Image credit: Rocketwerkz/GRIP Studios
Survival games are among the most immersive experiences available on console. Instead of just having one mission to complete in a campaign, you’re tasked with keeping your character alive, fending off enemies, and battling the elements while completing your quests.
ICARUS is a great example of a game that pushes this multi-tasking style of play to the limit. I reviewed the console edition of ICARUS on the PlayStation 5 as a solo player; while it does have flaws in places, it’s a hell of a lot of fun, particularly if you enjoy more gruelling survival experiences.
An almost overwhelming world
In ICARUS, you’re tasked with surviving an alien world that’s been decimated by failed terraforming attempts.
The world is incredibly beautiful, with lush landscapes, rolling sand dunes, and snow-dusted peaks, but as you might imagine based on the game genre, it’s also deadly. You’ll start off alone – or with up to three friends, if you’re playing online co-op – but the wildlife on the planet will soon make themselves known.
The core gameplay is what you’d expect from a survival game. Find shelter to ward off the elements, locate a water source, and get your hands on something to eat, all while leveling up and developing skills or new craftable recipes.
Something I particularly liked in the ICARUS gameplay loop is that oxygen had to be managed, via a beautiful rock called Oxite. It’s a small but meaningful addition to the standard ‘manage temperature, hunger, and thirst’ trifecta that can be found in most survival games, and it added a little extra difficulty.
Speaking of difficulty, there were a couple of difficulty modes on offer, along with a few styles of play. You can join a world with friends, create your own open world experience, or tap into bite-sized missions with specific goals. There’s also a more crafting-oriented mode.
While I did spend the bulk of my time in my own open-world setting, experimenting with the intricate crafting and combat options, I did dip into the mission tab. These scenarios were fun and challenging, ranging from completing archery courses to locating the sources of mysterious gas clouds.
Plenty of potential, with some bugs
The main feeling I got in my first hour of play in ICARUS was that it felt incredibly vast.
I was almost overwhelmed at first by the sheer variety of crafting recipes, interactive items, and playstyle options, and found myself coming back to it repeatedly during the review period just to experiment and try new builds. It’s a game that rewards experimentation and exploration.
On the more practical side, movement felt good in ICARUS, if a little floaty in places. I found exploring to be rewarding, particularly thanks to the wide variety of zones and environmental features to uncover.
I also appreciated that ICARUS didn’t feel too on-rails. There wasn’t too much in the way of a tutorial – it was more of a case of landing on the planet, running around, and getting my bearings while I figured out the controls. This isn’t always the case in the survival niche, and I found this refreshing.
While I enjoyed my time with ICARUS, I uncovered some quirks and potential bugs.
A smaller one was the respawn pod – when you die, you’re sent back down to the planet in a pod to respawn. If you stand up while this is happening and you’re flying back down to the ground, you’ll be sent careening out into the atmosphere.
Additionally, I ran into a few instances of strange clipping textures or textures vanishing entirely. This was particularly prevalent in the desert region, where cliffs or rocks would turn multicoloured, like a heat map, almost as if the top layer of the texture had been peeled away.
It was admittedly pretty to look at, but it was immersion-breaking to see this while my character was scrabbling around for a water source. There was another instance of this happening in the forested region, where the trees had purple rectangles on them.
Other than this, ICARUS generally ran well and looked good during my time with it. The world was gorgeous – I spent a lot of time taking screenshots of the forested areas, which looked delightful – and performance was generally smooth throughout, with no notable frame drops.
The ICARUS console edition has the potential to consume your life for hours upon hours if you’re an avid fan of survival games. While there are certainly some quirks in the game, the experience was largely compelling, offering plenty of different ways for players to tackle the strange yet charming alien world.
FAQs
ICARUS is a multiplayer game with a solid single-player offering. Up to four people can play together, but it’s also a great experience as a solo player.
No, according to the game’s PlayStation Store page, the console edition for ICARUS does not support cross-play.
ICARUS is approachable in some gameplay modes, but difficult in others. Players looking for a challenge can tweak the game to make it harder.
Yes, ICARUS has multiple modes. Missions act as individual scenarios; Outposts operate in creative mode, similar to Minecraft; and Open World is the standard style of play.
No, ICARUS is a survival game, not a survival horror game. There are enemies to fight, but it’s not too high-stakes or intense.
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