Beyond the Ice Palace 2 Review (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, & PC)

If you can believe it, Beyond the Ice Palace is back. Don’t worry if the name doesn’t ring a bell. It’s a platform game that came out in 1988. That, and it hardly is a cult classic that left a lasting impression. The gameplay was fine, if not needing extra polish and fine-tuning. It’s partially the hope for the new sequel. If the extra polish and fine-tuning are applied alongside modern gameplay improvements, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 can potentially be worth checking out. Anyway, whether or not you’re aware of the original, here’s a deep-dive Beyond the Ice Palace 2 review to ascertain whether the new game is worth the trouble. 

Rise of the Cursed King

You won’t be missing out on much if you haven’t played Beyond the Ice Palace. Both the story and gameplay are easy to catch up on. Granted, there are story and gameplay bits that have crossed over into the sequel. The story of the champion of the gods who must reassemble the pieces of the magical arrow returns. The gameplay, too, remains 2D sidescrolling platforming, traversing enemy-filled levels in a mystical land. However, the sequel takes a turn, featuring the story of the cursed king.

When the gods shoot a magical arrow into Earth, it strikes a new champion, imbuing them with unimaginable powers. They rise to defeat the ice witch and are crowned the new king of the game’s mystical land. However, the king’s subjects orchestrate a coup with the help of demonic spirits, plunging the kingdom into chaos and imprisoning the king in a forgotten dungeon. But the cursed king is soon resurrected, sworn to enact revenge on all who turned on him. 

But you have no magical powers, the magical arrow having been stripped away from you and scattered across the world. Traverse through the darkness, using the chains bound to your wrists as a weapon. Navigate treacherous landscapes with the chains as a grappling hook and uncover hidden treasures, power-ups, and the pieces of your magical arrow. There’ll be a ton of demons, beasts, and monsters to defeat and cleanse your kingdom, all in a dark fantasy journey to reclaim your throne. 

Grim, Dark Adventure

While the story doesn’t unravel beyond the intriguing premise, it’s quite the grim, dark adventure to embark on. Primarily because there will be lots of lore to discover along the way. Beyond the Ice Palace 2 has a fantastic way of detailing story events in the environments you explore. Moreover, you’ll encounter NPCs who reveal more about the suffering of your people or, otherwise, the motive of your enemies. 

The bone-chilling dark fantasy story of Beyond the Ice Palace 2 is further enhanced by the eerie atmosphere and dark color palette. The game adopts a classic Castlevania aesthetic. Every turn reeks of a dreadful encounter or discovery. You’re constantly intrigued to discover the mystery lurking around the corner. Whether it’s a spooky enemy or a dangerous trap, Beyond the Ice Palace 2’s level designs perfectly capture a spine-tingling Metroidvania-like adventure.

The same goes for the music score, which is perfectly fitting for the grim, dark exploration. It’s often somber and atmospheric, immersing you in a dark fantasy vibe throughout your adventure. Sound effects, too, don’t fall too far behind, often punchy and genuine. Every attack feels beefy and exhilarating to execute. While the game pays tribute to its retro roots in its pixelated art style, it still manages to modernize your visual experience enough to satisfy your Castlevania and Metroidvania cravings.

Spice of Metroidvania

I reference Metroidvania because some elements of the sub-genre have been implemented in Beyond the Ice Palace 2. However, in truth, the sequel is more of a linear platforming adventure than a Metroidvania. Yet the level designs have some similarities in the thorough exploration of the levels to discover hidden treasure. You’ll often feel the need to take pause and comb through every nook and cranny. With luck, you’ll discover side stories and hidden passageways that provide additional goodies. 

Moreover, some abilities may require backtracking to unlock them. Though, fortunately, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 has quick time travel, saving you precious time. Otherwise, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 is very much a 2D sidescrolling platformer. You’ll explore the game level by level, each distinct from the other. There’ll be swampy biomes, misty ruins, bug-ridden caves, and more. Your movements will often be walking, although you can use your chains as a grappling hook.

Onward, you’ll uncover more traversal options like a double jump and air dash. Movement can feel clunky, especially the often irritating slow-motion walk. It’d have been handy to have a sprint or run option, given you’ll be spending most of your time exploring. Yet your character is a weighty dude who moves at a slug’s pace, leaving you with little alternative to quicker exploration while on your feet. 

Unchained

As a result, your chains vis a vee grappling hook will often come in handy in faster traversal. You’ll jump on ledges and swing onto higher platforms. Now, the grappling ability can take a bit of a while to get right, further extending the clunkiness problem. When it settles in, though, exploration becomes a lot more exciting. 

But the clunkiness issue doesn’t stop there. When jumping, for instance, endless pits easily get you because of no fault of yours. Not to mention that responsiveness can be an issue at times. And overall, making a precise jump feels next to impossible at certain times. 

Imprecision is quite frustrating because it then seeps into combat. You have your basic attacks and your chains as your main weapon. You can smack enemies using your chains, swing them around to destroy incoming projectiles, and even parry incoming attacks. The parry needs to be precise; otherwise, it’ll backfire on you. 

Deeper It Goes

While you have a dodge, it also needs precision. Given your character’s slow movement, executing a dodge too late can lead to damage intake. Your only option is to study enemy patterns and anticipate their next move. That, and lots of luck to make it through the boss battles. 

Luck comes in because of the bosses’ beefier health bars. Hacking away at their health takes a great deal of time. It feels like each attack barely makes a dent. Given some bosses are pretty tough to beat, you can be stuck in limbo, going back and forth between checkpoints. 

Mind you, while dying takes you back to the nearest checkpoint, it takes away your currency needed for upgrades and forces you to replay quite a bit of gameplay. The checkpoints are quite sparse, more than they need to be. As a result, beating Beyond the Ice Palace 2 can be an exercise in frustration. It can feel more difficult than it needs to be. 

On the Bright Side

Yet when you finally down a boss, it can feel hella rewarding. The bosses are gigantic monsters, ruthless in their pursuit to kill you. So, taking them down definitely puts a smile on your face. 

Beyond the Ice Palace 2 also has a relatively good progression system working for it. Using your chains, you can break stone slabs, doors, and chests. You’ll progressively discover new items and upgrades. Some are as powerful as a quicker and stronger dash ability that can charge through walls. 

Meanwhile, you have a rage meter that, once filled up, can inflict significant damage on enemies. Lastly, there are the elusive power crystals that you collect on your journey. These drastically enhance your strength, stamina, power, rage meter, and more. 

When all the new abilities and enhancements fall in sync, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 can be fluid. It all falls into place in a satisfying flow of moment-to-moment gameplay. It’s a shame, then, that the excitement kicks in a little too late.  

Verdict

Beyond the Ice Palace 2 is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it offers a rewarding combat system. Finally, taking down its mighty bosses puts a smile on your face. Reaching the end of a boss fight, though, is a grueling experience. And not just because of your skill but the game’s own shortcomings. 

Combat mechanics and controls can be clunky. It doesn’t help that your character moves at a sluggish pace. Enemies inflict damage before your character can respond to attacks. Not to mention that execution of your inputs can be imprecise. 

Unfortunately, the clunkiness and imprecision are significant enough to impact your combat and platforming playthrough. Yet, even in the midst of your troubles with the controls, there’s a satisfying run to be had here. Making it through the levels’ traps and beating the waves of enemies feels great. 

I imagine diehard fans of the original Beyond the Ice Palace will also take pleasure in the commendable resurrection of the game. Visually, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 is faithful to its retro roots yet still manages to entice with its grim, dark fantasy vibe.