Icey

Icey (stylized as ICEY) is a 2D side-scrolling hack-and-slash video game developed by Shanghai FantaBlade Network Technology and published by X.D. Network. It was released on November 17, 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and iOS. The Nintendo Switch version was released on May 31, 2018.[1] The game involves a female cyborg's mission to defeat a villain named Judas and his robot minions, and can be played in a linear manner from beginning to end like a typical game. Alternately, the player may disobey the narrator's instructions and in doing so break the fourth wall. The game received positive reviews from critics, who commended it as a good video game in its own right, elevated by its unusual meta-commentary.

Not to be confused with Icy.
ICEY
Developer(s)Shanghai FantaBlade Network Technology
Publisher(s)X.D. Network
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, iOS, MacOS, Nintendo Switch
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows, PlayStation 4, iOS, MacOS
November 17, 2016
Nintendo Switch
May 31, 2018
Genre(s)Hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

The game revolves around Icey, a female cyborg who is on a mission to kill the evil Judas, who has supposedly destroyed the world, for unclear reasons.[2] She fights against various small and large robotic enemies. However, if the player strays outside the directions given to them by the narrator, he becomes frustrated and even angry. At this point the game devolves into a meta-commentary on game development, with the game's developer even talking directly to the player.[3]

Gameplay

The game plays as a 2D hack-and-slash game. The player uses a single weapon, but can perform quick combos with their sword. There is no block, but rather a dash that allows the player to become invulnerable - the player can also refill their shields by killing stunned enemies with a special kill move.[3]

Development

The game initially contained Chinese voice-overs with English subtitles, but English and Japanese-language voice-overs were later added.

Reception

ICEY received an aggregate score of 84/100 for its Windows version on Metacritic.[4] Sawovsky of PLAY! Zine rated the game 8/10, calling the gameplay "excellent" and the meta-story "amusing", but criticizing its short length.[3] Mateusz Zdanowicz of Eurogamer Poland rated the game 9/10 and gave it the Eurogamer Recommended award, calling the game "addictive" and its story "intriguing".[2] Richard Atkinson of Nintendo Life rated the game 8/10, saying that while the game is short, exploring is enjoyable and the storytelling delivery "ingenious", but criticized its "simplistic" approach to battles.[7]

Sales

The game sold over 2 million copies by August 2018.[8]

References
  1. "Icey Heads To Nintendo Switch On May 31, 2018". Siliconera. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  2. Zdanowicz, Mateusz (2016-12-20). "Icey - Recenzja". Eurogamer.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  3. Sawovsky (2017-04-22). "REVIEW: ICEY". PLAY!. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  4. "ICEY for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  5. "ICEY for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  6. "ICEY for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
  7. Life, Nintendo (2018-06-06). "Review: ICEY (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
  8. Iggy (August 18, 2018). "Icey Has Sold 2 Million Copies Worldwide". nintendosoup.com. Retrieved March 28, 2020.
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