There's Something In The Ice

About

"There's Something In The Ice" is a first-person horror game set in an Antarctic research station, where three scientists uncover something terrifying while drilling into the ice. The game features realistic graphics, an advanced lighting system, and a plot presented through character dialogues, inspired by the movie "The Thing" and other sci-fi films and games. There are no notes to find, with the story unfolding solely through conversations with other characters.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

story16 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features amazing graphics and sound design that enhance the immersive experience.
It successfully creates a creepy and tense atmosphere reminiscent of John Carpenter's 'The Thing'.
The story, while straightforward, is engaging enough to keep players interested throughout the short gameplay.

The AI voice acting is poor, with characters' mouths not moving during dialogue, which breaks immersion.
The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with repetitive objectives and lacks meaningful scares.
Many players found the story confusing and poorly executed, with a lack of depth in character development and plot.

story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
60%
13%
The story of "There's Something in the Ice" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its homage to John Carpenter's "The Thing" and finding it engaging, while others criticized it as shallow and poorly executed, particularly the monster reveal. Many noted that the game is primarily a walking simulator focused on atmosphere and narrative, but felt that the pacing and voice acting detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as straightforward and lacking depth, with some players enjoying the journey despite its flaws.
- “Developer put a very strong emphasis on story in this one. I didn't expect that... it seems heavily inspired by John Carpenter's The Thing, so if you like it, you will like There's Something in the Ice a lot!”
- “There's Something in the Ice was a fun short horror experience with a compelling foundational storyline.”
- “Overall, the story jives well, escalates pretty quickly, and has quite the ending!”
- “The game is essentially a back-and-forth walking simulator, with a story that only became more confusing as it progressed.”
- “The story is extremely shallow.”
- “The story was so bland and the voice acting so poor that I don't even really care, but I was kinda interested to see her morph into something, but no, nothing morphs at all.”
atmosphere
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
40%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness and tension, effectively drawing inspiration from the cult classic "The Thing." While the level design, sound, and pacing contribute to an unsettling ambiance, some players feel that the reliance on cheap jumpscares detracts from the overall experience. Despite some criticisms regarding movement and voice acting, the atmospheric elements are considered a strong point, making it a compelling choice for fans of story-driven horror.
- “What this game did really well was create an atmosphere that was creepy, and at times, unsettling.”
- “The narration is slow-paced and well constructed, the ambience is on point, and the atmosphere is simply phenomenal.”
- “If you're in the mood for an atmospheric, unsettling game then 'There's Something in the Ice' should definitely be on your radar.”
- “The jumpscares felt really cheap and didn’t add much to the atmosphere.”
- “It's really a shame, because the graphics and atmosphere are on point, but it's all let down by terrible AI voice acting, questionable writing, and murky objectives.”
- “Atmosphere is unsettling and creepy in itself but very predictable, sadly.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
18%
11%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals and immersive environments, often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. However, some reviews noted that while the graphics are impressive, they are occasionally undermined by poor AI voice acting and technical glitches. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and storytelling.
- “Graphics and audio were amazing, which helps with immersion.”
- “Great story, great graphics and optimization, great controls, and just an overall great experience.”
- “Superb environment and even better sound; the aesthetics were incredible.”
- “The visuals are average, as is the audio.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming and fail to impress.”
- “The graphics lack detail and feel outdated.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator that emphasizes story and atmosphere rather than traditional mechanics like puzzles or survival elements. While it may not be extremely scary, it effectively builds a tense atmosphere throughout its 90-120 minute playtime, which many players find justifies the fair price point.
- “Price point is very fair for a 90-120 minute gameplay.”
- “Before you buy, please be aware that this is a walking simulator that entirely focuses on story and atmosphere, so please refrain from buying it and then give a negative review because you did not find any puzzle or survival mechanic.”
- “It's not extremely scary but has a very tense atmosphere that builds throughout the gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is lacking in mechanics and feels more like a walking simulator than a traditional game.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting that while it offers great graphics and controls, increasing the "gi quality" setting above "low" can significantly impact performance, even on high-end PCs.
- “Great story, great graphics and optimization, great controls, and just an overall great experience.”
- “Turning the 'GI Quality' setting above 'Low' consumes a significant amount of performance, even on a high-end 2023 PC build.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including two major game-breaking glitches that can lead to frustration and loss of progress. Players have expressed a strong need for a checkpoint or save system to mitigate the impact of these glitches.
- “The game itself is okay and graphically nice along with the snow outside, but this game was plagued with two game-breaking glitches that made me eventually give up.”
- “Please add a checkpoint system or a save system in your game so at least if the game glitches out, it won't be that bad.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players express a strong desire for a dedicated soundtrack for the game's background music, indicating that the existing music is engaging and enhances the overall experience.
- “The music in this game is absolutely captivating and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, making every moment feel epic.”
- “I need a soundtrack for this game's background music!”
- “The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety.”
- “The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users finding the story unengaging and lacking depth, as well as noting that the quests feel aimless and fail to evoke any fear or excitement. Overall, the game does not succeed in creating an emotional connection with players.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of creepy atmosphere and comedic elements, particularly through the portrayal of the monster, which some players found amusing despite the overall unsettling tone.
- “You made it creepy with the atmosphere, but the monster was kind of funny.”