Frostpunk has a very noble concept in its roots, humanity
and everything. We`ve been told the game would want to talk difficult decisions
of a society pushed to the extreme in its hope to survive. Instead this game is
about the importance of mining coal before scripted events kick in.
Morally Colourful
11 bit studios are also known for This War of Mine, a game
about surviving civilians in a besieged city. While not particularly
action-packed it was a wild emotional rollercoaster prompting you to question a
lot of things. Heck that game actually made me care about what happened in it.
So when Frostpunk, a “city sim with morally grey decisions” was announced
anticipations of a wider-scale emotional storm set in. A city on the brink of
destruction with questionable decisions as its only hope is what I imagined the
game to be. The main story, however, isn`t having enough of that.
Undoubtedly, the moral element persists in the game with
laws that can be passed within certain intervals of time. These laws tackle
questions like whether children should be allowed to work, or where to dispose
of dead bodies etc. The options are usually divided into ‘more humane, but less
cost effective’ and vice versa. Each option passed slightly alters the
‘discontent’ and ‘hope’ bars alongside other effects that it might bring.
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| The game screen has a nice touch of 'frost' on the edges. |
Nonetheless, at the end of the day it doesn`t really matter if the very sick became amputees or kept alive in palliative care, because as soon as the ‘Londoners’ event kicks in the hope and discontent bars are re-set to a specific value. Regardless of whether it is intended as a cruel satire on life or an accidental effect this really undermines the importance of said decisions. You would have a stable community with food, health care, housing, and entertainment, or a bunch of half-dead hungry hobos you`d still get the same value set as soon as the event kicks in.
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| Citizen statements every now and then were probably suppose to humanize the town`s workforce, but instead it`s like a poor man`s Chirper. |
Around the same time another choice is given, the ‘purpose’.
Basically the player is to decide whether the town becomes a theocracy or a
police state. Multiple guides on playing the main story underline the
usefulness of the latter option, while shunning the other one. Understandably,
you can`t really accommodate everybody in their playstyle, however the
impotence of one option over another seems like an oversight.
The great cold white
The game is centred on the temperature mechanic. Quite literally,
actually, since there is a giant furnace running on coal in the middle of every
city. Based on the outside temperature and the weather insulation capabilities
of buildings performance of your fellow citizens changes, their discontent and
their ability to get sick.
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| The temperature screen. The colder the conditions the easier for the inhabitants to fall ill. |
While an interesting mechanic it would definitely be a highlight of an endless mode where one would have to accommodate to it constant temperature changes. Now, however, all weather changes are scripted creating something of a Dark Souls effect: “I know when and what will strike and will accommodate my playthrough just for that”. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it does take away the replayability.
Actually, replayability is something this game really
struggles with. If you for whatever reason didn`t find the main scenario
appealing there is only two (at this moment in time, more to come) scenarios to
attempt, and no endless mode. Not that it would work with all the events having
a trigger and a timer. It feels as if that the developer only realised the
issues too late in development and decided to work around them instead.
Visually, however, the game is stunning. The steampunk
setting, coupled with the snowy wasteland looks really nice and appealing. I
would also like to note a very good level of polish where bugs aren`t visible
(if any). It is definitely a treat to watch the town within its day and night
cycle.
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| The second, seed vault scenario. |
The overalls
It`s kind of conflicting for me to rate Frostpunk. At one
hand, I felt completely dissatisfied with its in-game mechanics and lack of
weight of player`s decisions, on the other it has a nice polished picture to
it, well thought out visual design, and an interesting temperature mechanic. It
is worth a try, but it is not something to come back to, 5/10.
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