Icarus First Cohort

Icarus is an upcoming computer game developed by Rocketwerkz, and Dean Hall an acclaimed creator from the survival genre, is set for launch on November 2021. The game that was initially announced in the PC Gaming Show of 2020, has faced delays and changes in format since then. The game has been highly anticipated, with big investments towards marketing with a recent new live-action mockumentary offering players a different look into the events that transpired on Icarus, and how it affected them.

Ever-Expanding, Ever Surviving

Icarus is a co-op PC survival game that was once set to be free-to-play but has recently shifted gears towards a game as a service model - much like Marvel’s Avengers by Square Enix. RocketWerkz opted for the DLC chapter-based model, probably to ensure that the quality of continuous support and longevity of the game goes the distance. This is an ambitious attempt since recent attempts at this model have left a bitter taste in the gaming industry’s mouth.

Overall, Icarus is a completely unique proposition for the survival genre, tackling groups of eight players to explore the world, fend off threats, uncover lore, craft materials, and much more. The game as a service model always holds hope over players, it often sets up absurd expectations and the promise of a game where players can dedicate hundreds, if not thousands, of hours.

This ever-expanding universe becomes even more interesting once you take a quick look at Icarus since the game is astonishing to look at. Rendered in Unreal Engine, RocketWerkz has promised an extremely interactable world, with deep exploration. Promises of grandeur are often used to build hype, but Dean Hall has been known for having outlandish ideas, and over-the-top proposals for his projects, which were so far-fetched at times that projects got scratched, however, it seems that Hall, has found its place with the Icarus project.

Humanity’s Greatest Mistake

Icarus was supposed to become humankind’s second home, a planet that was terraformed and colonized to harbor the next generation of humans. During colonization, an alien-like exotic matter reacted to the terraforming interferences being made and corrupted Icarus. The planet quickly became humanity’s greatest mistake, however, the exotic matter that once corrupted Icarus had extreme value, which kickstarted an interstellar gold rush.

Mixing survival, horror, and third-person combat Icarus want to make its players uncomfortable. Players can build their own space station, invite friends over, and accept contracts on the planet below. Activities on the planet vary between scavenging, side-quests, challenges, and community competition. Everything you do is meant to ultimately improve your ability to survive and pillage more, and more resources from Icarus. These resources are also important in improving your weapons, and items to facilitate combat.

The kicker for the game though is how it mixes light roguelike elements, with surviving Icarus. Players can lose their progress, or game in three different ways: you overstayed your welcome and ran out of oxygen, you got attacked and swarmed by wildlife and aliens, or you lost your ride back to the space station. These timed incursions add a strategy and coordination element to the co-op that is not seen in many games of the genre.

Conclusion

With open-beta sessions lining up in the future, more information about missions, challenges, and combat will reveal themselves for anxious fans. Icarus is definitely one of the most ambitious upcoming survival games, however, its own ambition might be its demise, especially since games as a service, and paid expansions aren’t exactly fan favorites at the moment.

PROS:

• Insane Graphics
• Intriguing Story
• Eight Player Co-Op
• Roguelike Mechanic
• Variety of Missions
• Extremely Ambitious
• Very Promising

CONS:

• Game As a Service Model Has Failed The Community Multiple Times
• Paid Expansions Aren’t Fan Favorites
• Changing From Free To Play to One-Time Purchase Felt Odd
• Chapter End Game Grind Can Be Repetitive and Poor