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.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Windows Phone
Reviews
- The game features stunning hand-drawn art and a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience of Norse mythology.
- Puzzles are engaging and well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- The attention to historical accuracy and the use of Old Norse language add depth and authenticity to the storytelling.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 2 to 4 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
- Navigation can be confusing due to the lack of a map, leading to tedious backtracking between scenes.
- Some puzzles may feel obscure or require excessive clicking to find interactive elements, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story85 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 players wanting more depth and length. Many appreciate the atmospheric setting and the use of original language, but some feel the plot lacks complexity and the protagonist's relevance. Overall, it is seen as a charming experience with engaging elements, though it may not satisfy those seeking a deep narrative.
“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.”
“The atmosphere, art, story, music, and sound are top-notch.”
“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 is below average.”
- music78 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, beautifully crafted compositions, and integration with the Norse mythology theme, enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the hauntingly beautiful songs, excellent voice acting, and the way the soundtrack complements the game's visuals and narrative. However, some players noted a lack of background music during certain gameplay segments, which they felt could have further enriched the experience.
“The sound design is beautiful with wonderful voice acting, music, and environmental sounds.”
“The music and sound effects emphasize the setting.”
“The atmosphere, art, story, music, and sound are top notch.”
“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.”
- graphics51 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which effectively captures the Norse atmosphere and adds authenticity to the experience. Many reviewers noted the beautiful visuals and atmospheric soundtrack, highlighting the game's artistic value despite some criticism regarding gameplay clarity. Overall, the combination of rich artwork and engaging sound design contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The visuals are amazing with such a unique art style.”
“The artwork is stunning, the puzzles are challenging but not too cryptic.”
“The frostrune has stunningly beautiful visuals and music.”
“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.”
“The navigation between scenes seems quite arbitrary and it is very hard to tell whether a path/opening will lead to another scene or is just for aesthetic purposes.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning art, immersive soundtracks, and authentic Norse historical elements, creating a captivating experience that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of place and mood, despite its simplicity and shorter length. Overall, the combination of beautiful visuals, atmospheric music, and engaging storytelling contributes to a compelling and enjoyable gaming experience.
“The atmosphere, art, story, music, and sound are top notch.”
“The atmosphere created by the artwork and music is superb.”
“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, the soundtrack is also catchy but the game is too short; the shortness of the game was disappointing.”
“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.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 14 % 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 criticize minor UI issues. Overall, the experience is enjoyable for those interested in the narrative and mythology, though it may not satisfy players seeking innovative gameplay mechanics.
“Those who enjoy clues and riddles will like the gameplay.”
“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.”
“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.”
“If you are primarily interested in a game's mechanics, that's an area where this game may fail.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Frostrune is generally considered to have low replayability, as players feel there is little incentive to revisit the game once achievements are completed.
“Also, unless you missed some achievements, Frost Rune isn't particularly replayable.”
“- Not much replayability.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game somewhat tedious, particularly due to the need for backtracking and solving puzzles. However, the relatively short length of the game makes this grind 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.”
“The grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I found myself spending too much time on repetitive tasks, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
- emotional2 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, somber tones of the ghosts, which some players found jarring and indicative of an incomplete experience. This dissonance detracted from the overall emotional impact, leaving a sense of imbalance in the narrative.
“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.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users noting that it runs smoothly even on weaker laptops without any issues.
“Optimization is great; this game can run even on weaker laptops without any problems.”
“The game's optimization allows for smooth gameplay on a variety of hardware.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized this game is, making it accessible to players with lower-end systems.”
