Icy

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 164 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Icy Game Cover
While the Frostbite Edition of Icy is a more competent game than the first release, the final product here still struggles to make a lasting impression.
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"Icy is a single-player, narrative-driven Role Playing Game set in a post-apocalyptic Ice Age. Create your own character and navigate an intriguing story with excellent visuals and good game mechanics, but be aware of potential bugs that may affect gameplay."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 164 reviews
story65 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with interesting characters and multiple endings, enhancing replayability.
  • The unique combat system, which combines card mechanics with character skills, adds depth and strategy to battles.
  • The art style and atmosphere effectively convey the bleakness of the post-apocalyptic setting, immersing players in the experience.
  • The game suffers from a lack of clarity in mechanics, making it confusing for new players to understand combat and resource management.
  • Some players have reported bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, such as dialogue problems and quest markers not appearing.
  • The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that the content does not justify the full price, suggesting it is better suited for a sale.
  • story171 mentions

    The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a rich post-apocalyptic narrative with engaging characters and multiple branching paths that allow for player choices to impact the outcome. While some players find the plot predictable and the dialogue options limited, many appreciate the immersive atmosphere and the depth of character interactions. Overall, it offers a satisfying blend of storytelling and RPG mechanics, making it a solid choice for fans of narrative-driven games.

    • “The story is well-crafted with lots of choices to make and hidden surprises to find.”
    • “The main story is interesting enough, but the many social decisions you have to make along the way, the quarrels and arguments your companions have among themselves, the fears and hopes they share with you and their backstory you learn during the journey... that all makes it a very immersive experience and with time you really feel attached to the other characters.”
    • “Prepare yourself for a thought-provoking, emotionally charged, and highly immersive adventure through a very believable post-apocalyptic world as you lead your travelers in their quest for survival, revenge, and redemption.”
    • “An absolute waste of time for me, predictable storyline.”
    • “The story so far just hasn't gripped me, and the dialogue trees seem to be there mostly to streamline my experience than anything else.”
    • “The backstory remained slightly shallow.”
  • gameplay63 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and a unique combat system that blends turn-based mechanics with decision-making elements, reminiscent of a tabletop game. While the mechanics are generally easy to grasp and the story engaging, some players find the combat repetitive and lacking depth, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. The game successfully combines survival, RPG, and visual novel elements, but its execution may not appeal to everyone, particularly those seeking more complex gameplay.

    • “What stands out the most about the gameplay is probably the combat system.”
    • “The gameplay of this title is absolutely superb in that it successfully blends a lot of terrific genres together such as survival, visual novel, turn-based combat, and RPG. The game also does a fantastic job of immersing you in a snow-covered dystopian future where survival is paramount but not guaranteed.”
    • “The battles are a unique type of turn-based combat that I've not encountered in any game prior and just a lot of fun once you learn the mechanics.”
    • “Every fight will be very tedious until you finally understand the mechanics and how to reduce the annoying 'penalty cards' that flood your deck in the beginning.”
    • “The map is very small, the UI is, quite frankly, one of the ugliest UIs I've seen, the combat mechanics and the skill system are absolute garbage.”
    • “However, after playing it for a few hours, sadly I was disappointed by the mechanics in this game.”
  • graphics32 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet artistically pleasing, with many reviewers appreciating the atmospheric artwork and moody backgrounds that enhance the overall experience. While some criticize the lack of graphical options and outdated animations, others find the visuals complement the engaging narrative and setting, particularly in the context of a post-apocalyptic theme. Overall, the game's art style is well-received, making it enjoyable for players who prioritize storytelling and atmosphere over high-end graphics.

    • “I also admire the Russian/Ukrainian post-apocalyptic game aesthetic.”
    • “The artwork and setting are really nicely done - one of the few games set in a wintry wasteland that actually manages to feel cold and harsh.”
    • “To summarize, the outstanding visuals truly complement the interesting narrative of this exceptional gaming experience.”
    • “I cannot recommend this game in the current state because of the flaws I described above and because of poor production value (too few graphic slides that describe locations, too few soundtracks).”
    • “The graphics are simple.”
    • “There are no graphics options for the game.”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric and haunting qualities that enhance the overall experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking memorability. Despite some finding the music to be a significant flaw, others have noted that it oddly complements the game's unique style. Overall, while the sound effects and ambient tracks contribute positively to the mood, the production value and variety of the music leave room for improvement.

    • “The sound effects and music were well done.”
    • “+nice in game atmosphere and music that enhances experience”
    • “The music is haunting, reminds me of Neo Scavenger's music.”
    • “I cannot recommend this game in the current state because of the flaws I described above and because of poor production value (too few graphic slides that describe locations, too few soundtracks).”
    • “The music continues to play but the screen goes black and all I can do is quit, restart, play the same 2 minutes, rinse, repeat.”
    • “I'd say that the music is the main problem of the game, but it rarely annoyed me - I just wish that it would be a little bit more memorable.”
  • atmosphere13 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by beautiful graphics, atmospheric music, and compelling storytelling. Players appreciate the way the environment and art style contribute to a bleak yet engaging world, making the overall experience feel meaningful and dynamic. The combination of survival elements and rich dialogue choices further deepens the atmospheric experience, drawing players into the narrative.

    • “This newer edition looks better and plays more smoothly, really enhancing the atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and writing are great and transports you to this bleak frozen world.”
    • “Great atmosphere with a few decent twists on the usual interactive experience; the dynamic quality mood music is one!”
    • “On the one hand, it plays on the atmosphere of mystery.”
    • “The art is also convincing and delivers the atmosphere well.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the option to explore different difficulty levels and endings, others find the experience lacks variety due to repetitive item placements and minimal differences in subsequent playthroughs.

    • “As far as replayability, I started a new run on a harder difficulty right after completing the game, and aside from skipping through some scenes, I still enjoyed it.”
    • “It was fun and engaging, and there is plenty of replayability.”
    • “Replayability: it seems to have something there.”
    • “In my opinion, the game has 0 replay value, but you can see all 4 endings in 1 playthrough if you are careful with your save slots.”
    • “It has a solid storyline, but unfortunately minimal replayability.”
    • “As for replayability, the items you find are the same every time, and there's not that feeling of maybe I'll find something here that I didn't last time or vice versa.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some view the resource acquisition as tedious and frustrating, others appreciate it as a core part of the game's appeal. The combat mechanics can feel overly complicated and drawn out, leading to a sense of monotony, yet some players report being able to progress without significant grinding. Overall, opinions on grinding vary widely, with some enjoying the challenge and others feeling it detracts from the gameplay.

    • “Every fight will be very tedious until you finally understand the mechanics and how to reduce the annoying 'penalty cards' - that look like this = '!' - that flood your deck in the beginning.”
    • “They dumbed down movement and changed combat from a simple and boring affair to a long, tedious, obtuse, and boring affair.”
    • “It can be a bit grindy as you acquire resources, but this to me was also part of the appeal and fun of the game.”
  • character development3 mentions

    The game features a compelling storyline and strong character development, effectively engaging players through its narrative. The writing and character designs are praised, while the gameplay includes an interesting card-based combat system that evolves significantly after initial hours of exploration and side quests.

    • “Really good storyline and character development.”
    • “In my opinion, the point of the narrative is to make you play through the scenario, and the game does this pretty well with moderately good engagement in terms of storyline as well as character development.”
    • “The writing and character designs are good; combat is an interesting card-based situation that starts out pretty rough with a short power-creep cycle where you'll be unstoppable after spending around 3 hours scavenging and doing side quests.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report significant bugs, others find it relatively stable with only minor issues, including a potentially game-breaking bug that has a workaround available. Despite the bugs, some players feel the game is worth trying, especially when on discount.

    • “Great writing, relatively bug-free (only encountered one potentially game-breaking bug, but there is a fix/workaround posted in the discussion forums).”
    • “It is buggy as hell, but on discount, why not?”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the experience.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is hit-or-miss; while some players find certain characters, like Carlos, amusing despite being annoying, others criticize specific jokes as unfunny or inappropriate, such as a dark reference in an item description.

    • “Carlos was funny as heck, even though he could be annoying at times.”
    • “Some of the 'jokes' in the game are really just not funny at all. For example, when you hover over the rope item, the description mentions hanging yourself.”
    • “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
    • “Many of the comedic elements seem outdated and fail to resonate with modern audiences.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game delivers a deeply emotional experience, with moments that resonate strongly and can evoke tears, making it a worthwhile investment. Players are drawn into a thought-provoking and immersive narrative set in a believable post-apocalyptic world, focusing on themes of survival, revenge, and redemption.

    • “There were moments in the storyline that almost made me cry. It's 100% worth the money, and considering how inexpensive this game is, I'd totally get it.”
    • “Prepare yourself for a thought-provoking, emotionally charged, and highly immersive adventure through a very believable post-apocalyptic world as you lead your travelers in their quest for survival, revenge, and redemption.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is positively highlighted, as players appreciate that the abilities and features offered are meaningful and impactful during gameplay, rather than superficial enhancements. This focus on purposeful mechanics enhances the overall experience and justifies the investment.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

55% average critic score

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Play time

9hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
4-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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