The Pale Beyond

The Pale Beyond, for all its flaws and frustrations, still manages to retain a desolate sort of charm, rough edges and all. It isn’t afraid to put Shaw in horrendously painful situations where there’s no good outcome — there’s one exceptionally bleak scenario where you can practically feel the game gleefully milking what’s left of your serotonin. Coming off the ice and making land after nearly 40 weeks of hell really feels like moving between two worlds; the background art and environments are positively unearthly when shrouded in ominous fog and hazy light. The ocean scenes with icebergs awash in pinks and oranges are truly gorgeous, as are the dark, roiling storms. If only the internal logic of the overall plot was a little more cohesive, and a little less patched together, I feel like I would actually return to the Temperance and give it another whirl. As it stands, I’m still choosing the ending where I get to head home and eat a civilized meal.

The Pale Beyond has the same inner workings as its survival sim counterparts, but its gripping tale of underdog sailors clawing at survival in hopes of returning home will fuel you to its thrilling end.

The emotional weight of the choices you make means that every decision here is extremely important. This is a compelling reason to play the game over and over again—you’ll want to explore the other possible outcomes as well. With its extraordinary soundtrack and captivating visuals that complement the gameplay, The Pale Beyond offers players a resonant experience that transcends its game mechanics and takes root deep in their hearts. If you’re looking for a title that combines moral responsibility with compelling storytelling, The Pale Beyond is undoubtedly for you. So don’t be afraid to put your leadership skills to the test in this inhospitable wasteland—and above all, don’t forget to make yourself a cup of hot cocoa while playing.

While certainly quite text heavy, this sea-faring survival adventure sports strong character development and moral quandaries aplenty

The Pale Beyond is an immersive experience about the effort for a crew to survive on the ice. With an instigating narrative and a gameplay that constantly puts the player's skills to the test, it's an excellent choice for those looking for a serious limited resources management game that at the same time offers a touching experience about people.

The Pale Beyond is a unique game, driven by a great survival concept that makes good use of both narrative RPG and simulation elements.

It’s rare these days for a survival game to put narrative and resource management mechanics on the same level, and do both very well. Overall, I think The Pale Beyond tells a captivating story while torturing players into finding the best solutions for keeping their crew alive.

If you’re a frostbite-loving freak like me, The Pale Beyond is the game for you. It makes me optimistic about the future of this niche genre. The amount of research and care is apparent as you play. The opaque gameplay systems draw you into the narrative, but leave you in suspense. If you’ve made it this far in the review, I have to assume one of those things is appealing to you. Play The Pale Beyond; it might just be the best novel you read this year.

The Pale Beyond has a nice art style and tries to balance an intriguing story and survival gameplay, but the two elements never find common ground, and the technical issues eventually drag the whole experience into the icy waters.

The Pale Beyond sends you to the infinite ice for a deadly mission. It's an exciting concept and it's really a big task to keep your crew alive. It's even more tricky due to a few technical issues.