Risk of Rain 2
Risk of Rain 2
Game
Game2025
Arctic Awakening
Developer GoldFire Studios
A first-person narrative adventure set in the unforgiving Arctic. Your plane crashed in a storm, leaving only your court-mandated therapy bot for company as you journey to find your co-pilot and uncover the mysteries buried beneath the ice. From the Steam store page
235 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 3, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
157 positive · 29 negative
95% range 79–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 157 | 29 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 12 | 3 | 28 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
225 of 260 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
84% recommend · 158 yes, 30 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 188 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (319 of 373 positive).
Some players find the gameplay boring, the robot companion annoying, or the ending unsatisfying. [1][2][3][4]
Liked
Representative posts
- [2]
I got this game because I was looking for another Firewatch type of experience. Other people and their reviews made it seem like it would be just that. It is not. Not even close. The voice acting was really good, parts of the story were actually interesting. Having an emotional support robot was annoying, the gameplay was incredibly boring, some mechanics were useless and the world was way too big. We'll start with …
- [5]
“Sometimes the coldest place is not the ice around you, but the truth awakening inside your mind.” Arctic Awakening is a truly outstanding game. The story is surprisingly deep and multilayered. Even though the gameplay itself is fairly easy, and survival is more of a formality than a real challenge, the game makes up for it with intuitive controls, stunning landscapes, multiple routes toward your objective, and …
- [1]
Recommended... but don’t expect it to stick the landing A sci-fi mystery in the Arctic? Yeah, this is basically my dream game. And for a while, Arctic Awakening really sells it! Great atmosphere, cozy visuals, solid sound design, and a setup that feels like it’s building toward something big. Unfortunately… it never really gets there. 1. Walking simulator (and it really commits to that) There are long stretches …
- [13]
Absolutely loved this game. I saw it described as a cross between Firewatch and The Long Dark, and that’s definitely true, but it’s better than both IMO. The plot line is better, it’s science fiction, and that’s better for me, and the visuals are like a refreshed long dark, the devs have created a beautiful world. The voice acting and scripting is very well done, the actors deliver really well and create some …
- [6]
such a beautiful game. loved every moment of it. I'd rank this just as much of a work of art as firewatch.
Summarised from 34 of the 237 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Arctic Awakening talk about great atmosphere and beautiful visuals; those who didn't talk about boring gameplay with too much walking. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 235 · most liked firstI got this game because I was looking for another Firewatch type of experience. Other people and their reviews made it seem like it would be just that. It is not. Not even close. The voice acting was really good, parts of the story were actually interesting. Having an emotional support robot was annoying, the gameplay was incredibly boring, some mechanics were useless and the world was way too big. We'll start with the stupid annoying robot that second guesses everything you do and talks way…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The shortlisted nominees for 'Best Voice Acting' at Debug's 2026 Indie Game Awards are... Arctic Awakening Dispatch Rosewater The Drifter The Haunting of Joni Evers UNBEATABLE Our live ceremony is made possible thanks to @gamemaker.io - Will we see you there IRL on 25 April 2026?
neutral · AI labelView post →Originally, after completing the game I was planning to give it a thumbs down. But then I changed my mind and here is my case why you should not thumbs down it either. I wishlisted the game after watching an entertaining let's play of the demo. I was expecting the game to be Firewatch in its depth of story and visual fidelity, and The longest dark in its setting and survival gameplay. The let's play made me fall in love with the banter between the two human characters, so the expectations were…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to like this. I loved The Long Dark, and this feels like its natural successor — on paper at least. But it’s just janky in parts. After an hour or two, the dialogue already starts to grate; it’s predictable, sometimes awkwardly paced. The court-mandated drone companion never comes close to Portal’s Wheatley — it’s neither funny nor truly helpful, just a floating dispenser of exposition and reminders. I also never bought into the dynamic with Donovan. Is he supposed to be a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“Sometimes the coldest place is not the ice around you, but the truth awakening inside your mind.” Arctic Awakening is a truly outstanding game. The story is surprisingly deep and multilayered. Even though the gameplay itself is fairly easy, and survival is more of a formality than a real challenge, the game makes up for it with intuitive controls, stunning landscapes, multiple routes toward your objective, and constant choices in both movement and dialogue. The story keeps you invested from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excited to have Arctic Awakening selected as a finalist alongside Dispatch and Wednesdays by @atrae.bsky.social for"Best Spanish Localization"! Big shout out to @cfernandez.me and @thewarlocs.bsky.social for their amazing work on the localization of the game🙏 #indiegame #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →I was very excited about Arctic Awakening and I really wanted to like it. I've really enjoyed Firewatch and this game was giving me the same vibes. Arctic Awakening has great visuals and sound design with an okay story to back them up. But the gameplay can be really really annoying. The easiest diffence with Firewatch is how many times I felt like uninstalling the game before finishing it - 0 for Firewatch and at least 5 for Arctic awakening (once per each episode). I ended up fully relying on…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a big fan of walking simulators and I'd been following this one for a while. Unfortunately it was just bland. Not much going on in terms of dialogue choices, environments, interactivity, or story. You kind of just walk forward for 9 hours while listening to your character talk about stuff with a robot.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Arctic Awakening is the type of game that grips you so unexpectedly and then you know, yeah, this is going to be a good time." I'm excited for this one! 👀
positive · AI labelView post →Recommended... but don’t expect it to stick the landing A sci-fi mystery in the Arctic? Yeah, this is basically my dream game. And for a while, Arctic Awakening really sells it! Great atmosphere, cozy visuals, solid sound design, and a setup that feels like it’s building toward something big. Unfortunately… it never really gets there. 1. Walking simulator (and it really commits to that) There are long stretches where you’re just holding forward with almost nothing to engage with. No…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really wanted to finish the game to learn what the big secrete is. But is so slow and boring! You walk around endlessly while nothing is happening. 90% of interaction with items are meaningless time wastes. The character talks and acts like no human would which prevents me from caring at all about the story. And at the end the game forces you to backtrack. I couldn't take it anymore. I will watch the end on YouTube to get some closure.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It has been a while since I played Firewatch. I remember I liked that game a lot. It was different, it had a cool story and it didn't take that long to play through. Looking at this game made me think it would be similar. Lot's of people comparing it to Firewatch helped too. Well, not so much. In Arctic Awakening the main character isn't very likeable. The writing is dull. The interactive parts aren't that exciting, or interactive. The puzzles are super basic and mainly require you to walk…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Beau reviews Arctic Awakening for AGH. Should you play this game? Have a read and see if it’s for you? adventuregamehotspot.com/review/5134/... #indiegame #adventuregame #cozygame
neutral · AI labelView post →We've been working on Arctic Awakening for 2080 days. In 7 days the game comes out. It still feels surreal that it's this close!
neutral · AI labelView post →it's Wednesday and you haven't added an indie game to your wishlist yet? let's change that Arctic Awakening from @goldfirestudios.com is a twisty narrative game that sees you crash-landing in the Arctic with only a court-mandated therapy bot for company big launch news soon! #WishlistWednesday
neutral · AI labelView post →if you like firewatch this game is a must. however i do like this game but it doesnt fully capture the style of firewatch but it is super similar. what doesnt work for me is the voice acting, the robot is a little annoying at times. but the gameplay aspect is exactly like firewatch and i really enjoyed it. but also its unique in its own way. if you like firewatch youll like this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To start off, Arctic Awakening is a great game, which you can tell was made with a lot of passion. It's important to know that this game was created by a small group of people, and the work they had to show for that is amazing. Firstly, the sound design is amazing. The music in this game really moves you emotionally, and is able to sway your feelings and opinions. The guitar, the soft notes, almost everything about this soundtrack is wonderful, and kudos to the person(s) who worked on it. I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →88 games were released on Steam today.. 88 games were released on Steam today. And to put that into perspective, that's more games than were ever released for the Nintendo Virtual Boy, Atari Jaguar, and Neo Geo Pocket. In other words, one day of Steam releases is greater than entire consoles' entire game libraries. I am, of course, delighted that we have so much choice. But the reality is... I don't think most of these games are going to find their audience. I, myself, was only able to…
neutral · AI labelView post →Today's the last day to download the Xbox demo for Arctic Awakening and the other games in the Xbox Indie Game Fest! #indiegame #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Interesting concept, original story, excellent voice acting. This game has it all, except good writing. For about three episodes this game held my interest, it has an interesting setting. But good concepts and good settings always get undone by terrible writing. And this game is chock full of that.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Arctic Awakening was our 5th game as a studio, and we're not stopping there. Follow along for updates from our icy adventure and beyond. More to come soon! 👀 #indiedev #gamedev
neutral · AI labelView post →This is not harsh survival in a pitch-black tundra, screaming into the void to let you live one more day. This is the week between Christmas and New Years, sitting at a campfire at 2am, watching the snow fall down and the stars pass by, wondering how life brought you to this very moment. Some people will be upset its not the former. I'm so happy its the latter. I've been waiting for years for this game (mostly for Alfie, who did not disappoint; he is the best character in the game, one of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I absolutely love this game! It had been on my wish list since for a while now and was really excited for it's release. To the devs and their entire time...Thank you so much for an amazing game. I finished it but will be playing it again soon.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So grateful we got to work with @marajunot.bsky.social on Arctic Awakening! Her performance as Naomi brought heart and humanity to the coldest parts of the game. Couldn’t imagine it without her contributions. #indiegame #indiedev #voiceactor
neutral · AI labelView post →such a beautiful game. loved every moment of it. I'd rank this just as much of a work of art as firewatch.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a waste of time this game is. So many instances where there is no guidance and you can't tell if there is a bug in the game or you are just going in the wrong direction.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We're liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive *Catches breath* Playing a cool looking indie game called Arctic Awakening on #Twitch, while helping #charity, doing #Giveaways and helping YOU with #octoaid twitch.tv/thorlar HAPPY MONDAY!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →I rarely leave reviews, but this title deserves one filled with praise. Arctic Awakening's episodic story is told in a frigid & detailed environment filled with charm & beautiful visuals. Every character's performance is delivered with authenticity by a wonderful cast. The slow burn pace allows just enough downtime to consider theories as to what is happening and where the arc is heading. And, to me, the ending is perfectly executed. For those who are a fan of episodic, dialogue-heavy, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Train home, still to finish, Joff Winks (of Sanguine Hum), OST to the game ‘Arctic Awakening’ (2025, Bandcamp). This is very nice indeed, as expected in many regards as he is so able to craft melodic but interesting pieces, with some variety throughout. Working for a while on this it seems 😎
positive · AI labelView post →TLDR 5/10 would not recommend. Art was gorgeous. Story was ok, but took too long to hook. Game play was boring. Choices felt unimportant. lots of unanswered questions when it was over. I had been keeping my eye on this game for awhile, and was excited to finally give it a play. The art was gorgeous and I'm a big fan of games where you choices matter and the story is rich. Unfortunately, I feel like Arctic Awakening fell short of the hype I had put on it. I don't regret playing the game by any…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely loved this game. I saw it described as a cross between Firewatch and The Long Dark, and that’s definitely true, but it’s better than both IMO. The plot line is better, it’s science fiction, and that’s better for me, and the visuals are like a refreshed long dark, the devs have created a beautiful world. The voice acting and scripting is very well done, the actors deliver really well and create some genuinely emotional moments. The pace is gentle but the plot being so strong, it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I thoroughly enjoyed the game. It's not often that a play one completely through but this one was the exception. Great story, beautiful surroundings, but I will warn you, I shed a few tears. It really touched me. The soul searching and looking deeply and honestly within ones self in order to bring change and helping another discover purpose. I absolutely loved it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not much "game play" here. Walk from a to b to have some dialog. Repeat. There is no exploration what so ever beside the *very* linear "story". FireWatch did this a lot better. This game have an interesting story of sorts, but it really need to be less linear and give some reasons and ability to walk around more beside the "set" path. Right now im in "bug heaven" after sliding off a cliff and ended up in "Limbo".
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hmmmm you said what?? Early Access Sneak Peek for a new game?!? Let's go! Thank you @mooncat.games & @goldfirestudios.com for a sneak peek of Arctic Awakening before it is out tomorrow! twitch.tv/indiebyrd
neutral · AI labelView post →I bought this game to support the developer, and I don't regret doing so, but I would be hard-pressed to actually recommend this game to someone else. To be fair, I was not the biggest fan of Firewatch, which is the point of comparison most of the reviews reach for, so those who fully enjoyed the earlier game might have a better chance of enjoying this one. Still, I feel there are too many problem points here for me to feel satisfied. I don't have an inherent dislike for walking simulator…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a confusing mess, of people who dont know how fire starters work, and apparently interact with human beings as infrequently as possible to write the most strange mess of motivations and interests. Truely what a strange an unrelenting tale of whatever the writers / developers were into at the moment. There is... I dont know how to say what strange, unrelated, and incoherent storytelling occurs here. It does take 9 hours to play though, and I can't say I wasn't entertained, but it…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you enjoyed Firewatch, you'll enjoy Arctic Awakening.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game was fantastic. It felt like a successor to Firewatch in a lot of positive and fun ways.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Update: Originally I had some issues with achievements not unlocking, but I emailed the game logs to the developer and they produced a patch for me to test within one working day, which is incredible support! I considered changing my review, but I feel that this a review of the game, not the developer. So I'll put here at the top that while I didn't enjoy the game, the developer really cares about the game, and I like that a lot. Original: I wanted to like this game, it's a nice little indie…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Premise sounded interesting but there is no game, just a go there pressing w and do a menial task like go get rocks and branches. The clanker is just annoying and provides nothing of interest except directions since the game has him being the main driving force, the "protagonist" is just along for the ride. The game wants you to focus on therapy and whatnot but you know nothing about what should be wrong with that character and your "co-pilot" is just ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on you 24/7 while he is on his ass…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved this game throughout; if your an emotional person like me the ending will definantly hit you
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →www.gamestic.be/2025/09/17/r... We braved the icy cold and mystery in Arctic Awakening... "Arctic Awakening is more a narrative journey than a survival sim, but it’s one of the best examples of the form in years." #ArcticAwakening #GoldFireStudios #indiegame #gamestic #gamesticBe
neutral · AI labelView post →Arctic Awakening from @goldfirestudios.com was SO interesting, I really love this style of game and the story already has me hooked. Cliffhanger ending on the demo is lowkey evil but it's fine!! Very excited to jump into this one when it launches this year: store.steampowered.com/app/1275550/...
positive · AI labelView post →I tried out ArcticAwakening for Steam Next Fest and really enjoyed it! I look forward to the games release later this year! youtu.be/X-5Y62gYi60?... #vtuber #indiegame #steamnextfest #arcticawakening
positive · AI labelView post →I finished **Silent Hill f**: Overall I give it a 7, nice atmosphere and graphics, the story isn't bad but I didn't have trouble identifying the underlying themes and therefore more or less predicting where it was going. This game is very... Japanese. ::: spoiler spoiler They love their teenage protagonists and their coming of age stories, I liked their criticism of Japanese society, especially in terms of women's issues. The folklore part flew over my head for the most part, but I knew…
neutral · AI labelView post →Firewatch sequel this is not. It tries, but there is a lot of so-what and random time doing nothing like finding cables to string up a musical instrument so you can sing to a robot. Some folks might enjoy that type of gameplay, but I very much prefer Firewatch. The story doesn't feel as connect as Firewatch. Honestly, I think this game would have been better if a bit shorter with a tighter story. It somehow feels more on rails and also more lost in direction as compared to Firewatch.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a masterpiece. I felt invested from the beginning in the story. This game is more then just trying to reach your co-pilot and get rescued, it is an emotional journey. As the story progressed and I learnt more about Kai the more I was invested into finding Donovan. Learning more about Will and what Kai failed to do to save him made me more invested into finding Donovan, refusing to make the same mistakes again. When I was faced with hard choices I always prioritised moving…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A few props in our first prototype of Arctic Awakening in early 2020. The style shifted a bit, but most of these made it into the final game! #conceptart #indiegame #indiedev
neutral · AI labelView post →Been playing Arctic Awakening, which just dropped a few weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying it so far. Really neat little story game, minimal yet cool mechanics.
positive · AI labelView post →Everything down to the music, sure, there are a few bugs, but this is a masterpiece.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is a very enjoyable experience for people who like visual novels like Firewatch. The likenings of this experience to a cross between The Long Dark and Firewatch are pretty much spot on, with TLD's atmosphere dominating and Firewatch's seemingly mundane, but eventually meaningful, choices. It has very light survival elements that combine hunger/thirst in a single meter, and add a stress meter as well. I never found myself struggling to maintain either. Having completed one…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The closest thing we'll get to another firewatch RIP campo santo. Whoever says the robot companion is annoying needs real therapy, he's the best lil guy :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm playing **Silent Hill f**: ::: spoiler spoiler I just got out of Hinako's house after fighting her parents. ::: The story is not bad and the graphics are beautiful, clean and the game runs smooth except some of the infamous traversal stutter. This is a breath of fresh air after Alan Wake 2's terrible performance. Still not sure why they called it Silent Hill if apparently you don't spend a single second in the town of Silent hill... Well yes, I know why, they used the name to sell more…
neutral · AI labelView post →Other reviewers have gone into more detail, I suggest you read those critical reviews, as well. Ultimately I agree that this game is a bit of a slog. The pacing is awkward, the writing is okay-not-great, and the engaging content is too thin on the ground. I just finished the second episode, and am not sure I will make it to the end (edited to add I did, and meh). There is very little to truly interact with, and I am collecting things...why? You can pick up these bottles and keep them, but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really quite enjoyable especially on the first playthrough. It's one of those games where I couldn't wait to get home from work so I could play more. Definitely recommend to anyone that wants to scratch that Firewatch itch too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Slow, clunky and downright annoying.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The art was 10/10 and the story is amazing Graphics are like firewatch which was fire (pun intended) Im going to continue the game soon as i haven't finished it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very chill (heh) walking/exploring sim w/ minor "choices matter" effects. Pros: * A wide, effing gorgeously wild land to explore. * Great background music - though I consciously noticed it more than in most games. And I suck at noticing it. * Great use of SFX - so when the game bugged out (easily fixed - quit/reload) and muted that channel, I noticed it immediately. * Characters have good voice actors and slowly-unfolding, believable backstories. * Plot had me guessing until the last…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Being a huge fan of Firewatch and other story-driven “walking simulator” games, I first became aware of Arctic Awakening from the devs’ post on the Firewatch subreddit some years ago. Since then I’ve played a couple versions of the demo and now, finally, got around to playing the finished game. I really enjoyed it! The inspiration Arctic Awakening took from Firewatch is very apparent, but this game very much does its own thing with the story while keeping a similar vibe. I liked the way it’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quite buggy and the story does not wrap up nicely. A lot of plot lines and questions are just left un-answered and your choices don't make a difference to the story except for the final choice switching between two possible endings.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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