The developers over at 11 Bit Studios, who are responsible for the beloved survival game This War of Mine, have announced the release date for their game Frostpunk with a new trailer. Frostpunk is a strategic survival game about humanity’s final bidding in a massive frozen wasteland. This cinematic trailer demonstrates that this game has no intentions of holding back on the depravity of post-apocalyptic catastrophe, and allows a more intimate look into the world players will inhabit.
Frostpunk appropriately mixes the setting of a frozen-over city with steampunk aesthetics. The game is set in an alternative version of the nineteenth century, where the world is encased with ice, and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Players must build and expand their steam-powered citadel as they are the ruler of the last city on Earth, and harness as many resources as possible to keep society at bay. Between enforcing rules, pushing back against the cold, and sending out expeditions to gather survivors or pivotal information, Frostpunk demands that players hold keen attention as their city struggles to stand upright. Choices will certainly matter, meaning consequences for the city and ruler alike will not go unnoticed.
Optimization and resource management will often clash with the empathy and decision-making processes. On one hand, players must generate hope within the city to keep their population striving, but maintaining that efficiently will often bleed into the time needed to properly manage the city itself. Exploration will be an integral part of the gameplay, which needs to be planned out as carefully as anything else. Leaving the city for too long, or using expenses without much payback will all negatively impact the city, meaning planning can never be too careful.
Frostpunk comes out on Steam, Humble, and GOG for $30 on April 24. A physical copy of the game can also be purchased with an included hardcore art book for $35. If this game is anything like This War of Mine, which it is certainly proving to be, it’s one to keep an eye out for.