Sapiens is an open game in the sense that there are no predefined goals in order to win. We only propose that you incarnate one of the first Homo sapiens and live their life, simply from adolescence to death. However, in order to prosper, you still need to achieve certain objectives, but you are free to develop your own strategies to obtain those goals.

Your main goal shall be to gain the respect of the other tribe members by excelling in certain activities: gathering, hunting, flint cutting, etc. The more you are respected, the higher in the tribe hierarchy you will be, which will give you greater meat portions, which in turn shall give you more energy points that will help you excel in your daily tasks.

But Homo sapiens didn’t just contend themselves by having healthy and energetic bodies. They also searched for harmony with the spirit world which gave meaning to their existence. This was done via musical duels and meetings with the shaman.

By reaching this balance between body and soul, your character will evolve throughout life, until old age catches up with you. Upon death, the greatest heroes of the tribe will see their name immortalized in the Sanctuary of the Ancestors, thus ensuring the eternal quietude of their soul.


Energy points indicate the general health of your character and their fatigue. This is represented by a heart shaped icon followed by 2 numbers which are separated by a slash (x/y). The first number indicates your current number of energy points, while the second number represents the maximum you can currently attain.

When you’ve been injured, your energy points shall decrease. When you eat some meat or after a good gathering, your energy points shall increase, without ever going beyond your possible maximum. If your energy points should ever reach 0, you are in grave danger, with your life in the hands of the spirits of nature, and they alone shall decide if you survive or not.

Furthermore, while hunting or during musical duels, the number of energy points you possess will determine your speed, your strength, and you endurance.


Current knowledge in palaeontology tends to show that early man lived in groups where everyone was relatively an equal. There existed nonetheless a certain hierarchy at the heart of the tribe which encouraged a form of beneficial natural selection. In Sapiens, this hierarchy is only used to determine the quantity of cooked meat that is distributed to each character.


Each time that you succeed a trial or you complete a difficult action, you will earn tribal points. Tribal points are represented by an icon that illustrates a man and a woman. Tribal points are a measure of your reputation amongst the members of the tribe and are used to determine your tribal rank.

Your tribal rank however is used to qualify your character for a clan.


In Sapiens, the tribe is divided into 4 clans that regroup individuals that have acquired a similar reputation. In order to distinguish themselves from other clans, the members must wear a specific symbol of membership. Accession to a clan of higher reputation is a notable event in the life of a character. Upon reaching a higher clan, the character will benefit from better conditions. They shall not only be able to count on the help from other clan mates while in danger, but the newly initiated will also receive a bigger ration of cooked meat, in accordance with their higher reputation(table 2.1). This cooked meat constitutes a stable source of energy points and is therefore very important.

In order to qualify for a clan, your character must obtain a certain tribal rank and possess a minimum of tribal points(section 2.3.1). But be careful, these statistics tend to change during the course of your adventures. It is therefore possible that your reputation can diminish and you will find yourself demoted to a lower clan.

It’s not uncommon for members of a same clan to develop feelings of friendship or love amongst each other. Several of these relations can however be put to the test if one individual gains access to another clan without their friend and there makes new acquaintances. Whatever happens, the rules that govern the behaviour between members of the same clan, and between the tribe are not predetermined. It’s up to you to gradually elaborate them while role playing to the best of your ability your character.