Impact Winter Review

30 days is a long time to wait for anything, let alone for rescue to arrive. Then again when you have been fighting to survive in a post-apocalyptic world brought about by the impact of a devastating asteroid collision. Taking control of Jacob Solomon, you need to lead your team to survival by any means possible in this frozen world and see what awaits for you at this so-called rescue.

You see, in Impact Winter you are thrown right into the game's main events. The setting, goal and main objectives are laid out in front of you from the get go. The world has ended and your only chances of survival lay in the hopes of a small robot called Ako-Light who has been broadcasting the transmission of rescue. With no idea who is sending this message or if it is to be believed are unclear but what matters is there is hope. That sense of hope is what drives the characters in this game and what will ultimately drive you as well.

From the moment you take control of Jacob you know where you need to be putting your time and efforts to reach the end. Fundamentally there are a number of layers to this title which you need to ensure you spend time on equally to improve your chances of rescue. At its core this title is a survival game where keeping yourself and your party alive is key. From making sure there is plenty of food and water, collecting firewood to keep the home warm, building and upgrading usual installations and of course, defending yourself from the cold and the many dangers you will encounter.  

At the same time you need to focus on your companion Ako-Light will aid you in your survival and is the reason for your rescue. See, by completing missions and exploring the world you earn RP (rescue points) which can be used to level up and help to reduce the amount of time you need to wait for rescue. Balancing your time and where you put your efforts is key and once you get to grips with the game's systems it starts to become a breeze to manage your time. It is just a shame that it isn’t as simple to actually play Impact Winter.

Though the title has a number of interesting ideas and gameplay mechanics at work there is a serious lack of polish found throughout the gameplay. One of the main causes of frustration in this title is the lack of feedback to the player. Often you will find yourself in a situation where you are unsure how to progress due to not knowing how. Even the ingame tutorial is lacking in information and glosses over some elements of the game which as you can guess does not really help. Thankfully though I did not encounter any game breaking bugs but what I faced instead was a continuous challenge against the game's own systems and lack of real narrative throughout.

Impact Winter also struggles with the fact that once you get past the first few days your find yourself repeating the same actions until it becomes mind numbing. Sure, survival games have the need for repeated actions and events but with such a strong setting and the chance for a lot of interesting, memorable moments it is just a shame that Impact Winter fails to deliver. Sure the game is playable and has enjoyable elements but it is filled with problems in how it gives players information and content.

 Visually speaking though the end of the world has never looked so good. The post-apocalyptic snowfall has led to what was surely an impressive sight of human construction now being nothing more than a thick blanket of white. At times you will find parts of the environment that are breaking through the snow which give you a sense of location and a point of interest. That said though the most visually interesting locations are found under the snow in the dark underground caverns which are found all over. All the environments are beautifully rendered on screen with a good sound design to accompany your journey. Plus the way Jacob moves through the snow is a fantastic bit of animation.

Throughout your time with Impact Winter you will find plenty of locations worth a visit, both in terms of visuals and rewards, but the constant fight against the odds will have you measuring every actions against its reward. Seeing it through to the end will be a struggle in itself, and not just because of the challenge the game present to you. It is a shame that Impact Winter is filled with both bugs and design problems as at it’s core there are the makings of a brilliant title. That’s not to say that it is one to avoid, but it is one that you might one to consider before picking up. With a few updates and some changes here and there, Impact Winter could be a solid title. For now though it is one to let the snow cover.