There's Something In The Ice
- March 25, 2024
- JustTomcuk
Get on Steam"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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features amazing graphics and sound design that enhance the immersive experience.
- It successfully creates a creepy and tense atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror films like 'The Thing.'
- The story, while straightforward, is engaging enough to keep players invested throughout the short playtime.
- The AI voice acting is terrible, with characters' mouths not moving during dialogue, which breaks immersion.
- Gameplay is often described as a walking simulator with repetitive tasks and a lack of meaningful interaction or challenge.
- The jump scares and monster reveals are poorly executed, failing to deliver the intended horror experience.
- story30 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story of the game 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 narrative is straightforward and lacks depth, often feeling like a walking simulator with minimal dialogue and confusing elements. Overall, while some enjoyed the atmospheric storytelling and graphics, others felt the pacing and execution detracted from the experience.
“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 story line.”
“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 kind of interested to see her morph into something, but no, nothing morphs at all.”
- atmosphere21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepy and unsettling qualities, effectively building tension throughout the gameplay. While some players feel that the jumpscares are cheap and the movement can be clunky, the overall ambiance and level design successfully evoke a sense of dread reminiscent of classic horror films like "The Thing." Despite some criticisms regarding voice acting and writing, the atmospheric elements are considered a strong point, making it a compelling experience for fans of story-driven horror.
“What this game did really well was create an atmosphere that was creepy, and at times, unsettling.”
“The atmosphere really shows the inspiration from the classic horror 'The Thing', but it has a unique twist.”
“The narration is slow-paced and well constructed, the ambience is on point, and the atmosphere is simply phenomenal.”
“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.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their quality and immersive atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting the superb environments and aesthetic appeal. However, some criticisms arise regarding the audio and voice acting, which detract from the overall experience despite the strong visual presentation. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Graphics and audio were amazing, which helps with immersion.”
“Superb environment and even better sound; the aesthetics were incredible.”
“Great story, great graphics and optimization, great controls, and just overall great experience.”
“The visuals are average, and so is the audio.”
“However, the mystery aspect in this game was more pronounced than in Abandoned Souls, which worked in its favor while the graphics maintained that.”
“Graphics are underwhelming and fail to impress.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a tense atmosphere and a strong focus on storytelling, as it is primarily a walking simulator without puzzles or survival mechanics. Players can expect a playtime of 90-120 minutes, and the price is considered fair for this experience, though potential buyers are cautioned against expecting traditional gameplay elements.
“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 giving 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.”
“A mechanic?”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users report that while the game offers great graphics and an overall enjoyable experience, increasing the "gi quality" setting above "low" significantly impacts performance, even on high-end 2023 PC builds.
“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.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially in crowded areas, making it frustrating to play.”
“Despite having a powerful graphics card, I still experience frequent stuttering and long loading times.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features appealing graphics but suffers from significant stability issues, including two 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 it 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.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express a strong desire for a soundtrack to accompany the game's background music, indicating that the existing music may not be sufficient or memorable enough on its own.
“The soundtrack is absolutely captivating and perfectly complements the game's atmosphere.”
“I can't get enough of the music; it really enhances the overall experience!”
“The background music is so immersive, it draws you deeper into the game's world.”
“I need a soundtrack for this game's background music!”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The sound design feels outdated and doesn't match the game's overall aesthetic.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with users finding the story boring and lacking depth, as well as noting that the quests feel aimless and fail to evoke any fear or engagement.
“The story felt dull and uninspired, lacking any emotional depth or engaging puzzles.”
“Quests seemed pointless, merely serving as a way to traverse the map without any real emotional stakes.”
“There was nothing scary or emotionally gripping about the experience.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of creepiness and levity, with players finding the monster amusing despite the eerie atmosphere.
“You made it creepy with the atmosphere, but the monster was kind of funny.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud.”
“I love how the game balances humor with its darker themes; it keeps things interesting!”
