Courtesy of the folks at Paranoid Interactive and HyperStrange I’ve been checking out their new Viking RTS title Frozenheim. As always you can find out my thoughts with our full video and extended written review below. Frozenheim isn’t rated by PEGI or the ESRB but as always both reviews come with the Pixel Bandits common-sense parent’s guide.
The Basics
Frozenheim has travelled along the Steam Early Access program, recently releasing into the full store. Even after release it’s good to see that the team are still providing some fixes and improvements with post-launch updates
In Frozenheim, players will begin with a fledgling Viking clan, and a very basic encampment. From here, you’ll need to leverage resource and troop management to defend and build your village into a mighty settlement and fend off wolves and other clans and raiding parties.
There are over twenty campaign missions in Frozenheim, with a story running throughout which gives players a nice anchor as well as steadily introducing game mechanics.
Gathering, crafting and managing various resources is important to build your Viking stronghold. While there are only a small number of troop units (and not a lot of noticeable difference between some of them) you’ll have to manage them effectively in order to provide good offensive and defensive formations.
The title brings some nice ideas, and I’ve really enjoyed some of the mechanics, including the ability to quickly manage worker numbers within your resource buildings. The shifting seasons also add some dynamic elements, and various rune stones provide some variety as you look to conquer the wilderness.
Parent’s Guide
Rating: Caution Advised. There is violence in the title and as you might expect from a real time strategic representation of Viking life, there’s a bit of blood too. Up close, you do see some spilling here and there, however a lack of visual clarity does dull this one a little. The title also brings online co-op and adversarial multiplayer which brings all the usual online risks.
Accessibility
Rating:Low Barrier. Frozenheim does bring a decent tutorial which takes you through the initial stages of building your camp. Also, while base building is thankfully free form it’s also fairly streamlined, with a relatively small number of buildings and units as you might expect from life in a more primitive time. Loading and saving is a little awkward but nothing hugely inconvenient and the nature of the title does lend itself well to picking up and putting down at a time which suits you.
The Run Down
Visuals – Lacking: At times the visuals within Frozenheim are really nice, and when zoomed out the lighting effects within thunderstorms are genuinely enjoyable. Sadly as you get closer troop animations break the fourth wall, and clipping and placement issues are rife throughout. In addition, the while the camera zoom is pretty nice, it can mean the camera gets thrown around quite a lot throughout.
Audio – Good: I absolutely adore the soundtrack for Frozenheim and, for the most part, the effects in game are well created. Unfortunately repetition within troop commands has hit quote hard and narration in a bold american rather than norse accent just makes everything feel a little weird.
Narrative – Lacking: There is a story here, told between cutscenes, but it hasn’t been my favourite of the year so far. In addition to this, an American accent telling the story in the first person breaks the fourth wall completely for me, and undermines what could otherwise be an ok narrative
Replay – Great: The title has 21 campaign missions which can keep you in gameplay for some time. In addition to this, the inclusion of both co-operative and adversarial multiplayer is a great feature. While there aren’t too many troops or ways to approach the levels, there’s still a lot to keep you busy.
The Verdict
Pixel Bandits Valhalla Level for Frozenheim is a Lacking 2/4. The title has some lovely ideas, and the setting and narrative does have great potential. Sadly, awkward controls and clumsy camera paired with some odd visuals have pulled this one down. Importantly these are all things which are fixable, and if they can be seen to I’ve really enjoyed the ideas put into the base management mechanics. As it is, it might be one to pick up in a sale or wait for a little bit of a price drop.