Frostpunk: On The Edge is another extension to the Frostpunk strategy game released in 2018. This time we will witness the events that take place after the story presented in the basic version of the game, unlike the previous The Last Autumn. The add-on expands the formula known from previous publications and introduces a completely new plot to it. The title was developed by the authors of the original game, i.e. the Polish company 11 bit studios (also known from the successful This War of Mine).

The action of the expansion begins when a great storm, some distance from New London, reveals a military warehouse from before the evacuation times. We lead a group of scouts whose task is to set up a camp nearby and build a permanent supply chain to the capital. The conditions in this area pose challenges for them that they did not have to face before. There are no animals or other food sources on the title edge, so the heroes rely on deliveries from New London. Capital leaders have their whims, though, and they won’t be sending supplies forever – scouts must keep proving that the contents of the warehouse are worth the support. The only consolation is the weather conditions in the area. The snowfall on the edge is not that intense, making it possible to survive here without generators. At least for a while.

The gameplay does not differ much from the basic version of the game. We manage the construction of the settlement all the time and organize its inhabitants so that they cooperate well with each other. Due to the expansion of the known formula with new plot threads, more emphasis was placed on exploration and the need to adapt to the prevailing conditions. The action of the add-on takes place on a completely foreign map equipped with unique structures, the research of which forces us to develop new schemes of operation.

Among the added mechanics are building economic and diplomatic relations. The basic version of the game works within one settlement, so you only had to take care of its interests. This time, however, it is mostly about the survival of the group of scouts we command, dependent on our relationship with New London. Therefore, we must plan and act in such a way as not to worsen these relations to a dangerous level. In addition, new methods of uniting or dividing people have been put into our hands. Before using any of them, we must consider whether it will definitely bring good results for our settlement. Each of the decisions is associated with a morally ambiguous dilemma, many of which we could already see in the “stand”.