Aska is a survival game and colony sim hybrid where you play as one of the last surviving Vikings tasked with rebuilding your tribe on an island.
In Aska, you have been one of the lucky few to survive the wrath of the gods. You're deposited on a procedurally generated island with nothing other than the clothes on your back and the will the survive.
Players must manage several survival meters including hunger, thirst, temperature, and health. The wind, weather, and seasons will all make surviving easier or more challenging depending on how well you've prepared for it.
At first, you'll focus on getting some basic supplies to stay alive in the short term. You'll then shift to building your first camp with a simple campfire, a basic shelter, and a rain collector. These few structures can make a huge difference in keeping you alive.
That's only half of the equation, though — Aska is also a colony sim. As your camp expands into a village, you'll be able to spawn in NPC villagers to help gather resources and defend your village from dangerous wildlife and vile monsters. Villagers will gain more skills over time and can be trained for specific jobs.
Villagers have the same survival needs that you do — hunger, thirst, temperature, and health. You'll also need to keep them happy by meeting these needs and providing adequate leisure time. Critically, villagers will not respawn if they die — fail to protect them and you'll lose a valuable resource for your budding Viking tribe.
As time goes on, you'll get your village to a state where it can fend for itself to a degree. You can then take the fruits of your labor and equip yourself to explore the island that is your new home, delving into secret caves and uncovering the mysteries of the island.