The Frosts: First Ones
Gameplay 7
Graphics 7
Sound 8

The Frosts: First Ones is an interesting adventure game set in a harsh and frozen world. Players take control of a hunter named Berak, who embarks on a rescue mission to find his missing neighbor. While the gameplay mainly consists of walking through the environments, there are some interactions with other people and close encounters with dangerous wildlife. The game is very short, and the story ends just as things become more intriguing, but the low price and unique setting make it worth checking out.

Gameplay: Limited interactions but the journey through the snow-covered world is quite neat.

Graphics: Pixilated and lacking in color, but still very detailed and packed with interesting scenes.

Sound: The soundtrack and sound effects are really good

Summary 7.3 Great
Gameplay 0
Graphics 0
Sound 0
Summary rating from user's marks. You can set own marks for this article - just click on stars above and press "Accept".
Accept
Summary 0.0 Terrible

The Frosts: First Ones

Developer: Ivan Sukhanov | Publisher: Ivan Sukhanov | Release Date: 2021 | Genre: Adventure / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Times are tough in the world of The Frosts: First Ones. The only season is winter, and every year it becomes colder and colder. Berak is a hunter living in a small village on the edge of a forest. The game opens with Berak’s neighbor, Cilla, approaching him in tears after her husband Hendrik fails to return from a hunt. Cilla fears the worse as it has been a week since Hendrik departed, so Berak reluctantly agrees to set out in search of the missing hunter.

It is up to players to guide Berak through the harsh and cold environments while scanning for clues that may lead to Hendrik. Although Berak is a skilled hunter, wild creatures such as wolves, bears, and boars could quickly end his journey if he is not careful. However, far beyond the areas Berak is familiar with, other mysteries are waiting to be discovered. Thus, what starts as a relatively mundane rescue mission eventually turns into something much bigger and mysterious.

The Frosts: First Ones is a very short game, so we can’t reveal too much more about the storyline without spoiling some of the best elements. It is the work of solo developer Ivan Sukhanov who has crafted a very enjoyable adventure that, unfortunately, won’t appeal to everyone. Although the Frosts features some danger and Berak can die if players are not careful, the game mainly involves a lot of walking. Berak does not have an inventory that players must manage, stats to monitor, or even puzzles to be solved. Instead, players must navigate the lonely snow-covered environments until they trigger the next story element. It is still a gratifying experience, and the story takes some unexpected turns, but the pace might be a little too slow for some players.

Visually the game features a minimal color palette, with most scenes dominated by white, brown, and blue. Despite the sparse colors, each area is very densely packed with detail to the point where it is easy to lose sight of Berak as you guide him through the frozen flora. It’s not always obvious where to go next due to all this detail, but luckily the areas in the game are not as big as they appear either. Players who wander off the beaten path might be rewarded with a glimpse of something unique, but mostly invisible walls will block your progress. The game is viewed from an overhead perspective, and we loved the small touches, such as startled birds taking flight when Berak ventures too close. Occasionally Berak will encounter other humans that can be engaged in conversation or, more likely, wild animals that must be avoided. Some of the encounters with the animals can be a little annoying as they can instantly kill Berak if you make a wrong move. In the case of a wild boar, we tried everything to sneak past it, but only one specific route actually worked.

Luckily the game autosaves before any dangerous encounters, so not much time is lost if Berak dies. However, we were unfortunate enough to encounter a bug with this system after exiting the game shortly after it autosaved. Upon returning later, we couldn’t proceed with the story as the next sequences would not trigger no matter what we did. In the end, we had to restart the game and lose more than an hour of progress in the process, but this appears to have been an isolated incident. The Frosts: First Ones is quite a short game too, so it is easy to complete it in one sitting.

The soundtrack for The Frosts: First Ones was created by Anvar Hazgaleev and offers plenty of great tunes to keep players company during their lonely trek. Some unexpected instruments, such as an electric guitar, also make an appearance in the soundtrack but fit the game’s tone surprisingly well. The sound effects are also very good, and it is almost possible to feel the extreme cold thanks to the crunch of Berak’s footsteps in the snow and the howling of the wind. The game even features some sparse voice acting by Berak, although it can be hard to discern what he is saying at times. The rest of the dialog in the game is handled via text, and it is evident that the English translation is quite rough. We never had any trouble understanding what was being said or described, but all the writing could benefit from a lot more polish. The game can be played with a controller or keyboard and mouse. The controls are very straightforward, too, with one button reserved for using, taking, or inspecting and another for jumping. Jumping makes navigating some of the areas easier, but the scenes that require interaction, such as climbing up a cliff or healing an injured animal, feel a bit too much like trial and error.

Overall, The Frosts: First Ones is an interesting and unique game that offers a very different experience. The fact that it is mostly a walking simulator coupled with the stark environments and pixilated visuals might also limit the appeal to some players. However, despite being very short, the game is priced low enough to make it an impulse purchase for anyone even remotely interested in the premise. With this game, the developer has created a very compelling game world, and we would love to see future titles that delve more into what happened before and after Berak’s rescue mission.

System Requirements

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7 SP1+ 64bit (or later)
  • Processor: Intel or AMD Dual-Core at 2.4 GHz or better
  • Memory: 2 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 840M / AMD Radeon 530
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 1 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible
  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 7 SP1+ 64bit (or later)
  • Processor: Quad Core Processor
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 or better
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 1 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible

Related posts

Flying Red Barrel – The Diary of a Little Aviator

Flying Red Barrel - The Diary of a Little Aviator

Flying Red Barrel makes its long-overdue debut on Steam with this update on the classic bullet hell shooter. It features five challenging levels, multiple bosses, and a scoring system that is a lot more advanced than it looks. The addition of modern resolution and controller options is a welcome touch, but the gameplay is still the same as what purists fell in love with when the game was first released back in 2007. Gameplay: Very challenging, but also very addictive when you get the hang of it. Graphics: Not exactly cutting-edge, but still charming. Sound: No voice-overs, but the music and sound effects are good.

Rememoried

Rememoried

Rememoried combines surreal but beautiful visuals, atmospheric music, and some very perplexing puzzles into one unique experience. The landscapes you explore are not only dreamlike but, in true dream fashion, also change when you look away, which takes a while to get used to. Don’t expect just to walk around and gawk at the pretty visuals, though, as the game also features plenty of platform jumping, which can be tricky. Overall, it is an engrossing and unique title, but it might be a little too niche for some players. Gameplay: The game doesn’t hold your hand or spell out what you must do, which can sometimes be confusing. Graphics: The visuals are minimalist but very beautiful. Sound: The audio is varied and very atmospheric.

The Hong Kong Massacre

The Hong Kong Massacre

The Hong Kong Massacre is a top-down shooter with an addictive blend of all-out action, slow-motion dives, and bloody destruction. It will receive a lot of comparisons to Hotline Miami and Max Payne, but the addictive gameplay and John Woo elements ensure that it makes its own mark on the genre. The cutscenes could be better, and the game lacks some polish here and there, but overall, it is a great shooter with plenty of thrills to offer for those who are up to the challenge. Gameplay: The game is challenging and unforgiving but very addictive and rewarding. Graphics: The Hong Kong Massacre features plenty of blood, destructible scenery, and interesting locations. Sound: No voice acting, but the soundtrack and sound effects are good.

Save Room – Organization Puzzle

Save Room - Organization Puzzle

Save Room - Organization Puzzle builds an entire game around the inventory management system of games like Resident Evil 4. Players are given a limited amount of inventory space and several items that must be stored in the space. Initially, completing a level is as simple as rotating everything into the right spot, but later levels introduce new factors such as crafting ammo and healing items. It’s a relaxing game but will appeal to players who enjoy Inventory Tetris and not those who find it a chore. Gameplay: Complete levels by rotating, crafting, and combining a variety of items to make sure that everything fits in the available inventory space. Graphics: The visuals are very basic but functional and get the job done. Sound: The music is decent, but the game only features one track that plays on every single level.

BIT.TRIP BEAT

BIT.TRIP BEAT

Bit.Trip.Beat is a great game for when you simply want to test your Arcade skills and put up some highscores. It takes the basic idea of classic titles like Pong and Arkenoid, but puts a fresh modern spin on them. Depending on how much you enjoy Arcade titles you will either love this game or find it way too limited and frustrating. Gameplay: Pretty challenging but fun once you get into the "zone" while playing. Graphics: An appreciation of retro visuals is definitely required. Sound: Nice 8bit sounding and chiptune songs.

RUINER

RUINER

RUINER is a cyberpunk-themed isometric shooter with fast, brutal combat. The game is unforgiving, but players can unlock several abilities to help even the odds. Most of the game is spent locked into combat arenas, but the inclusion of a hub world offers a nice break from the action. Although it is not a very long game, it is very stylish, fun, and challenging. Gameplay: Skill is required to get far, but it is worth the effort. Graphics: The visuals are stylish and detailed, but the levels lack variety. Sound: The soundtrack is incredible and matches the action perfectly.

Leave a comment

seven − one =