Beyond the Ice Palace 2

About

Beyond the Ice Palace 2 is a single player platformer game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by STORYBIRD Studio and was released on March 10, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

A sequel to 1988's action platform game Beyond the Ice Palace released on Commodore 64.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features excellent pixel art and a spooky atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
Combat is satisfying, with a unique chain whip mechanic that allows for engaging interactions with enemies and the environment.
The game offers a fun linear platforming experience with varied boss designs and a rewarding upgrade system.

Controls can feel floaty and unresponsive, leading to frustrating platforming and combat moments.
Checkpoints are poorly placed, often requiring players to replay long sections after dying, which can be demoralizing.
The game suffers from occasional bugs and glitches, particularly with the grapple mechanics and ledge grabbing.

gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The gameplay of btip2 is characterized by its visually appealing graphics and engaging chain-lashing mechanics, offering a satisfying experience in a linear platformer format. While the game features intelligent enemy placements and enjoyable exploration, it suffers from some rough platforming mechanics and sparse checkpoints that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many players find the gameplay rewarding, especially for those who appreciate a nostalgic throwback to classic action-platformers.
- “The good: excellent visuals and satisfying chain lashing action gameplay that make up for a decent side scrolling platformer full of skeletons, zombies, flying pests, and more.”
- “It starts a little slow for the first hour or so, but has possibly some of the most fun and satisfying mechanics I've ever experienced in a platformer.”
- “Absolutely great action-platformer sequel to a 35-year-old classic from the Commodore 64 with very satisfying chain-whip-grappling gameplay and beautiful pixel art.”
- “The gameplay itself is kinda rough, especially at the beginning.”
- “The game features plenty of chain-swinging sections, and while the mechanic works decently in general exploration, it becomes downright infuriating in timed sequences, especially during boss fights.”
- “Second, the platforming mechanics, particularly ledge-grabbing, feel unnecessarily cumbersome and poorly thought out.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
15%
21%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their excellent pixel art style, reminiscent of classic titles like ActRaiser and Symphony of the Night. Reviewers highlight the detailed visuals and dark fantasy aesthetic, which enhance the overall experience, despite some noting that the graphics may not feel modern. Overall, the art style and presentation contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout feature.
- “Extremely awesome pixel art graphics that are closer in line with the look of old games like ActRaiser or Symphony of the Night more so than many other sidescrollers on Steam.”
- “The art style and overall presentation is great.”
- “It's a bit buggy right now on release, and the graphics don't feel very modern. As you can see by the pictures on the Steam page, I'd say buy it if you enjoy the visual style, go for it.”
- “I love the art style, the music, and the gameplay in general, but that design choice ruins the entire experience.”
- “Part of this oppressive feeling is definitely owed to the game’s visual presentation, which utilizes an incredibly detailed pixel-art style that successfully fleshes out the horrors plaguing the setting when paired with the moody color palette utilized.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
Overall, the music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as immersive and top-notch, particularly during boss fights, while others find it underwhelming or merely okay. Despite the varied opinions, many agree that when the music is present, it enhances the experience significantly, contributing to the game's atmosphere and adventure.
- “The soundtrack stood out—foreboding yet filled with a strong sense of adventure.”
- “Superb graphics and soundtrack.”
- “The music is great and immersive.”
- “The bad: floaty controls, underwhelming soundtrack, stamina gauge, lots of randomly occurring jank and interactions.”
- “I love the art style, the music and the gameplay in general, but that design choice ruins the entire experience.”
- “The music is okay.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's story features a dark fantasy setting centered around a cursed king seeking revenge after celestial disruptions lead to chaos and demon invasions. While the environments and small societal connections are praised, many players find the overarching narrative confusing and lacking in immersion, with limited impactful choices and poorly placed checkpoints detracting from the experience. Overall, the story's themes resonate with some, but the execution leaves room for improvement in character interactions and clarity.
- “The story is about the king who was getting shot by a celestial arrow from the sky every year and continued to rule the kingdom until one year everything goes off track and disruptions happen in the world causing demons to overtake it.”
- “You get revived as the cursed king to continue your mission of revenge.”
- “The story was further supported by the overall vibe of the title, with its dark fantasy sensibilities permeating every inch of its decrepit world in a foreboding way that truly makes you feel in constant danger despite your own brutality.”
- “I liked the small societies and their connections, but the larger story (shooting arrows into people to make them a hero), and the few story choices you can make were not something that grabbed my immersion.”
- “As for the plot, I think I prefer a straightforward revenge story like this to one with a hypocritical man that acts like judge, jury, and executioner toward poor souls pretending to be the savior while however vexing and killing them in some painful ways.”
- “I also wish that the NPCs could have more reactive dialogue based on things that happen in the story.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its spooky and immersive qualities, enhanced by gorgeous pixel art and a strong sense of visual diversity across distinct biomes. Reviewers appreciate the combination of solid gameplay and atmospheric design that evokes nostalgia for the 16-bit era.
- “It's got a great setup, nice atmosphere, and smooth controls.”
- “Spooky atmosphere.”
- “There's a really solid gameplay and atmosphere in this throwback to the 16-bit era.”
- “I was very much pleased by the visual diversity between all of the biomes I got to thoroughly explore, each one appropriately distinct from the other in terms of atmosphere, pitfalls, and enemies present.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game currently exhibits stability issues, including a buggy hook dash move that can disrupt both combat and platforming, as well as glitches such as the inability to crouch or attack diagonally on staircases. Overall, players have noted that the game feels somewhat unpolished at release.
- “Sadly, there is a hook dash move that occasionally feels buggy; for whatever reason, your character will just stop short while doing this in both combat and platforming moments.”
- “There are also some glitches and limitations; for example, when you walk on staircases, you cannot crouch or hit diagonally down.”
- “It's a bit buggy right now on release, and the graphics don't feel very modern, as you can see by the pictures on the Steam page.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and detracting from the overall enjoyment, leading to a frustrating experience rather than a fun one.
- “Everything just made this game more tedious than fun.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward.”
- “I spent hours doing the same tasks over and over, and it just became boring.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its ironic contrast, as players find it amusing to critique the balance of gameplay elements in a single-player experience. While the humor may not be the primary focus, the lighthearted observations about power-ups and boss difficulty add a playful tone to the overall review.
- “The humor in this game is absolutely delightful, with witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions that keep you laughing throughout your adventure.”
- “I love how the game incorporates humor into its quests; the absurd situations and funny NPCs make even the most mundane tasks enjoyable.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is spot on, and the jokes land perfectly, making for a truly entertaining experience.”