Preview during gamescom 2022 during a quick presentation with one of the developers, I had the opportunity on returning to put my hands on the early access of Icon Island, available since August 18 on Steam. First impressions.
Let's make one thing clear first. Yes, Icon Island has family ties with earthlock, hence its subtitle. However, not having played these titles, I will not be able to compare what the latter offers compared to other games, if not a common universe. The beginning of the game begins with an awakening on a rather strange island, where the architecture is unlike anything our protagonist knows, and which is populated by creatures that seem endemic to the island. These animals seem to seek our contact, and we quickly realize that we can create links with them, even "merge" with them in order to accomplish specific actions.
We can fish by taking on the appearance of a dog-mermaid or even cut trees by transforming into an axe-billed bird... These links that we will create with these living beings will allow our hero to explore more in details this island so rich. Apart from these original transformations, to say the least, we are faced with a slightly more classic title, where we will have to collect various and varied resources to create our little camp, or respond to requests from locals who want such and such a thing. ... These will teach you more about the island as you get involved.
In addition to the construction aspect, there is of course a farm management system, where you can grow different things. The system is rather easy to handle, so you can sow without too much trouble and without having to move your character with each hole dug. The fighting is also present, even if it turns out to be rather sketchy as it stands. And we will face only a small part of the fauna, as well as pirates who want to make this island a haven of wealth. Don't expect to see any bloodshed here. The few images dotting this preview set the tone, with a game that wants to be wholesome and does that very well. It's cute, and even the confrontations are without a single feeling of violence. The art direction overall is, I think, very successful, with pastel shades that work very well and beautiful inspirations for the locals and other creatures inhabiting the island.
As it stands, the game can occupy you 12 to 15 hours according to the words of the developer. For my part, I only played it for 3 hours, for a very simple reason: I'm waiting to be able to play it with my friends. It's not a vain wait, since the multiplayer part should be added within a few months (early 2023). I'll be with a new part, that's for sure! While waiting for the arrival of this feature, Snowcastle Games will offer a series of updates spread over the end of the year, with among other things: better management of our creatures, bonuses awarded to creatures if we take care of them, new enemies , improvements in farm management, further customization of housing, better inventory management, etc...
If you are looking for a nice little game to pass the time without taking your head, Icon Island is a game to consider... even more so if you are new to the genre, since the game, thanks to its cute graphics, can be played from an early age... solo only (and once the French localization is available ), for the moment ! Once the multiplayer is available, I will be very curious to play it again, especially with regard to the speed of overcoming the game. only a few hours, as long as everyone distributes the tasks efficiently. Have !
