Frostpunk

About Frostpunk

Frostpunk is a single player survival city builder game. It was developed by 11 bit studios and was released on June 3, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

THE CITY MUST SURVIVE

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+22

Skip Games Like Frostpunk

Looking for games like Frostpunk? Here are top survival city builder recommendations, selected from player-similarity data — start with Frostpunk 2, Endzone: A World Apart or Surviving Mars.

79%5kreviews

Frostpunk 2

2023

Survival City Builder

72%4kreviews

Endzone: A World Apart

2021

Survival City Builder

79%15.6kreviews

Surviving Mars

2018

Open World City Builder

+10

83%49.5kreviews

Banished

2014

Open World City Builder

93%4.3kreviews

The Wandering Village

2025

Survival City Builder

+11

91%28.6kreviews

Against the Storm

2022

Open World City Builder

+11

74%2.2kreviews

Aven Colony

2017

Survival City Builder

95%2.8kreviews

dotAGE

2023

Survival City Builder

87%18.7kreviews

This War of Mine

2018

Survival Role Playing

+16

82%29.4kreviews

Northgard

2018

Survival City Builder

+14

More games like Frostpunk

Skip User Reviews

Reviews

93%Audience ScoreBased on 30,542 reviews

story1.8k positive mentions

stability157 negative mentions

story
4,471 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39% positive mentions, 59% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions
The story in Frostpunk is a compelling blend of survival and moral dilemmas set in a post-apocalyptic, steampunk world. Players navigate through a series of challenging scenarios, each with its own narrative arc, where decisions significantly impact the fate of their city and its inhabitants. While the main story is engaging and emotionally charged, many players express a desire for more content and replayability, as the linear nature of the story can lead to a sense of repetitiveness after multiple playthroughs.
- “The story is incredibly engaging, which is amazing considering its simplicity.”
- “Frostpunk is a story-driven city builder that creates a sense of fascination difficult to replicate.”
- “The story, the gameplay, and the atmosphere of the game just really made it shine against all other games.”
- “The best city builder that I have played that gives harsh moral implications to the decisions that you make, though the one problem with the main story is that the two moral paths are not sufficiently different to one another to justify the different paths.”
- “Spending 2 hours on a run, to fully succeed, get to the end and have the credits start to say the story, only for the story to be you failed, even though you won... like, when you save both cities and the game goes nah you failed the main objective even though you got the achievement for not failing it.”
- “The story is linear but you have to make choices along the game that change the outcome of the story.”
gameplay
3,933 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42% positive mentions, 55% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions
Frostpunk's gameplay is characterized by its challenging resource management and city-building mechanics, set against a harsh, post-apocalyptic backdrop. Players must balance the needs of their citizens, manage resources like coal and food, and make morally complex decisions that impact the survival of their society. While the game offers a compelling narrative and unique mechanics, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive after mastering the initial scenarios, with limited replayability unless tackling higher difficulties or achievements.
- “This is an excellent city builder/resource manager, with very well designed, and easy to learn but difficult to master game mechanics that provide infinite replayability, and a decent number of expansions, all for an affordable price.”
- “The gameplay is immersive and challenging, and the music is awesome.”
- “The gameplay mechanics of Frostpunk are expertly designed, and they force players to properly balance resources, build effective infrastructure, and oversee the psychological and physical requirements of their population.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere can only take it so far, the gameplay is just boring with extreme micromanagement.”
- “Extremely unfair and dejecting gameplay - on any difficulty other than normal/easy.”
- “The gameplay can be quick and you'll wonder where the time went.”
graphics
2,757 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions
The graphics of Frostpunk have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the game's bleak, steampunk aesthetic. Players appreciate the intricate design of the environments and characters, which enhance the emotional weight of the narrative and gameplay. However, some users have noted performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, indicating that the game's graphical demands can lead to lag or crashes. Overall, the visuals are considered a significant strength of the game, contributing to its engaging and atmospheric experience.
- “This is an exceptional city builder, seamlessly blending strategic gameplay with moral dilemmas, accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack and gorgeous graphics.”
- “The stunning graphics and attention to detail in the frozen world are remarkable.”
- “The graphics are jaw-droppingly beautiful.”
- “The graphics are a bit muted, but they fit the aesthetic of the game well.”
- “The only downside is that the graphics are a bit much for computers not intended for gaming, even on the lowest setting there is lag.”
- “I am not sure why the graphic requirements on this game are so demanding, as there isn't a single graphic element that is essential to the game's strategy.”
music
2,278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61% positive mentions, 38% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions
The music in Frostpunk has received widespread acclaim for its haunting and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the game's emotional depth and immersive experience. Reviewers frequently highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke feelings of tension and urgency, particularly during critical moments in gameplay, such as storms or moral dilemmas. Overall, the combination of stunning visuals and a powerful musical score contributes significantly to the game's unique atmosphere, making it a standout feature that many players appreciate and recommend.
- “The music is incredible, and the end-game of the main story is especially exhilarating.”
- “I absolutely love the music; Frostpunk has probably got one of my favorite video game soundtracks, bar none; the way the songs build and provide atmosphere really immerse you in the world.”
- “The soundtrack is simply incredible.”
- “The music is so depressing that I would just turn it off, if it wasn't because then I'd probably hear the noise of my GPU fans trying to tame this 'graphical juggernaut'...”
- “The music is haunting, the people almost make you want to care for them, and not let them down.”
- “The music is always dreary and depressing just like the gameplay mechanics.”
atmosphere
1,451 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68% positive mentions, 32% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Frostpunk" is widely praised for its immersive and chilling qualities, effectively capturing the bleakness of a post-apocalyptic, steampunk world. Reviewers highlight the game's stunning visuals, haunting soundtrack, and the emotional weight of moral decisions, all of which contribute to a sense of urgency and despair that keeps players engaged. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its standout feature, making it a compelling experience for fans of the genre.
- “Frostpunk is an incredibly atmospheric and engaging video game that manages to keep your attention throughout the entire playthrough.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and hopelessness all just sink into your bones.”
- “The atmosphere created while playing this game is real.”
- “While the game captures the atmosphere of despair and self-sacrifice very well, it soon becomes repetitive and tedious.”
- “The atmosphere, the mood, the conflict, the drama, the music, the gameplay.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and you can feel that it's about life and death.”
replayability
1,450 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30% positive mentions, 58% neutral mentions, 12% negative mentions
The replayability of Frostpunk is a mixed bag among players. While many appreciate the game's engaging mechanics and various scenarios that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find its replay value limited due to scripted events and a lack of significant variation in gameplay after mastering the initial scenarios. The addition of expansions and an endless mode has improved replayability for some, but overall, opinions vary widely, with many suggesting that the game is best experienced once or twice rather than repeatedly.
- “This is an excellent city builder/resource manager, with very well designed, and easy to learn but difficult to master game mechanics that provides infinite replayability, and a decent number of expansions, all for an affordable price.”
- “High replayability: with different scenarios and choices to make, Frostpunk offers multiple playthroughs with unique experiences.”
- “The replayability comes from trying to figure the method out.”
- “The only downside is that the replay value is limited once you master it.”
- “Frostpunk is a lot of fun, but it is very much a single-playthrough game with no replay value.”
- “Once you get over the hump it is immensely satisfying from a gameplay perspective, and if you're the kind of person who likes to crank these games up to their highest difficulty to see if you can master it you will definitely get some replay value out of Frostpunk.”
emotional
410 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, -1% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions
Frostpunk is widely praised for its profound emotional impact, as players become deeply invested in the survival of their city and its inhabitants. The game masterfully intertwines poignant storytelling, moral dilemmas, and atmospheric music, creating a gripping experience that evokes a range of emotions from hope to despair. Many players report feeling a strong connection to their virtual society, often leading to heart-wrenching decisions that resonate long after gameplay ends.
- “The writing is poignant and succeeds in immersing players in the struggle for survival, adding an emotional layer to the overall experience.”
- “The emotional weight of choices and the impact on the city's inhabitants create a connection between players and the virtual society they are striving to protect.”
- “Frostpunk is a post-apocalyptic colony management game that gives you loads of soul-hurting, heart-wrenching choices to make.”
- “The story was heartbreaking and left me feeling empty.”
- “I expected an emotional journey, but it fell flat and felt forced.”
- “The characters' struggles were supposed to be moving, but I found them unrelatable and dull.”
optimization
253 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24% positive mentions, 55% neutral mentions, 21% negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios where frame rates drop and stuttering occurs. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay on mid-tier systems, others have noted that the game struggles to run efficiently even on high-end hardware, leading to frustration over its poor optimization. Overall, the game's performance varies widely among players, with a notable need for further optimization to enhance the experience.
- “The plethora of attachments, scopes, grips, and skins allow for a level of fine-tuning that's not just cosmetic, but genuinely impactful on your in-game performance.”
- “Well optimized and graphics still look good today.”
- “The game is optimized very well which makes playing it enjoyable, even on 3x speed.”
- “The game is really nice with a very good idea but with poor optimization and has many bugs and lags that will just spoil your gameplay. I'm very sorry that I paid for this game and simply cannot play it as it is crushing every time I'm trying to save the game or reach day 17+. According to forums, this is very common for this game, and considering the fact that the release was in 2018 and I'm doing this in 2023, they don't seem to care much about this product.”
- “As much as I like the idea of Frostpunk, the crippling performance issues are simply too much to deal with. What makes this game unplayable are the performance issues.”
- “However, the optimization is extremely poor, to the point where the game will still suffer monster lags even with all graphic options on their lowest settings. I will never be able to experience it despite my computer not being even one year old and being a very decent computer, if not top-notch.”
stability
188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13% positive mentions, 3% neutral mentions, 84% negative mentions
The stability of Frostpunk has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes and freezes, particularly on Mac systems and when building larger cities. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay with minimal glitches, others have noted persistent bugs that hinder their experience, especially during high-stress scenarios or when running the game at higher speeds. Overall, while the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and atmosphere, its stability issues remain a significant concern for many players.
- “The game is fun and not buggy; the choices are challenging, and there is a lot of replayability for the most part.”
- “The developers and all involved seem to have made a well-polished game; I have noticed no glitches or bugs so far, which is only a bonus for a new release.”
- “It's completely bug-free and runs perfectly.”
- “After I updated my macOS, the game freezes every time I build a beacon.”
- “The game is good but buggy.”
- “This game is sometimes prone to some crashes, freezes, etc. while these issues have largely been addressed, if you have a huge population in your city and are running high graphics and on faster speeds in-game, this can sometimes hiccup your game and crash or freeze it.”
grinding
165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 73% negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling that the micromanagement required detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the challenge and depth, others find the repetitive nature of gameplay and the necessity for meticulous planning to be frustrating, leading to a sense of monotony in multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game offers a mix of engaging elements but often falls into a grindy routine that can feel overwhelming and unfulfilling.
- “If you ever wanted to try a city builder (with survival), this one is for you. It's not impossibly hard as you learn from mistakes, and there are no tedious walls of text.”
- “Branching storyline/gear grinding.”
- “ARPG/MMORPG rep grinding.”
- “I see what they are trying to do; it's supposed to be a highly micromanaged survival city builder, but it just gets tedious really fast.”
- “The unpredictable problems your people have, which can happen right after starting a game, make this game so tedious.”
- “The problem with Frostpunk is that if you want to run your city as efficiently as possible, you have to do a lot of incredibly tedious micromanagement.”
humor
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark and absurd elements, often eliciting laughter through its unconventional scenarios and design choices. Players find the juxtaposition of serious themes, such as survival and moral dilemmas, with comedic moments—like child labor jokes and ironic game mechanics—particularly amusing. Overall, the game successfully combines challenging gameplay with a humorous undertone that keeps players engaged and entertained.
- “The fact that there is a good game here but it's being throttled behind these weird $ sucking design choices is actually pretty funny.”
- “Besides the story and gameplay, I can't help but imagine the developers chuckling to themselves as they added this laptop/PC-warming bonus to the game.”
- “It's funny once you have a little bit of extra resources; I start to go on a buying spree.”
monetization
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6% positive mentions, 26% neutral mentions, 68% negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over the prevalence of ads, even in a paid game, and the aggressive promotion of DLCs and upcoming titles. While some commend the absence of microtransactions, others feel that the constant advertisements detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the game as a cash grab. Overall, players appreciate the game's quality but are increasingly discontented with its monetization practices.
- “I will give the studio massive thanks for not taking the greedy route and making it full of microtransactions. I'm very grateful to them for their integrity.”
- “There are no corners that the developers cut, and they still only asked $30 at launch for a perfectly working game that is gorgeous, fun, addicting, and has no microtransactions of any kind.”
- “Additionally, all content updates were free; no DLC nor microtransactions will hamper (or ease) your experience.”
- “Barely any storyline, many ads to buy more expansion packs, like the ones you have to click past in order to start a game (yes, even in the menu) and ads for maps that aren't available.”
- “It's frankly awful, and the fact that half the content is locked behind DLCs (for example, can't do free-build without buying the DLCs), and on top of that, there are blatant advertisements for Frostpunk 2 right as you start the game, before you even get to the main menu, is just stupid.”
- “The ridiculous amount of advertisement this game has in and around the game, the store, the news, and the feed section is ridiculous; I have a low tolerance for advertisement but this game developer has taken things to the next level of annoying.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67% positive mentions, -67% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions
The game features impressive character development, particularly for its citizens, showcasing a well-crafted story that complements the stunning steampunk aesthetic and intricate character designs.
- “There was a lot of effort put into its story and the character development of your citizens.”
- “The game's steampunk aesthetic is stunning, with detailed environments and intricate character designs.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me disappointed.”
- “Despite the interesting premise, the characters don't evolve in meaningful ways throughout the game.”