Summary

• Release Year: 2016
• Genres: Adventure, Indie
• Platforms: iOS, PC (Microsoft Windows)
• Developers: Down to the Wire

The Ice-Bound Concordance: A Haunting and Unforgettable Adventure

Released in 2016, The Ice-Bound Concordance is an award-winning indie game that takes players on a journey through the frozen ruins of a sinking polar research base. With a unique combinatorial narrative system, players help a troubled A.I. complete his final masterpiece.

The game is inspired by the mysterious fiction of writers like Borges and books like House of Leaves. It begins with the player being introduced to a digital simulation of a long-dead author, who is tasked with completing his final masterpiece, a story of explorers trapped at the end of the world. The player must help the A.I. by exploring hundreds of permutations of his famous stories. By conversing with the A.I. and rearranging his fragmented book, players decide how (and if) his book should end.

The Ice-Bound Concordance is a truly unique and unforgettable experience. It is a game that will stay with you long after you finish playing it.

Gameplay

The Ice-Bound Concordance is a point-and-click adventure game with a unique combinatorial narrative system. This system allows the player’s input to shape the story with far more fidelity than most story-based games.

The game is played from a first-person perspective. The player explores the frozen ruins of the polar research base, interacting with objects and characters. The player can also converse with the A.I. writer, who provides guidance and insights into the story.

As the player explores, they will collect fragments of the A.I. writer’s book. These fragments can be rearranged to create different versions of the story. The player must use their judgment to decide which fragments to use and how to arrange them.

The game’s combinatorial narrative system allows for a vast number of possible endings. The player’s choices will determine how the story unfolds and what ending they receive.

Setting

The Ice-Bound Concordance is set in the frozen ruins of a polar research base. The base has been abandoned for years, and the only remaining inhabitants are the A.I. writer and a few scattered ghosts.

The base is a haunting and atmospheric setting. The player can explore the base’s various rooms, each of which tells a different part of the story. The player can also venture outside the base, into the frozen wasteland that surrounds it.

Characters

The player character is never named, but they are a silent observer of the events that unfold. The player’s only interaction with the world is through their conversations with the A.I. writer.

The A.I. writer is a complex and tragic figure. He is a brilliant writer, but he is also tormented by his past. The player must help the A.I. writer come to terms with his past and complete his final masterpiece.

Themes

The Ice-Bound Concordance explores a number of themes, including:

• The nature of reality
• The power of stories
• The importance of redemption

The game asks the player to question what is real and what is not. It also explores the power of stories to shape our lives. The game’s ultimate message is that redemption is possible, even in the darkest of times.

Reception

The Ice-Bound Concordance has received critical acclaim from both critics and players. The game has been praised for its unique and innovative gameplay, its haunting and atmospheric setting, and its complex and well-written characters.

The game has won numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the Independent Games Festival and the Nuovo Award at the Venice Film Festival.

Conclusion

The Ice-Bound Concordance is a truly unique and unforgettable experience. It is a game that will stay with you long after you finish playing it. If you are looking for a game that will challenge your mind and stay with you long after you finish playing it, then The Ice-Bound Concordance is the game for you.

Review Score

9/10

Art

Cover Art

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