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Frostpunk review
Exceptional
by Vladimir Chervonenko

Great and enjoying. Good replayability.

Other reviews10

Simple and hard at the same time. The world is charming, love to learn more about it.
«Can’t stop playing»
«Constantly dying and enjoy it»
The only way to successfuly beat levels in this game is to play them over and over again, slowly learning exactly what the game expects you to do. Any real success in this game comes from rote memorization of how the level will play out from previous playthroughs, and very little on-the-fly thinking. If you don't already have the *entire* scenario memorized and planned out, you're probably fucked.
«Waste of time»
WHAT A NOVEL GAME. In my 20+ years of gaming, I've never seen any strategy game like Frostpunk. I'm surprised it was for free on Epic store. The post-apocalyptic storyline drops you into chilly arctic where you lead your people and just... survive. You have to think really beyond just what's in front to be able to control and optimize your resources, and survive freezing temps.
The gameplay, soundtrack, realism, AI are all great and assemble together with more than satisfactory experience. I'd say this game is massively underrated, maybe because it doesn't offer fancy graphics or multiplayer experience. But you really don't need those for a game like this. Try it once. Thank me later.
«Blew my mind»
«Can’t stop playing»
This game will smash you into the ground, it is so hard. But it can be extremely rewarding and when you DO fail (because you will), it leaves you feeling okay with that because there is almost no way to not fail.
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»
Translated by
Microsoft from Deutsch
The only thing you have left is Hope ... One way or another could be described in the Game, but in a positive Sense. Frostpunk is a Build-up and Economic Simulation, where it's primarily not about planning a thriving city with the highest possible Revenue, but a City that survives an eternal Winter that's getting more and more colder. The Principle is simple: In order to generate Heat, a Generator in the City Centre must be supplied with Coal. This can be mined nearby, just as Wood and Steel-needed for Construction. As in the real World, the Generator initially has a fairly low Range, so that only Buildings in the immediate vicinity benefit from the Heat. Around the Generator, the City is expanded roughly. Buildings such as a Hunting Lodge, Medical Stations, food Expenses, etc. are expanding the City step by Step, and the more it expands, the further away they are from the Generator and it gets cold, later effectively extremely cold! But what to do, in such a Situation? -Right, do research! It is possible to research and thus unlock new Buildings or Upgrades for the Generators and Buildings. Also, so-called Steam Towers can be explored, which warm a small Area in a circular way around them-but at the Price of increased coal Consumption. Further Upgrades increase the Range and Heating Capacity of the Generator or Optimize its Coal Consumption. Without Coal, no Heat and thus "gradually" the safe Death of the Inhabitants, because they fall Ill first before they suffer Frostbite, which may only be saved by Amputation. Sick Residents identify as Workers, which means that Workers have to be redistributed to collect enough Coal or other Resources, for example, including Food. Depending on the Severity of the Disease, these recover at different rates, or fall out in the worst Case, because of an Amputation. Frostpunk starts relatively easily: The Temperatures are still quite easy to cope with And the Dissatisfaction of the Inhabitants, for Example due to illness, Lack of food or enacted Laws (more on this) can be managed well. But over Time, Problems are added: There are Revolts and Protests that can lead to residents wanting to move back to London (old Homeland). Everyone gets slightly dissatisfied and action needs to be taken. Whether with a hard Hand or through Faith the Player has to decide for himself, everything has its advantages and Disadvantages. Does the iron Law Govern order, or does faith in God alone help to survive the Criticism? The Player is confronted with increasingly complex Problems. Lack of Raw materials must be compensated for by new Workers, who must once be found with a Spying Squad. Falling Temperatures force one to decide to cancel a planned Research to maintain the Food Supply of the City, or whether to accept higher Coal Consumption and adjust the Heaters. Refugee Waves force you to decide whether to take in all, only the Healthy or none at all, because there may be a lack of Capacity or if you are Lucky Enough to find the rare Steam Cores that allow you to automate and more effectively (and, if necessary, without Workers who are Sick). I can recommend this Game to all those who do not directly value a construction Simulation, but also take into account the social Environment of the City, including the climate conditions. There's a Thumbs up from me. P.S.: I deliberately omitted the Aspect of graphics and the Controls and soundtrack, but who wants to know exactly: Visually and acoustically, the Game is beautifully structured in Terms of what is possible and appropriate. The Control is sometimes a bit opinionated (Road Construction, for Example) and the UI could use a little more Management Options, but even these Little things (including the incomplete German Translation) do not Detract from the Game.
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Favorite Thing: The Fall of Winterhome was a great scenario. Lots of unique stuff going on.
Least Favorite Thing: People getting sick can be a bit ridiculous. Turned off the heat for a few seconds? That's a few dozen sick people!

Date Completed: 2019-03-29
Playtime: 37h (all 4 scenarios)
Enjoyment: 8/10
Recommendation: Survival, city builder with a story and objectives? Yes please!
It's just brilliant. Timelapse at the end amazed me. First city-building game there I was actually interested in scenarios. 
«Blew my mind»
«Just one more turn»
I’ve been really waiting for this game and now, when I can finally play it, Frostpunk seems to be even better than I thought. It has both a strong touchy story and good well-balanced survival gameplay - and it’s a rare thing for the genre.
You start with a city builder but in several hours you go deeper and deeper, and now you have to manage relationships between citizens, discover the story of the city and not forget to survive.
Have I mentioned how much I love the setting of this steampunk winter?
The visuals are realistic and beautiful, like you’re there with your people freezing. The game gives you the opportunity to join them in the emotional way, and this makes the game amazingly immersive.
I’m sad that Frostpunk is so short. There is a great potential here, so I hope the devs will make DLCs or add new modes to this wonderful game.
No emotional attachment to the citizens. The game forces you to make decisions according to the profit but I prefer building closer relationships with my wards. The story is also very linear and offers only one playstyle - so I don’t see any replay potential here. Yes, the visuals are great but that’s not enough for a game to be worthy to play.