CryoFall

CryoFall is a simple game with an interesting premise: tree-punching survival in 2D. The game is good enough for hardcore survival fans, however, players newer to the genre might find the game's quirks and lack of content a bit unsavory

69%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

grinding, stability

75% User Score Based on 2,848 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

CryoFall is a single player and multiplayer open world role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by AtomicTorch Studio and was released on April 28, 2021. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

CryoFall is a sci-fi open world colony simulation game where players can choose to play in PvE or PvP mode. The game features massively multiplayer options, including co-op and single-player, with good game mechanics and awesome graphics. Starting with primitive technology, players must progress towards modern industrial and space-age technology while building bases, farming, and exploring.

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,848 reviews

gameplay92 positive mentions

grinding486 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a deep crafting and technology progression system.
Friendly community with helpful players and active developers.
Unique art style and enjoyable mechanics that keep players hooked.

Excessive grind required for progression, especially in mid to late game.
Server wipes reset player progress, which can be frustrating for casual players.
Limited content in PvE mode, making it feel repetitive and lacking in challenge.

grinding
496 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The game's grinding mechanics have received mixed reviews, with many players finding the resource gathering and crafting processes excessively tedious, especially in the mid to late game. While some enjoy the depth and complexity of the grinding system, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to boredom and frustration. Overall, the game is characterized as heavily grind-focused, which may appeal to fans of the genre but can be overwhelming for those seeking a more balanced gameplay experience.
- “No grinding mining to become a better forester -- skills level up as you use them in the appropriate area.”
- “Crafting is also grindy; it's not too grindy and it's also not too easy to unlock everything. They found the happy middle for skill grind.”
- “Crafting is also grindy; it's not too grindy and it's also not too easy to unlock everything. They found the happy middle for skill grind.”
- “But at this stage (April 2024), after all these hours of gameplay (190 hrs), I got frustrated by the constant resource farming and the lack of PvE content.”
- “The game is needlessly tedious and grindy for no real reason, relies heavily on PvP base building (sort of like Rust) but unlike Rust, it doesn't have a 'good' PvP.”
- “The problem with the later tiers of grind is that there is nothing new to do, you are killing the same mobs, crafting mostly the same weapons and just grinding for the sake of grinding really.”
gameplay
342 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The gameplay in Cryofall is characterized by a mix of crafting, resource management, and survival mechanics, which can be engaging but often devolves into a tedious grind, especially in mid to late game. Players appreciate the depth of crafting and the potential for multiplayer interactions, but many express frustration with the lack of meaningful PvE content, unbalanced PvP mechanics, and the repetitive nature of resource farming. While the game shows promise and offers enjoyable moments, it struggles with pacing and content depth, leading to mixed reviews regarding its long-term playability.
- “The gameplay loop is fun, although a player can get caught up in hectic resource-cycling and never return to the wild if they aren't careful.”
- “The overall game design is great, and regarding gameplay I found really engaging the fact that you can't automate everything; you gotta manually harvest and keep an eye on production, you even manually fight off beasts.”
- “Addicting and deep gameplay, lots of technology and items.”
- “But at this stage (April 2024), after all these hours of gameplay (190 hrs), I got frustrated by the constant resource farming and the lack of PvE content.”
- “Waiting for hours for a certain boss-fight event to start only to find out that you are ill-prepared, fail miserably, and spend the next hours restocking to try again so you can hopefully continue in the tech tree is, in my opinion, not ideal gameplay.”
- “The whole game feels like a huge waste of time; they disguised the little content the game has with absurd gameplay.”
graphics
199 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and quirky art style that some players find charming, while others view it as simplistic or reminiscent of older mobile games. Although the visuals may not be cutting-edge, they are generally considered adequate for the gameplay experience, with many appreciating the high-resolution 2D graphics and clean aesthetic. Overall, while opinions vary, the graphics contribute to a distinctive visual identity that aligns well with the game's mechanics.
- “The art style is unique and stimulating.”
- “Don't let the retro aesthetics fool you, though; this game is packed with details that will make you go, 'wow, that pixelated rock looks impressively sharp!' and the character models?”
- “For a small game, it has a huge amount of content crammed into a very nice and pleasing survival craft game that is unique from others which is a refreshing change; love the graphics for this game, very nicely illustrated, just a fun game to play.”
- “The only downside for me is the graphics; it's reminiscent of Facebook games from 2009.”
- “My initial impressions were that the graphics were 2005-era ugly and the game is just a 2D Rust, but there is a lot more content to play with here.”
- “Rimworld-esque mechanics cluttered by the constant need to hold right click to pad gameplay time over every godforsaken mushroom, along with the general visuals of an early 2000's Facebook game are such a massive turn-off.”
story
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
74%
11%
The game's story is widely criticized for being virtually nonexistent, with players noting a lack of narrative depth and character development. While there are quests to complete, they primarily serve as tutorials for gameplay mechanics rather than contributing to a cohesive storyline, leading many to feel that the game resembles a mindless grind rather than an engaging adventure. Overall, players express a strong desire for a more developed story mode to enhance the gaming experience.
- “There's the bare bones of a great game here, just needs some more time and a lot of storyline to be worthwhile.”
- “I would say my biggest complaint is that it seems to be only online multiplayer, and I wish there was a single-player version with a focus on some kind of story.”
- “The quests are the tutorials, which give you skill points to invest in the skill trees, so you learn whilst making progress.”
- “The story: you will choose a background for your character, which slightly alters your starting stats but there is no explanation for why you are on the planet, why there are destroyed settlements and mutated animals, and why you try to flee.”
- “There's no storyline at all beyond 'tech up, build escape stuff, gtfo'.”
- “Overall the game felt like one of those stupid mobile games where you turn off your brain and just blindly follow the quest log because there is nothing else to do anyways.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its soothing quality and long playlist that prevents it from becoming repetitive. While some find it lackluster or repetitive, others praise its immersive sound design and enjoyable looping tracks that enhance the gaming experience. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, making it a notable aspect for players.
- “The music is soothing and the playlist long enough that it doesn't get old.”
- “The sound design is immersive and creative as well as the soundtrack; I can never get tired of it.”
- “Sound is nice; a lot of indie games skimp on MIDI background music, giving the game a dead world appearance, but Cryo actually has enjoyable looping music. Even after several hours, you don't really get the feeling of 'oh god, this song again' or a dead world with just wind.”
- “Extremely lackluster music and sounds.”
- “Music is okay but repetitive and weapons need more 'power'.”
- “Music didn't do much for me.”
stability
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
68%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While some players report a bug-free experience and commend its performance on older hardware, others highlight significant issues such as glitches, lag, and networking problems. Overall, the game is still in early access, and while it shows promise, there are notable stability concerns that need addressing.
- “Played a lot of boring games lately trying to find something that will run on an old slow laptop, and this runs great.”
- “Finally, I love the fact you released a solid, bug-free game for early access and not some horrible mess like you usually see. This already has so much content, and it's exciting looking at your Trello board where I can see your roadmap; so much innovation there, I love it.”
- “Completely bug-free in the time I've played so far.”
- “Many game issues including glitches with shields and walls and a lot of unregistering hits on certain objects such as players. The game also has the highest mob density out of anything I have ever seen.”
- “Networking is complete trash - lags, freezes, running without moving.”
- “To give you an idea of how trash and buggy this game is, I will give you a summary of my 15 minutes of gameplay.”
replayability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
Replayability in the game is mixed; while some players find it nearly infinite, especially in online modes with server wipes and community interactions, others criticize it for being barebones and lacking content, leading to diminished replay value after a few hours. Solo play offers limited replayability, and the potential for increased replay value may depend on features like the map constructor. Overall, the experience varies significantly based on player preferences for solo versus online gameplay.
- “Almost infinite replayability since you really spend a lot of time on even one character.”
- “Online servers have wipes allowing for replayability.”
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “Servers being pretty empty aside, the game was pretty barebones and doesn't really have any replay value.”
- “But shows massive lack of content and replayability after only some hours.”
- “We didn't try out the map constructor yet, maybe it will make this game more replayable.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many users noting that it runs smoothly and has good performance, even in multiplayer settings. However, some players feel that there is room for improvement, particularly in terms of automation to reduce repetitive tasks. The technological advancements in the game also contribute positively to performance, making it stand out compared to similar titles in the genre.
- “Lots of tech trees to discover and the tiers of items have noticeable performance improvements.”
- “Performance is awesome, the game is very playable, not a whole bunch of lag like other games in this genre (Ark, Rust).”
- “Overall the game is fun, I think it has a lot of potential if we can get fresh content and some overall optimizations.”
- “Even running the server with a friend did not have a meaningful impact on the game performance.”
- “Technological advancements, unlike other games, do make a difference here; they have a significant impact on your performance in the PvP server.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted as a highlight, with players finding it fun and entertaining, reminiscent of titles like "7 Days to Die." However, there are also comments on the game's unfinished feel, which adds an ironic twist to the experience, particularly regarding performance issues and the inadequate rewards for achievements. Overall, while the humor is appreciated, it is often overshadowed by technical shortcomings.
- “It has the essence of 7 Days to Die and is fun, funny, complex, and at times, a grind.”
- “Funny game, but it seems unfinished, which is a shame.”
- “What's even more funny is the total achievements and LP rewarded are barely enough to research a tech in T4 tech.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Players express mixed emotional responses, with some feeling a sense of immersion and responsibility as they take on the role of a colonist, while others find the narrative lacking and the gameplay repetitive, leading to a sense of boredom. The raiding mechanics evoke a feeling of being a robber, which some players find less engaging compared to other titles like Red Dead Redemption. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly among players, with a notable divide between those who feel connected to the gameplay and those who find it uninspiring.
- “The gameplay made me feel like I was taking over for one of the colonists in RimWorld.”
- “Raiding and robbing people and surrounding bases around a central stronghold made me feel more like a robber than I did in Red Dead Redemption.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
Overall, users express a strong dislike for microtransactions, with many praising the absence of such features in the game. The developers have committed to providing free updates and new content, which has positively influenced player engagement and satisfaction.
- “Thumbs down for microtransactions.”
- “So I will keep coming back to check out new content, which the developers have promised will always be free updates, not paid DLC or microtransactions.”
- “No microtransactions.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a unique blend of futuristic elements, featuring mechs and aliens that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the engaging environment, though some suggest implementing advantages for smaller teams to ensure a fairer competitive atmosphere.
- “Unique play style with mechs and aliens, creating a futuristic atmosphere.”
- “There is a unique atmosphere that offers many elements to enhance your playing experience.”
- “The game creates an engaging atmosphere that allows players to fully enjoy their time.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is perceived as standard and somewhat uninspired, with players finding the single-player mode to be boring and mundane due to its reliance on typical resource gathering and base-building mechanics. While some appreciate the cohesive visual experience, opinions on character design are mixed, indicating a lack of strong engagement with the characters themselves.
- “The single player mode is boring and mundane with the standard resource gathering and base/character development.”
- “While I'm not personally a fan of some of the aesthetic elements, particularly the character design, I can see the appeal, and the game for the most part provides a cohesive visual experience.”