Disclaimer: I've only played the main scenario (A New Home), and finished it once. Frostpunk goes to great lengths to build up tension and drama. Things go from bad to worse, and you're constantly reminded it's real people you have the responsibility for. You have to make gruesome choices, such as: Should you let people with frostbite be amputated, or keep them in a rest home, in the hopes you'll find a cure later on? When you find survivors outside your city, how many can you afford to take in? Changes in the weather can mean life or death. At the top of the screen, you can see what the temperature will be for the coming week, which helps build up suspense. You find yourself preparing for the next cold spell, or waiting for the next warm period so you can breathe out. The storyline is very well integrated into the game, and events are triggered by your actions in a natural way. As a strategy game, there's a heavy emphasis on resource management. You always have to stay one step ahead of the worsening weather to survive. However, it's not a deep and complex strategy game. It's a survival strategy game with a heavy emphasis on story and atmosphere. I picked up the base game for around €10, and think it was well worth the money.
