With a name like Black Ice, you might’ve expected something a little different. Maybe its the Canadian in me that made me wonder if the game was about playing hockey in the dark, but in truth I was wrong. Black Ice is a really interesting game, and its worth taking a look at if you’re looking for something a little different.
I had the opportunity to stream Black Ice when a viewer chose the game from my desktop. I literally had never booted it up before, and my knowledge of it consisted simply of what was said in the press release (which I couldn’t really remember anyways). So I booted it up and started playing. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the game’s unique aesthetic. The visuals are simple yet captivating, thanks to the contrasting colors and environment. The gameplay is simple enough; you pick a prism, and fight the baddies that come roaring out of it. When you defeat them, you get to loot an item from within the prism. Level up, and you assign skill points. Its an interesting mix of FPS and RPG.
While the game was enjoyable, it did get a bit repetitive. The battles were more of the same, and it started to feel like a bit of a grind. Also the lack of a gun model hurt immersion, especially considering how essential the combat is to the core gameplay. Considering its still early in development, and I’m sure the developer SuperDuperGC will continue to improve on the experience. The fundamental idea is pretty neat, and the game shows flashes of roguelike-FPS excitement.