Icy

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 213 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

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews
story80 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features a creative and engaging storyline with multiple endings, providing hours of replayability.
  • The hand-drawn artwork and atmospheric music enhance the immersive experience of the post-apocalyptic setting.
  • The combat system is unique and engaging, requiring players to think strategically about their actions and resource management.
  • The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it can be completed too quickly for the price.
  • There are issues with key remapping and inventory management, which can hinder the overall gameplay experience.
  • Some players found the dialogue options to be limited and felt that many choices did not significantly impact the story.
  • story209 mentions

    The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a creative and engaging narrative set in a post-apocalyptic frozen wasteland, with multiple endings and character-driven interactions that enhance immersion. While some players appreciate the depth and emotional weight of the story, others find it somewhat predictable or lacking in originality. Overall, the combination of RPG elements, character development, and a focus on choices makes it appealing for fans of narrative-driven games, despite some technical issues and a few generic plot points.

    • “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.”
    • “The game really needed some extra loving from the developers; it had a lot of potential to be a disciple of post-apocalyptic storytelling, but a lot of the world-building falls apart because the devs never focused on the niches they created.”
    • “The story progresses based on missions and the random events for character storylines, which I must admit are kind of tightly written, but the overall narrative feels generic and predictable.”
    • “The story so far just hasn't gripped me, and the dialogue trees seem to be there mostly to streamline my experience rather than offer meaningful choices.”
  • gameplay69 mentions

    The gameplay of "icy: frostbite edition" is characterized by its blend of simple mechanics, turn-based combat, and RPG elements, which some players find entertaining despite its repetitiveness and lack of depth. While the combat system is unique and integrates decision-making, many reviews note that the gameplay can feel tedious and lacks strategic complexity, leading to a mixed reception overall. The game offers a solid narrative and crafting mechanics, but its simplistic gameplay may not appeal to those seeking more challenging survival experiences.

    • “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 and death could be just around the corner.”
    • “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.”
    • “Simple, yet compelling gameplay.”
    • “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.”
    • “If you want to finish this game, you have to grin and bear it trudging through the lackluster mechanics.”
  • graphics36 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet artistically appealing, with many reviewers praising the atmospheric artwork and moody background images that enhance the storytelling. While some players appreciate the unique aesthetic and the depth of the visuals, others note the lack of animations and limited graphical options, which may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's visuals are seen as a strong point, particularly for those who value art and atmosphere over high-end graphics.

    • “I also admire the Russian/Ukrainian post-apocalyptic game aesthetic.”
    • “Great art style and setting.”
    • “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.”
    • “The graphics are simple.”
    • “There are no graphics options for the game.”
    • “The graphics are simplistic.”
  • music18 mentions

    The music in "icy: frostbite edition" has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its atmospheric and immersive qualities that enhance the game's post-apocalyptic setting. However, others criticize it for being repetitive and not memorable, with some even finding it jarring or poorly produced. Overall, while the music contributes to the game's ambiance, it appears to be a divisive element among players.

    • “The music and art is quite phenomenal, and gives the game an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “Great art, when the visuals combine with the music it transports you to the white wasteland humanity now calls home, you can almost feel the cold and the wind.”
    • “Likewise, the music is very good, and very immersive, if a bit repetitive.”
    • “The battle music is not very engaging, more like bad 'Lisa the Painful' ear-aching madness. Maybe just heartbeats that increase as the battle goes on would have been a better choice.”
    • “I cannot recommend this game in its current state because of the flaws I described above and due to poor production value, including too few soundtracks.”
    • “I'd say that the music is the main problem of the game; I just wish it would be a little bit more memorable.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The atmosphere in "Icy: Frostbite Edition" is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by phenomenal music and art that effectively convey a bleak, post-apocalyptic world. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to transport players through its compelling storyline and atmospheric elements, including dynamic music and evocative visuals. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's engaging experience.

    • “The music and art are quite phenomenal, and give the game an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere and writing are great and transport 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 overall atmosphere is convincing.”
    • “The art is also convincing and delivers the atmosphere well.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed among reviewers. While some players appreciate the opportunity to explore different choices and difficulty levels, many note that the ability to achieve 100% completion in a single playthrough and the limited impact of decisions on the storyline significantly reduce its replay value. Consequently, while there are elements that encourage multiple runs, the consensus leans towards a low overall replayability.

    • “I do feel the game has replayability, to see how different choices change the story, and to see how assigning skill points differently affects the protagonist.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “I think the game provides a neat experience for the money when on sale, but its replayability is low, since you can get 100% achievements in one playthrough rather than starting from the beginning.”
    • “However, the game has almost no good replay value as there are only a handful of different decisions toward the end that will have any effect.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the resource acquisition as part of the game's appeal, many criticize it for being tedious and requiring excessive micromanagement. The combat mechanics can feel convoluted and repetitive, leading to a frustrating grind, although some players report being able to progress without significant grinding. Overall, the lack of quality of life improvements contributes to the grindy nature of the gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “Micromanagement ends up being a lot of tedious busywork because of the lack of quality of life polish.”
    • “As a result, you'll spend most of your time spamming clicks to figure out the most optimal combination, which gets incredibly tedious.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The game features a compelling storyline and strong character development, effectively engaging players through its narrative and RPG-style progression. Character designs and writing are praised, while the combat system offers an interesting card-based mechanic that evolves as players invest time in scavenging and side quests. Overall, the character development is enhanced by choice-based mini-adventures that enrich the gameplay experience.

    • “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.”
    • “There is RPG-style character development and choice-based mini-adventures.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, which diminished my overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “Despite the RPG elements, the choices I made didn't seem to impact the characters' growth in any meaningful way.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally engaging due to its relatable characters and impactful storytelling, leading to deep investment in the narrative and its themes of survival, revenge, and redemption. The well-developed backstories of the characters enhance the emotional experience, making moments in the game resonate strongly, even evoking tears. Overall, the game is praised for its immersive and thought-provoking emotional journey in a believable post-apocalyptic setting.

    • “But there are so many 'realities' and relatable events, conversations, and possibilities that it makes it easy to become emotionally invested in your rag-tag bunch of team members and in the story in general.”
    • “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.”
  • 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. I only encountered one potentially game-breaking bug, but there is a fix/workaround posted in the discussion forums.”
    • “The game runs smoothly with minimal issues, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
    • “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; I haven't faced any crashes or major glitches.”
    • “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 characters, like Carlos, provide genuinely funny moments, other jokes, such as dark references in item descriptions, fall flat and may not resonate with all players.

    • “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.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the attempts at humor mostly miss the mark and feel out of place.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is positively viewed, 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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