely well based on my experience, has considerably better building tools, more interesting combat, improved NPC behaviour and far more substantial PvE content than the game I originally reviewed.

New players are effectively receiving years of accumulated development without having to experience many of the rougher systems veterans dealt with along the way.

However, Conan Exiles is absolutely not a game I would recommend indiscriminately.

If its nudity, sexualised content, religious themes, slavery mechanics or graphic violence cross a personal boundary for you, there are plenty of other survival games available.

If those elements do not present a problem, Conan Exiles Enhanced offers an enormous amount of game.

Should Veteran Players Return to Conan Exiles Enhanced?

Definitely.

This was perhaps the easiest question for me to answer after returning.

I cannot think of anything about Enhanced that I believe is meaningfully worse than the older versions of Conan Exiles.

The hardware requirements will naturally be more demanding, and players with older systems may therefore have less room to benefit from the upgrade.

Beyond that, however, I see improvements almost everywhere.

Performance is excellent, the game looks substantially more modern, the installation size has been reduced, building is less tedious, combat is more engaging, NPCs feel more convincing and PvE has become far more ambitious.

For somebody who enjoyed Conan Exiles previously but has been away for several years, Enhanced gives you a very good reason to come back.

Conan Exiles Enhanced FAQ

Conan Exiles Enhanced is an action game developed by Funcom, Inflexion Games and published by Funcom, it released on 8 May 2018, and is available on PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Is Cross-Platform Multiplayer Supported?

Conan Exiles Enhanced supports:

• ☑ Cross-Generational Multiplayer
• ☑ Cross-Generational Parties
• ☑ Cross-Platform Progression

Is There Group Finding/Matchmaking Support?

Conan Exiles Enhanced offers the following matchmaking options:

• ☑ Solo Matchmaking
• ☑ Group Matchmaking
• ☑ Server Browser

Are There In-Game Microtransactions?

The Conan Exiles Enhanced in-game store sells:

• ☑ Cosmetic Items
• ☑ Cosmetic Item Bundles

What Peripherals Are Supported?

Conan Exiles Enhanced supports the following peripherals:

• ☑ Console - Controller
• ☑ PC - Mouse and Keyboard

Is There Any Mature Content?

Conan Exiles Enhanced is unrated and contains:

• ☑ Strong Language
• ☑ Drug Use
• ☑ Gore
• ☑ Mature Themes
• ☑ Nudity
• ☑ Partial Nudity
• ☑ Violence

Final Verdict.

Everything I said in my original verdict still stands.

Conan Exiles remains an exceptionally good survival game that gives players and server owners an extraordinary amount of control over their experience.

What has changed is how confidently I can recommend the game itself.

Conan Exiles Enhanced looks better, feels better and performs better than the versions I previously played. Building and crafting are substantially less cumbersome, combat is more challenging and interesting, NPCs feel more alive, and the increasingly ambitious dungeon, raid and event content pushes the game closer than ever towards becoming an MMORPG-lite without abandoning the survival mechanics at its core.

For returning players, I cannot think of a meaningful reason to prefer the older version.

For new players, this is probably the best Conan Exiles has ever been.

My recommendation does, however, come with the same mature-content warning as before, and arguably an even stronger personal one.

Conan Exiles contains graphic violence, nudity, slavery, religious themes and sexualised material. I would not recommend it for children, and players who know that its content could cause them problems with lust or conflict seriously with their religious convictions should consider whether playing it is appropriate for them.

For adults who are comfortable with those elements, however, Conan Exiles Enhanced is not merely still worth playing, It is better than it has ever been.

Is Conan Exiles Enhanced Worth Playing?

We found Conan Exiles Enhanced to be a masterpiece of a game, meaning it is a must-play for almost every gamer, due to its near-perfect gameplay experience.