Cryostasis overview

Tryp · 03-27-2012, 06:47 PM

I've had this game for some time now, but have yet to finish it. I'd characterize it as a true survival horror - it's in first person, yes, but you're in a hostile environment, alone, with horrible creatures that try to kill you and limited resources and guns/ammo. The goal is to survive and learn the whole story.

From the start, this game grabs you with its effects: it's set on a Russian icebreaker and just playing the game will make you feel colder. I find it difficult to play in the winter due to the psychological chill that pervades the game. The silent isolation, crackling ice everywhere, blinding snow, water dripping and scarce heat sources all make you long for a cozy fire and a mug of something warm and non Russian.

You don't have a health bar, per se, but instead a heat meter. If you get too cold, you die. You periodically find heat sources to warm you up with, but any strenuous activity (running/jumping, fighting) will use up some heat. These few fires, stoves, lightbulbs and what have you are your "health regeneration" essentially. Use them as often as you can.

The weapons are bizarre and feel archaic and fragile. The ammo is scarce, so like the old style survival horror, try and make every shot count and use the melee weapons when you can. Fights usually occur suddenly and swiftly and you have little time to react. Unfortunately this is usually where the biggest drawback of this game shows itself, as the framerate can plummet on many machines making combat difficult.

The game is pretty badly optimized and so very demanding on your machine. Fiddling with the settings to ensure you are getting the best possible performance is advisable. It is a beast but it is well worth the effort of getting it to run properly as the gameplay and story are rather unique.

The creatures are dark, disturbing and horrifying in nature. They are so bizarre that they seem very out of place on this stranded vessel, but I'm certain the story will reveal why that is. Some seem to have mechanical or cybernetic parts grafted on, others seem like altered humans, still others are things entirely not of this world.

There are sequences within the game where you must go back into a dead crew member's past and (usually) find the reason for his demise and correct it before you can continue. This is a novel mechanic in horror gaming and I find it to be quite satisfying, although it may take several tries to figure out what you must do in each of these sequences.

Overall the atmosphere is creepy, dark and cold...everything seems frozen and dead. You truly feel isolated and alone and find yourself looking deeply into shadows before advancing. Sometimes you see things that you are unsure of...

The story is given in pieces as notes and pictures and bits of text you find about the place, piecing together the tale of what happened to the doomed icebreaker. It's quite an experience and I consider it a must play in the category of horror gaming.

traxandrew · 04-11-2012, 06:41 PM

Thanks, for the review I'm planning to replay the game in future.

pureobscure · 04-22-2012, 06:33 PM

This is one of the best games I've ever played. The fact that it had a limited audience makes me

reynolds83 · 05-09-2012, 06:12 PM

I love the the music in the game. havent finished it yet but im getting there. It can be quite difficuilt at times wish the weapons were more effective.Overall i think its a great game

Heids24 · 05-20-2012, 07:29 AM

I need to get back to this game. I put about 5 hours in and then beame distracted with something else. It truely is an impressive game. Great ambience and looks really good if you have the hardware to max it out.

You might just have inspired me to load this one back up.

Batty · 05-24-2012, 08:40 AM

I urge anyone who hasn't finished the game yet to FINISH IT!

The ending wraps up the story quite well and is truly creative. This game combines several genres, is intelligent, and has its own philosophy. Not to mention the impressive graphics both with and without ice.

Cryostasis was interesting and different about halfway through but after the ending, it moved into my favorites list.

fisa7 · 08-21-2012, 03:06 AM

scary game as hell

03-27-2012, 06:47 PM	#1
Tryp Join Date: Mar 2012 Reputation: 177 Posts: 346	Cryostasis overview I've had this game for some time now, but have yet to finish it. I'd characterize it as a true survival horror - it's in first person, yes, but you're in a hostile environment, alone, with horrible creatures that try to kill you and limited resources and guns/ammo. The goal is to survive and learn the whole story. From the start, this game grabs you with its effects: it's set on a Russian icebreaker and just playing the game will make you feel colder. I find it difficult to play in the winter due to the psychological chill that pervades the game. The silent isolation, crackling ice everywhere, blinding snow, water dripping and scarce heat sources all make you long for a cozy fire and a mug of something warm and non Russian. You don't have a health bar, per se, but instead a heat meter. If you get too cold, you die. You periodically find heat sources to warm you up with, but any strenuous activity (running/jumping, fighting) will use up some heat. These few fires, stoves, lightbulbs and what have you are your "health regeneration" essentially. Use them as often as you can. The weapons are bizarre and feel archaic and fragile. The ammo is scarce, so like the old style survival horror, try and make every shot count and use the melee weapons when you can. Fights usually occur suddenly and swiftly and you have little time to react. Unfortunately this is usually where the biggest drawback of this game shows itself, as the framerate can plummet on many machines making combat difficult. The game is pretty badly optimized and so very demanding on your machine. Fiddling with the settings to ensure you are getting the best possible performance is advisable. It is a beast but it is well worth the effort of getting it to run properly as the gameplay and story are rather unique. The creatures are dark, disturbing and horrifying in nature. They are so bizarre that they seem very out of place on this stranded vessel, but I'm certain the story will reveal why that is. Some seem to have mechanical or cybernetic parts grafted on, others seem like altered humans, still others are things entirely not of this world. There are sequences within the game where you must go back into a dead crew member's past and (usually) find the reason for his demise and correct it before you can continue. This is a novel mechanic in horror gaming and I find it to be quite satisfying, although it may take several tries to figure out what you must do in each of these sequences. Overall the atmosphere is creepy, dark and cold...everything seems frozen and dead. You truly feel isolated and alone and find yourself looking deeply into shadows before advancing. Sometimes you see things that you are unsure of... The story is given in pieces as notes and pictures and bits of text you find about the place, piecing together the tale of what happened to the doomed icebreaker. It's quite an experience and I consider it a must play in the category of horror gaming.

05-24-2012, 08:40 AM	#6
Batty Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 12 Posts: 63	Finish the Game! I urge anyone who hasn't finished the game yet to FINISH IT! The ending wraps up the story quite well and is truly creative. This game combines several genres, is intelligent, and has its own philosophy. Not to mention the impressive graphics both with and without ice. Cryostasis was interesting and different about halfway through but after the ending, it moved into my favorites list.

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04-11-2012, 06:41 PM	#2
traxandrew Join Date: Jan 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 32	Thanks, for the review I'm planning to replay the game in future.

04-22-2012, 06:33 PM	#3
pureobscure Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 248 Posts: 532	This is one of the best games I've ever played. The fact that it had a limited audience makes me

05-09-2012, 06:12 PM	#4
reynolds83 Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 1 Posts: 45	I love the the music in the game. havent finished it yet but im getting there. It can be quite difficuilt at times wish the weapons were more effective.Overall i think its a great game

05-20-2012, 07:29 AM	#5
Heids24 Join Date: Nov 2009 Reputation: 261 Posts: 1,456	I need to get back to this game. I put about 5 hours in and then beame distracted with something else. It truely is an impressive game. Great ambience and looks really good if you have the hardware to max it out. You might just have inspired me to load this one back up.

08-21-2012, 03:06 AM	#7
fisa7 Join Date: Dec 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 10	scary game as hell