Frostpunk Reviews
Frostpunk is definitely one of the most engaging strategy games around, and one that deserves to be experienced.
The game does lose a bit of its luster after you beat the main scenario, but the two additional stories do put what you learned to the test. I'm eager to see what new situations 11 Bit Studios adds to the Frostpunk in the future, as the concept has a ton of untapped potential.
While the selling point is focused on hard choices, the unrelenting grimness of the setting and need for survival makes them more obvious than difficult. Luckily all the other components (city builder, presentation, etc.) are quite good and the game is enjoyable even if it doesn't quite hit the feels as it intends.
If doom and gloom isn't your thing then Frostpunk won't appeal and you're better off with a less misery-drenched city-builder such as the excellent Cities: Skylines. But if you're a sucker for the punishing post-apocalyptic (and this game can certainly dish it out) then Frostpunk's bleak winter wonderland will keep you hooked, turning you into a horrible, horrible person in the process.
In the end, Frostpunk feels like a breath of fresh air (albeit a chilly one) in a genre that’s now super competitive. Despite its few missteps like the inability to find specific buildings and the fact that it’s a bit too short, it’s a memorable experience that does a great job blending two genres together, being both a highly functional city builder and a survival game that actually requires you to care about your civilization. 11-bit’s attention to detail is outstanding, which not only shows through the game’s beautiful art style but also in how it handles every member of your civilization. And, the fact that it makes you have internal ethical conflict is the added wrinkle in gameplay that helps make it a wholly unique experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Frostpunk skillfully combines survival with city building and adds unique winter setting and tense atmosphere to the mix. There's not much replay value, though.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Frostpunk is not the usual city builder, but it is a game that pushes the player to its moral limit.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you want some amazing, bleak, and depressing world-building, Frostpunk is definitely your jam.
Frostpunk is a solid entry into the city-builder genre with a unique survival twist, and one that's bound to appeal to those who have enjoyed similar games. Still, it lacks the personality and depth to win over anyone who doesn't already love micromanaging workforces and watching numbers go up.
For the most part, Frostpunk is exactly what I hoped it would be, and more besides. It's an aesthetically realised addictive management game, and it cleverly pulls in disparate gameplay elements to craft a feeling of isolated, desperate warmth against the crippling cold. I like it a lot. It also provides avenues for tyranny, if that's your thing. Its main issue at the moment is a slight lack of content, as its three scenarios suffer a bit in terms of replay value, but given the devs have already committed to future (hopefully unpaid) extra content, I'm hopeful this won't remain a problem for long.
Frostpunk is a truly harrowing game in the best possible way and one that will have you steeped in the harsh reality of eternal winter for dozens of hours to come.
In order to survive, some tough choices need to be made to keep people warm in this frozen hell. Frostpunk is challenging, atmospheric and leaves you feeling judged a few times as you try to keep humanity alive, but not so much that you don't get up and try again.
Frostpunk is a captivating experience, whether you're seeking an emotionally effective story or a solid city-building survival game. Even with all the despair, each decision feels like it matters and had weight.
Frostpunk is a highly addictive experience for fans of strategy and resource management games.
Frostpunk is simply breath-taking. The game can keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat for hours. Unfortunately, this is why the game falls short.
Frostpunk is a compelling experience with a smart and interesting take on the genre that might not have the emotional punch you were looking for.
Frostpunk creates a great concept for a city building game. Unfortunately it lacks of long term motivation and variety and therefore spoils way too fast. The potential is there though and with enough additions to the core it can become an amazing game.
Review in German | Read full review
Frostpunk is such a bizarre game. Playing through it mechanically and logistically leads to a relatively standard resource manager. However, by investing yourself in the town and the people within it, you allow in the crushing weight of the decisions you'll have to make and the emotional consequences that follow. They may not be affecting real people, but treating it as such is what this game is all about. It's an emotional roller coaster that will likely leave you more defeated after "winning" than when you first started, and that is incredible.
Frostpunk is not as complex city builder as it could be, but an engaging one for sure. What is more important, it will challenge your moral principles like no other game before.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Frostpunk is without a doubt an excellent new entry into the city-building genre. It contains enough familiar elements tinged with new, fantastical ones comprised of the steampunk aesthetic and feel. Admittedly though, the game's seemingly shorter length may make it feel like it's not complete, but that's not true in any way. It's great price point, challenging gameplay mechanics, and overall offerings with replayability make this a solid game to pick up. It takes some time to master as well, making it worth the challenge of surviving in the long winter.