Sheltered casts the player in the aftermath of a nuclear war, guiding a single family that survives the initial devastation by taking refuge in an abandoned underground shelter they discover. Sealed away beneath a poisoned and hostile surface, the family must contend with the constant pressures of starvation, dehydration, radiation poisoning, and mounting stress as their supplies dwindle. Keeping everyone alive means expanding and maintaining the shelter, managing hygiene and morale, and rationing the scarce resources that stand between the family and collapse. When stocks run low, members are forced to venture above ground into a ravaged and randomly shifting world, scavenging for food, water, and materials while facing other survivors who may be traded with, recruited, or turned violent. Over time the wasteland grows deadlier as organized and dangerous factions emerge across the map. Every decision carries weight in a fragile struggle for survival, where a single misstep can spell the end for the family sheltering below.