The Frostrune
- February 2, 2017
- Grimnir Media
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"The Frostrune" is a point-and-click adventure game that takes players on a journey to a mysterious island in the Viking age. The game features beautiful, hand-drawn artwork and a hauntingly atmospheric soundtrack. Players must uncover the secrets of the island by exploring, interacting with objects, and solving puzzles, all while learning about Norse mythology and culture.
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Reviews
- The game features stunning hand-drawn graphics and a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the immersive Norse mythology experience.
- Puzzles are engaging and well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- The game is rich in historical and cultural details, showcasing a deep respect for Norse mythology and language.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 2 to 4 hours to complete, leaving players wanting more content.
- Navigation can be confusing due to the lack of a map, leading to excessive backtracking.
- Some puzzles may feel obtuse or frustrating, requiring the use of hints or walkthroughs to progress.
- story170 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story, while rooted in Norse mythology and featuring beautiful art and music, is often described as thin and straightforward, leaving some players wanting more depth and complexity. Many appreciate the atmospheric setting and the use of an original Nordic language, but the brevity of the narrative and the protagonist's relevance are frequently noted as weaknesses. Overall, it offers an engaging experience for those interested in Norse culture, though it may not satisfy players seeking a more elaborate plot.
“I adored the story, the graphics (all the tools and earthenware are reproductions of what was used in Norway when the game is set), the gameplay, the puzzles, the Norse language (the soldiers' song is hauntingly beautiful: basically I play it again for that alone): it is clearly a labor of love.”
“Wonderful story full of mystery that makes you want to keep playing.”
“The frostrune nails the atmosphere: the art is both vibrant and dark, the subtle soundtrack provides the eeriness that the storyline builds off of, and it's compelling to play through.”
“The story of 'the frostrune' is pretty thin.”
“The story of the young girl you play as and what she ends up doing on the island by solving puzzle after puzzle is very thin and can easily be summarized in one concise sentence.”
“The story and length of the game are probably its weakest points.”
- music156 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric quality and integration with the overall experience, enhancing the storytelling and setting. Many players highlighted the haunting beauty of the soundtrack, particularly the use of old Norse language in songs, which adds depth to the game's cultural context. While some noted the absence of background music during certain gameplay segments, the overall sound design, including voice acting and environmental sounds, was praised as top-notch and a significant draw for the game.
“The sound design is beautiful with wonderful voice acting, music, and environmental sounds.”
“The atmosphere, art, story, music, and sound are top notch.”
“The music alone is worth the purchase.”
“But missed any background music.”
“It's a little shame that the devs didn't include background music while solving the puzzles and running from A to B... they really missed the chance to make it awesome.”
“I found the mythos to be tiresome and the soundtrack annoying.”
- graphics102 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which effectively captures the Norse atmosphere and adds authenticity to the experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals and atmospheric soundtrack, noting that the artwork enhances the storytelling and overall enjoyment of the game. However, some opinions vary, with a few finding the graphics less appealing or confusing in terms of interactability, though the artistic value remains acknowledged.
“The visuals are amazing with such a unique art style.”
“The frostrune has stunningly beautiful visuals and music.”
“Amazing hand-drawn graphics, atmospheric soundtrack, good puzzles, and everything is historically accurate.”
“The graphics are simply poor.”
“But although the graphics look very artistic, I wouldn't personally call them beautiful, although such an opinion is entirely subjective, of course.”
“Game-play wise, the visuals can create a little bit of confusion for what is or is not able to be interacted with, but the puzzles are not too hard.”
- atmosphere80 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning art, immersive sound design, and authentic Norse mythology elements, creating a captivating experience that enhances gameplay. Reviewers highlight the beautifully crafted soundtrack and the effective use of visuals to evoke a strong sense of place, despite the game's brevity. Overall, the atmosphere is considered the standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of the genre and setting.
“The atmosphere created by the artwork and music is superb.”
“Where the game really shines is the atmosphere it generates and the wonderful use of myth and legend in its story.”
“The frostrune nails the atmosphere: the art is both vibrant and dark, the subtle soundtrack provides the eeriness that the storyline builds off of, and it's compelling to play through.”
“The protagonist seems naively unaffected by the heavy atmosphere and thus disjoint from her context within the game.”
“The atmosphere of the game and the plot is very fascinating, soundtrack is also catchy but the game is too short; the shortness of the game was disappointing.”
“It’s okay and the game is enjoyable but the main reason you should play this game is the atmosphere.”
- gameplay44 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *The Frostrune* primarily revolves around solving straightforward puzzles within a beautifully crafted folkloristic setting, appealing to fans of clues and riddles. While the game features a classic point-and-click mechanic and a logical flow, some players find certain aspects obtuse and the gameplay somewhat linear, with minor UI issues that don't significantly detract from the experience. Overall, it offers a satisfying experience for those interested in mythology, though it may not impress players seeking innovative mechanics.
“The main part of 'The Frostrune's gameplay is solving puzzles while enjoying the authentic folkloristic background.”
“The puzzles are straightforward, it has a logical flow (~2 hours of gameplay for me), and the soundtrack is beautiful.”
“In terms of gameplay, it is a clever puzzle game long enough to be worth the price.”
“While this is a well-made lovely game with nice graphics, nice music, and interesting mythology, I found some of the gameplay to be obtuse.”
“I am not impressed nor do I feel particularly entertained by the gameplay.”
“Once you get to the core gameplay, it becomes fairly linear.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Frostrune has limited replayability, as players generally find little incentive to revisit the game unless they are aiming to complete missed achievements. Overall, it does not offer significant reasons for multiple playthroughs.
“Also, unless you missed some achievements, Frostrune isn't particularly replayable.”
“- not much replayability”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to the need for backtracking and solving puzzles. However, the game's relatively short length makes this repetition more manageable and justifiable for the overall experience.
“Going back and forth can be tedious, but as the game is not long, this does not become unbearable.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a stark contrast between the immature protagonist's simplistic inner dialogue and the profound, doom-laden presence of the ghosts, which some players found jarring and indicative of a lack of polish in the game's overall execution. This dissonance may detract from the intended emotional impact, leaving players feeling that the narrative could be more cohesive.
“In particular, the immature protagonist's inner dialogue, as revealed innocently and unemotionally in text boxes, oddly contrasted with the heavy doom emanating from the ghosts, with their gravitas-laden pronouncements and quasi-religious chants.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is highly praised, allowing it to run smoothly on weaker laptops without any issues.
“Optimization is great; this game can run even on weaker laptops without any problems.”
