Arctic Anxiety
- July 2, 2020
- Arctic Studio
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"Arctic Anxiety" is a physics-based puzzle game where players help a worried penguin reunite with its family. Use various tools and objects to navigate through 75 levels in the Arctic setting. Solve challenging puzzles and avoid obstacles to bring the penguin closer to its loved ones.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a unique and interesting survival concept set in an arctic environment.
- Despite its bugs, some players find the game enjoyable and challenging, with potential for future updates.
- The atmosphere and graphics are appreciated, creating an immersive experience for players.
- The game has been abandoned by the developer, with no updates or communication for years, leaving it in an unfinished state.
- Many players report game-breaking bugs that prevent progression, such as the inability to interact with items after a few days of gameplay.
- The inventory management system is tedious, requiring manual stacking of items, which detracts from the overall experience.
- gameplay24 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the immersive mechanics and relaxing atmosphere, while others criticize the frustrating bear encounters and tedious inventory management. Many feel that the game lacks a clear structure and purpose, resembling more of a practice project than a fully developed title. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, significant issues with certain mechanics detract from the overall experience.
“Optimizing inventory is an important part of the gameplay.”
“I was happy to see that, once one learns the basic mechanics, the rest of progression becomes a fun scavenging run, with highs and lows (as in not getting the ingredient you lack most, but all of a sudden getting extra food supply, so you can go hunting for that lacking piece again tomorrow without worrying about extra food).”
“Pros: this game is really relaxing and easy to get into and fun. It kept me relaxed with its chill music but kept me on my toes for the survival part and really good gameplay. Really good graphics for a Unity game.”
“But to be honest, this game feels more like a side project a developer is using to practice his skills, as opposed to a real game with well thought out mechanics and an end goal.”
“One of the updates added a bear, which is cool, but it's my personal opinion that the mechanics of the bear are such that once it finds you, even though it fears fire, it is relentless to the point that even the fire or torch will not be a deterrent. The bear will just kill you over and over, and you will not make any progress, stuck in this cycle until you shut the game off. It's a bad joke that you pay $4.99 for just to be frustrated.”
“It adds nothing to gameplay other than an annoyance.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and ambiance, with many users appreciating the detailed landscapes and sound effects. However, some players experienced issues with motion blur and performance, leading to discomfort during gameplay. There is potential for further enhancement, particularly in capturing atmospheric phenomena like the northern lights.
“The graphics are good and the ambiance is good as well.”
“It's beautiful because it has good graphics and nice sound effects, and I'm sure there is a lot of potential that can be developed in this game.”
“The graphics are good, and it didn't crash on me.”
“For some reason, even with motion blur and other graphics settings tweaked, I couldn't get a smooth experience, and playing it made me feel queasy very quickly, which is extremely unusual.”
“If you get headaches easily, the graphics in this game will ruin your day.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that render it unplayable at times. While some players find enjoyment despite these issues, the overall consensus is that the game is still in a buggy state, particularly in its early access phase, which detracts from the experience.
“This game has been bug-free and runs smoothly, making the $12 I paid for it an easy decision.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any issues during my playtime.”
“I appreciate how stable the game is; it allows me to fully immerse myself without worrying about crashes or glitches.”
“I really like the concept of this game, but it is very buggy still.”
“Too buggy, completely unplayable at this point - don't waste your time.”
“It has numerous glitches.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive setting and intense survival elements, particularly in the harsh arctic environment. Players appreciate the sense of urgency and challenge, especially during the dark nights spent managing resources and staying warm. However, some users express a dislike for the game's visual haze, indicating mixed feelings about the overall aesthetic.
“This is an atmospheric game.”
“Great atmosphere!”
“Considering this is a one-person development team, I'm very impressed... the atmosphere, the setting, the challenge of surviving the cold Arctic, the frantic search for resources before the pitch black night gets you, those nights crouching next to a fire cooking some fish in order not to die of hunger and freezing to death... amazing!”
“As I said earlier, I am not a fan of the haze or whatever you want to call the look of the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth and immersion I was hoping for.”
“The overall ambiance is disappointing; it fails to create a sense of tension or urgency in the gameplay.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story is currently minimal, with players expressing a desire for more narrative elements and updates. While the gritty survival mechanics are appreciated, the lack of a developed storyline leaves some users feeling that the game is incomplete. There is uncertainty about whether a story will be added in the future, given the game's development status.
“It's refreshing to see something so nitty-gritty, where you're not living off of an infinite supply of potatoes after 30 minutes because you crafted a crop plot and have genetically modified super seeds that fully grow in an hour.”
“I would just like more updates to it, as well as a story for this game, please.”
“The game still needs a little work, and I imagine there will be some story elements added, which at this point it's lacking.”
“There is no story yet, and there may never be one; again, it's just one developer.”
- music4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and chill vibe, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the visuals and contributes to a sense of immersion, making the game enjoyable and easy to engage with.
“There are great sounds and chill-out music in the background.”
“I like the game for the hopeless environment and wonderful music.”
“This game is really relaxing and easy to get into. It kept me relaxed with its chill music but kept me on my toes for the survival part.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to slow development updates and cumbersome mechanics like base building and inventory management. The presence of invulnerable enemies at key locations further exacerbates the grind, leading to a desire for adjustable difficulty levels to enhance the overall experience.
“Next we have a polar bear (which is called a white bear for some reason) that can't be killed and it hangs around typically at choke points of travel, making life very tedious.”
“Look, the idea is good but the devs are slow and I've seen minimal improvements. The base building mechanic is just tedious.”
“This is mostly quality of life, but it gets very tedious stacking cardboard one at a time, especially without the backpack.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, including poor performance and motion blur that can induce nausea for players. Despite its enjoyable gameplay elements, such as item collection and building, it requires substantial improvements to run smoothly.
“I truly wish him all the best and hope he can get this game back on track in a way that it runs smoothly, because this is, in fact, a very nice game if you enjoy running around, collecting items, and building houses.”
“It's poorly optimized; the motion blur will make you nauseous, and it desperately needs a proofreader.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players have reported that the game's graphics settings, particularly motion blur, can lead to a disorienting experience, causing feelings of queasiness that detract from emotional immersion.
