The possibilities are myriad, but all paths are fraught with danger. Where you go and what you try (and fail) to do is up to you. Upon creating a character, you'll be dropped alone into the middle of nowhere with nothing but half a pair of pants and a rusty iron bar that will do absolutely nothing to fend off aggressors. Now imagine Mount & Blade's squad building system sandwiched by Fallout's wasteland vibe and simplified versions of the construction found in ARK: Survival Evolved, with just a dash of E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy's future-primitive techno-religion vibe.
Imagine Diablo without eighty thousand billion "new" weapons dropping every ten seconds now you know how movement and menus work. It does contain a ton of intricately crafted lore after spending about 10 hours with the game, I suspect I've only just begun to scratch the surface in terms of learning about its world and the factions that inhabit it. There's no linear narrative to speak of, but I really think you should give Kenshi a try whether that bothers you or not. Even if you're not, its engaging and intricate mechanics might fascinate you anyway.
It's not a simulator or an "experience." It's more like a blank canvas and a ton of paintbrushes with which to create your own story, if you're into roleplaying in your own head.
I seem to be reviewing a lot of story-less games lately, but Kenshi is a little different. It'll make you work for its love, but oh, what a deep and sweet love it is.
However, if you've got some time and energy to devote to it, and if you can handle rejection, this game needs to find a home in your library.