Lies Under Ice

About

Lies Under Ice is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Choice of Games and was released on December 7, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "Lies Under Ice" by Joey Jones, you lead a mission to colonize Jupiter's moon, Europa, in 2079. As you build a settlement and explore the ocean, political factions within your colony stake their claims, and alien life lurks beneath the ice. It's up to you to navigate the power struggles and discern the truth in this 200,000-word interactive science fiction novel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

story10 positive mentions

music2 negative mentions

The game offers a deeply emotional experience, making players reflect on their values and humanity.
There is a vast amount of customization and choice, allowing players to shape their character and story significantly.
The writing quality is high, blending sci-fi elements with humor and moral dilemmas, providing a rich narrative experience.

The story loses coherence in the latter parts, descending into clichéd tropes that detract from the initial premise.
Character interactions and romance options feel sparse and underdeveloped, leading to a lack of emotional investment.
The ending and epilogue are poorly executed, with inconsistencies and a lack of resolution that undermine the overall experience.

story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
75%
6%
The story is described as semi-linear with meaningful choices that impact the plot, particularly in the early stages, which set up an intriguing first contact narrative. However, it shifts dramatically in the final third to a more conventional and less realistic sci-fi trope, leading to a disconnect in the narrative's progression and a lack of depth in character interactions, particularly in romance options. While the world-building is praised, the epilogue leaves some unresolved elements, suggesting potential for improvement in concluding the various story arcs.
- “I really felt like what I undertook moved the plot forward in a grandiose and meaningful way.”
- “Chekhov's gun is loaded: the storyboard is decently put together, and every choice I made actually had a significant impact later on.”
- “It's an interesting setting, you have a lot to do, and the various directions the story can go are intriguing.”
- “But in the last third, the story unexpectedly falls down to Hollywood-esque tropes (alien invasion! telepathy! deadly cults! mad rat swarms!) that feels more in line with late 90s 'space adventure' action films than anything resembling real sci-fi.”
- “The only thing I found mildly entertaining was the base building, but even that seemed to have little to no impact on the story.”
- “I won't spoil what happens except to say there is a massive disconnect between the situation at the end of the story and the start of the epilogue.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews emphasize a strong connection between visuals and music, suggesting that the absence of one diminishes the experience of the other. Overall, the music is perceived as integral to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “No pictures, no music.”
- “No pictures, no music.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a profound emotional impact from the game, experiencing a wide range of feelings including laughter, tears, and deep introspection about their values and humanity. Many express that they have never felt so emotionally invested in a game before, often needing to take breaks to process their experiences. The narrative and character choices evoke strong reactions, making it a memorable and transformative experience.
- “This game has made me laugh, has made me pull for outsider information who have no clue what I'm talking about to try to make better choices, and they are of no help. It has made me break down in tears on multiple occasions, has made me take a few minutes to walk away, and has made me shut down my computer and come back to it after a few days to rethink my entire stance on humanity and who I am as a person and what my values entail. I have never been more emotionally invested in a game in my life (I see you, TTG's Walking Dead).”
- “This game has made me laugh, has made me pull for outsider information who have no clue what I'm talking about to try to make better choices, and they are of no help. It has made me break down in tears on multiple occasions, has made me take a few minutes to walk away, and has made me shut down my computer and come back to it after a few days to rethink my entire stance on humanity and who I am as a person and what my values entail. I have never been more emotionally invested in a game in my life (I see you, TTG's Walking Dead).”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both impactful and multifaceted, eliciting laughter while also provoking deep emotional responses. Players find themselves emotionally invested, often reflecting on their values and humanity, indicating that the humor is intertwined with serious themes and personal introspection. Overall, the game balances comedic elements with profound emotional experiences, making it a unique and engaging experience.
- “This game has made me laugh and has made me break down in tears on multiple occasions. I have never been more emotionally invested in a game in my life. Let's cut this short, I didn't want this position; I would have gladly given it up to anyone but a capitalist. Definitely the other scientist, he's tops!”
- “This game has made me laugh and has made me rethink my entire stance on humanity and who I am as a person. The humor is both clever and impactful, making for a truly memorable experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers significant replayability, driven by engaging "what-if" scenarios that encourage players to explore different outcomes and strategies.
- “Plenty of replayability to be found, thanks to those perennial 'what-if' questions trotting in our heads.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while the game's premise is promising, it suffers from significant stability issues, being described as unfinished and buggy.
- “The premise is great, it's just unfinished and buggy.”