Frostpunk

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 955 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 773 out of 955
  2. Mixed: 117 out of 955
  3. Negative: 65 out of 955
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  1. ScienceAdvisor
    Apr 25, 2018
    4
    It is atmospheric (music and FX) and look good, for what you can actually see (top down). But with only four to six hours of game time, and zero replayabilty once you succeed in figuring the gimmick of illogical gameplay balancing is just to hide linear development, you will be disappointed. Either that, or post-purchase dissonance is kicking in so you are not feeling so bad about yourIt is atmospheric (music and FX) and look good, for what you can actually see (top down). But with only four to six hours of game time, and zero replayabilty once you succeed in figuring the gimmick of illogical gameplay balancing is just to hide linear development, you will be disappointed. Either that, or post-purchase dissonance is kicking in so you are not feeling so bad about your $30 DLC length "game". This is being called a complex puzzle by some, but is just poor design when you read the wiki to see the analysis of game mechanics. At full price this is massively overpriced, and the missing gameplay will surely be sold as DLC. This will probably flesh Frostpunk out into a real game, why pay twice? Skip it for now, and wait for a game + full DLC pack. It is not as if the graphics are going to age much in the next 12 months.… Expand
  2. Rezylectx
    Jul 24, 2021
    2
    Completed the game, all expansions + endless mode. Biggest waste of my time.
    Losing everything to because citizens are too **** dumb, nah go **** yourself.
    Losing from discontent is if not the most infuriating thing i've ever experience on this planet, whoever created this system go to hell.
  3. Ben_ben
    Nov 3, 2021
    3
    Just collect coal and food, then more people, then more coal, repeat. There is not much feature, just build some circles
  4. zgollum
    May 5, 2018
    4
    Though the game is kind of fun and has a nice atmosphere, but it's VERY short (around 8 hours of gameplay for medium difficulty) and very linear. No replay-ability whatsoever.
  5. spreadsheeticus
    May 9, 2018
    0
    Really cool ideas, but the game becomes very tedious and repetitive very quickly. Very limited replay value.
  6. Lawgun
    May 12, 2021
    0
    Very primitive game with interesting concept but linear way of development. It's no different from typical tower defense game from smartphones since even though you have plenty of options what to build and where there is only one most optimal way to do things - how developers made it originally and a few of alternative variants not so different from main route. So what is the point of thisVery primitive game with interesting concept but linear way of development. It's no different from typical tower defense game from smartphones since even though you have plenty of options what to build and where there is only one most optimal way to do things - how developers made it originally and a few of alternative variants not so different from main route. So what is the point of this game? Just finding developers root? Very interesting, your faction will die several times before you even know what options you have. Too boring.… Expand
  7. Chubac
    May 13, 2020
    4
    Very repetitive gameplay with no replay value whatsoever. One of the most boring and un-fun games out there. The only thing that saves it from being a 1-point game is the interesting premise and the law/politics system.
  8. Skellor
    May 10, 2018
    0
    So my review got deleted.
    I'll write another one.
    Game is short ~ 10 hours gameplay. It's terribly low for "builder" game.
    It's linear and scripted. It's even worse for such genre.
    Do not buy it. Wait for more content like sandbox mode or random events.
  9. SRKNZ
    Jun 22, 2018
    4
    Could have been a good game but isn't. The key reasons are the absence of a very detailed tutorial (this is a complex game) and generally weak, counter intuitive, interface design. The result is a game where you have no idea what you are supposed to do or how you are supposed to do it whilst facing significant and serious time constraints. I think too a gentler, more gradual introductionCould have been a good game but isn't. The key reasons are the absence of a very detailed tutorial (this is a complex game) and generally weak, counter intuitive, interface design. The result is a game where you have no idea what you are supposed to do or how you are supposed to do it whilst facing significant and serious time constraints. I think too a gentler, more gradual introduction of challenges would have softened the learning curve.

    Some might call these things challenging, I simply call it careless. If I want frustration there is plenty of that in day to day working life without adding to it while I'm trying to relax. One for die hard's only I suspect.

    For my money Civilization (not the latest one) is a better bet.    … Expand
  10. JamesStephens
    Jul 11, 2020
    0
    Horrible game. No real way to win. People are awful, ungrateful, whimpy, basically the type of people that would have died in this scenario. No refunds available either so they took my money and I got nothing out of it. Do not buy this game if you enjoy a real strategy game. You are very limited and the story/graphics just plain suck. I will never buy from this company again.
  11. Henrique117
    Jul 3, 2018
    1
    Run away from this trap! There are several threads on steam about how often this bugged game just don´t launch, how many players couldn´t play what they paid for, and how little (nothing actually) the devs care about this.
    It took me 6 hours of hard labor, between guides, tutorials and downloads to make to launch. It was like trying to run a early 90s PC game (and was this kind of    Run away from this trap! There are several threads on steam about how often this bugged game just don´t launch, how many players couldn´t play what they paid for, and how little (nothing actually) the devs care about this.
    It took me 6 hours of hard labor, between guides, tutorials and downloads to make to launch. It was like trying to run a early 90s PC game (and was this kind of headache that made me play exclusively on consoles until early 00s).
    I recommend this game to no one, and warn that only the masochist, IT workers and those don´t mind burning cash should try it.
    And about the game itself. Its decent, but not worth the trouble. Middling sound/graphics, good events/atmosphere, but really need improvement on info display.    … Expand
  12. Rytis
    Feb 4, 2019
    0
    The game is unplayable because of a ridiculously small font size and no option to change it. I tried lowering the resolution but at some point there is no video, only sound. Anyway, I've read that changing the resolution doesn't help because the text is scaled accordingly. After a few minutes of playing my eyes started watering from continuous strain.
  13. BulgarianCritic
    Nov 21, 2018
    0
    I really wanted to play this game but sadly the programming is **** and the game always crashes or doesn't start.Its sad that the developers also didnt do anything to fix their problem i guess they were too busy making their ****ty DLCS
  14. ZieOmega
    Dec 2, 2019
    0
    Game is over hyped with little options for longevity. I've seen better graphics in a RTS zoomed in to ground level then this forced top view gaming experience.

    - Sound is the best part of the game - No sandbox option (only story line or paid DLC yet still dependent on choices with no mistakes) - No multiplayer - No mod support - Game play is like 6-8 hours without replay fun Game    Game is over hyped with little options for longevity. I've seen better graphics in a RTS zoomed in to ground level then this forced top view gaming experience.

    - Sound is the best part of the game
    - No sandbox option (only story line or paid DLC yet still dependent on choices with no mistakes)
    - No multiplayer
    - No mod support
    - Game play is like 6-8 hours without replay fun

    Game is over hyped    … Expand
  15. Wooten
    May 27, 2019
    0
    the game has a bug that erase the savefiles. It's since launch and hadn't been fixed yet.
  16. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    4
    Captivated me in the beginning, but it soon became apparent that the game lacks debt and there is not much to it when you figure out the basics, then it becomes boring and stale
  17. devilchao0
    Mar 21, 2019
    3
    Honestly a rather boring game. It can be challenging at times, but isn't very much fun while doing so. The graphics are decent, and so is the sound, but the gameplay is very lacking. There is ZERO replayability and maybe 8 hours of gameplay. But it on a deep, deep sale if you must try it out, but it's not worth more than around $12.
  18. Lonely-wolf1978
    Jul 14, 2020
    4
    Игра полная шляпа, скучная ппц... Не покупайте это овно, оно не стоит никаких денег.
  19. Ksie
    Feb 4, 2021
    0
    Первая часть прекрасна, но дополнения, хоть и вносят новые игровые механики, довольно скучны.
  20. Friendzie
    Aug 25, 2023
    0
    I am not the type to give games 0. I try to see the good in things, and at least give some credit. I really don't see anything redeeming in this, though. I don't even like the music or anything. I bought the ultimate edition on Steam because I actually wanted to play it based on some people raving about it. Saw reviews calling it the best game of all time. Couldn't believe THIS is the gameI am not the type to give games 0. I try to see the good in things, and at least give some credit. I really don't see anything redeeming in this, though. I don't even like the music or anything. I bought the ultimate edition on Steam because I actually wanted to play it based on some people raving about it. Saw reviews calling it the best game of all time. Couldn't believe THIS is the game people are saying that about.

    This game has one exact way you need to progress or you are punished severely. You start off with so few options, yet only one very unintuitive way will result in not losing massive amounts of people on your first night. The first thing the game tells you is nobody has a home and you need coal. If you hyper-focus on either of those two things, people are going to die in droves. Even with a 24 hour decree to keep gathering resources through the night, you can't build enough homes in time. Even the build grid is stifling in its rigidity.

    That this is a preset scenario that's more or less the same every time is baffling. Any other developer in the universe would've turned this kind of idea into much more of a roguelike experience with vastly different things happening every time, and not start off with such a ridiculously punishing one-way or death outset scenario.

    It's hard for me to see the 10/10 reviews as anything but people who think that they've beaten some hard game, and feel this sense of accomplishment, but it's really all smoke and mirrors difficulty. Anyone can win the game if given the "right" set of things to do in the "right" order, and as such it feels like more of an extremely obtuse trial and error puzzle game than anything else.    … Expand
  21. Marinusf
    Jun 28, 2023
    4
    Its fun for a while and then it's the same nonsense over and over again. It has good graphics tho.
  22. realWhiteMan
    Apr 9, 2023
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My rating is based on my impressions of the game. This is not an objective review. I play quite a big number of titles per year and decided to review them as a peace of art and not as a product.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best PC Game of 2018
17
#17 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 67 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 63 out of 67
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 67
  3. Negative: 0 out of 67
  1. IGN Japan
    Mar 5, 2020
    90
    Frostpunk is a city-building simulation game that puts an emphasis not just on efficiency, but also the moral qualities of the player as a leader. Even if you normally don’t play simulation games, you will definitely be able to appreciate its uniqueness on a lower difficulty setting.
    Read full review
  2. The Digital Fix
    Mar 14, 2019
    90
    Frostpunk is bleak. Really bleak. Each decision serves not to ensure progress, but to ensure survival against overwhelming odds. It’s essentially a Crisis Management Simulator, and I love it for that. Just remember to play something more cheerful immediately afterwards.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 13, 2018
    80
    Scripted events will get annoying, but the very foundation chills to the bones. Extraordinary building strategy, with which you will literally freeze. [Issue#286]
See all critic reviews »