Frostpunk, the newest title from the creators of This War of Mine, is a society survival game where heat means life and every decision comes at a price. In an entirely frozen world, people develop steam-powered technology to oppose the overwhelming cold. You face the task of building the last city on Earth and securing the means necessary for your community to survive.
Optimization and resource management often clash with empathy and thoughtful decision-making. While city and society management will consume most of the ruler’s time, at some point exploration of the outside world is necessary to understand its history and present state.
To say Frostpunk is fun would be like saying watching The Road is fun. It's engaging, challenging, inventive and unique. It cleverly re-purposes old genre tropes, and embraces the rigors of micromanaging dire people in a dark time with such earnest that it's hard not to get charmed into hours of sadistic yet satisfying struggle.
Becoming one of the best city builders on consoles is the least of Frostpunk's achievements in this thought-provoking parable about the true cost of being in charge.
This is a staggering achievement that strategy game fans shouldn't miss out on.
Frostpunk Console Edition is the happiest I've been staring despair in the face. A fantastic city-builder where you really care about the people you're trying to save.
Frostpunk can be overhelming and would benefit from a longer tutorial, so it’s understandable if those new to the genre find it too tricky. But a well-conceived narrative and premise makes it worth picking up whether you’re new to the genre, or have years of city-building experience behind you.
