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The Black Ice

The Black Ice Game Cover
56%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:story, atmosphere
Most mentioned negative aspects:optimization, stability
78% User Score Based on 23 reviews

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PCSteam DeckWindows
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The Black Ice Game Cover

About The Black Ice

The Black Ice is a single player survival shooter game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Antelus Games and was released on December 24, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

After receiving an SOS signal from the research complex "Vostok," a brave polar explorer from the "Mirny" station rushes to the rescue. But what secrets are hidden behind the locked doors of this Antarctic base? Why did communication stop, and where did all the staff disappear? In "The Black Ice", the protagonist must uncover many mysteries, face dangerous enemies, an…

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The Black Ice screenshot
The Black Ice screenshot
The Black Ice screenshot
The Black Ice screenshot
The Black Ice screenshot
The Black Ice screenshot
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Reviews

78%Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews
story4 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game has a strong and atmospheric Antarctic setting with impressive visuals and sound design that immerses players in the environment.
  • The story is interesting and engaging, with survival horror elements reminiscent of classics like Resident Evil and The Thing.
  • Controls, gameplay mechanics, and puzzle design are generally good and intuitive, with satisfying combat and crafting systems.
  • The game suffers from bugs and technical issues such as jump key problems, glitches with object interactions, and occasional stuttering.
  • The current content is limited and feels incomplete, ending abruptly with a 'To Be Continued' notice, making it seem more like an extended demo than a full game.
  • Some voice acting and localization choices are criticized, and there is a lack of audio and subtitle options to better suit different players' preferences.

  • story

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    40% positive mentions, 30% neutral mentions, 30% negative mentions

    The story is engaging and well-constructed, with immersive elements and strong voice acting that enhance the experience. Although it currently concludes shortly after the first boss, players are eager for its continuation through future updates. Some feel the narrative and systems need more development to be fully fleshed out.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is efficient and intuitive, the story is engaging, and the pacing is tight while still feeling relaxing.”
    • “This really makes you feel like you're there, and the plot is well constructed.”
    • “The story is interesting, you start off playing as Oleg, who is responding to an SOS from the Vostok facility in Antarctica. He makes his way into a seemingly deserted base then finds himself in a bit of bother.”
    • “The problem is that the story and systems need more time to be properly fleshed out.”
    • “The story thus far comes to a close shortly after the first boss.”
    • “I`ll be waiting for the story to be continued.”

  • atmosphere

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    57% positive mentions, 43% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game’s atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and authentic Antarctic setting, effectively capturing a dark, oppressive, and mysterious mood reminiscent of classic survival horror like "The Thing" and "Resident Evil." Its strong visual and sound design, combined with realistic but fantastical elements, creates a polished and compelling experience that enhances stealth gameplay and overall tension.

    • “The rendering of the Antarctic atmosphere is absolutely fantastic, both visually and in terms of sound design.”
    • “The atmosphere is strong, the Antarctic setting works well, and it very much feels like it’s aiming for a Resident Evil/The Thing style survival horror experience in the Arctic, which I’m completely on board with.”
    • “If one enjoys stealth-oriented gameplay, dark and oppressive atmospheres, and the mystery of an unexplained event, realistic despite its fantastical elements, and without bling or fireworks, this is a very good game.”

  • gameplay

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    50% positive mentions, 17% neutral mentions, 33% negative mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for being intuitive, efficient, and well-suited for stealth enthusiasts, with realistic mechanics and smooth controls, especially with gamepad support. However, some find the mechanics basic and lacking polish, though overall it delivers an enjoyable and engaging experience with solid movement and interaction.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is efficient and intuitive, the story is engaging, and the pacing is tight while still feeling relaxing.”
    • “If one enjoys stealth-oriented gameplay, dark and oppressive atmospheres, and the mystery of an unexplained event, realistic despite its fantastical elements, and without bling or fireworks, this is a very good game.”
    • “For gameplay, both characters move and interact with the environment nicely.”
    • “But the game mechanics are basic, not polished, and just not fun to play.”

  • music

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    75% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 25% negative mentions

    The music is generally praised for its superb, fitting atmosphere reminiscent of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted an issue with the first boss fight where the music did not change and repeated the ambient exploration track, which may be a bug or placeholder.

    • “The music is superb and very fitting.”
    • “It is okay; I like the atmosphere. The soundtrack even had the Resident Evil save room and Silent Hill feel to it.”
    • “Music-wise, it's really good, with the exception of the first boss.”
    • “I'm not sure if it's a bug or a placeholder, but the music playing during the boss fight was the same ambient track as when exploring the facility prior to the fight commencing.”

  • optimization

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 75% negative mentions

    The game generally runs smoothly and is well optimized, though some users experienced minor stuttering in specific sections. However, performance issues are noted by some, leading to mixed reviews and caution regarding purchase due to inconsistent optimization.

    • “Game runs smoothly and is well optimized.”
    • “Performance - 5/10 - bad”
    • “Buy at your own risk, I cannot recommend it because of the performance and lack of content.”
    • “I only had a little stuttering in the second chapter of the game, but it was more than manageable.”

  • graphics

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The graphics are praised for being visually appealing and enhancing the game's intense and immersive experience, contributing to an engaging and well-paced gameplay.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is efficient and intuitive, the story is engaging, and the pacing is tight while still feeling relaxing.”
    • “The graphics are nice and the game can be intense.”

  • stability

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game exhibits stability issues, including occasional glitches where interactions with objects like safes disappear, forcing players to reload previous saves to progress.

    • “There are some annoying glitches; for example, sometimes interactions with safes disappear and do not allow me to interact anymore, forcing me to load a previous save.”

  • humor

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is largely unintentional, stemming from technical issues like frequent stutters that disrupt gameplay. Despite these flaws, some players find the experience amusing rather than frustrating.

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The Black Ice Early Access

December 25 on bluesnews.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Black Ice is a survival shooter game with horror and mystery themes. Common tags for The Black Ice include psychological, psychological horror, early access, futuristic, realistic and others.

The Black Ice is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

The Black Ice was released on December 24, 2025.

The Black Ice was developed by Antelus Games.

The Black Ice has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked The Black Ice for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

The Black Ice is a single player game.