I love it when retro games make unexpected comebacks, and they don't get much more retro than Beyond the Ice Palace. Decades after the original — a forgettable platformer sold on tape — a sequel has arrived, boldly titled Beyond the Ice Palace 2, as if anyone besides die-hard retro fans would remember the first one.

The original was far from a classic. It had clunky controls, frustrating difficulty, and forgettable design, with the only reward for surviving its merciless gameplay being a bland text box declaring, "WELL DONE YOU HAVE VANQUISHED EVIL FROM THE LAND." Yet, despite its flaws, there was always a hint of potential hidden beneath the rough exterior — a promise of an epic fantasy adventure that the game never quite delivered.

Figure 1. weirder.

Now, Beyond the Ice Palace 2 feels like the game I always hoped the original would be. It's not a full metroidvania, but it’s far less linear, filled with hidden treasures, secret paths, and areas worth revisiting [1]. It captures that long-lost sense of adventure and discovery, finally delivering on the promise the first game could never fulfill. Figure 1 shows weirder.

The brutal memories of a game where death came swiftly, mercilessly, and often have been reshaped into something far more engaging than just another frustrating trip back to the title screen. The environment now mirrors the harshness the original once felt — grim piles of skulls, unsettling encounters with people who seem a little less dead than they should be, and rotting corpses swaying from long-abandoned nooses.

Those rigid platforming sequences have been transformed into genuine tests of skill, challenging me to swing across perilous gaps, dodge spike-covered floors below and crashing chandeliers above, and deftly dash through the air with precise timing.

Every interaction in Beyond the Ice Palace 2 feels raw and intense. Doors aren’t gently opened — they’re torn off their hinges. Skeletons and zombies don’t stay down unless they’re stomped into dust. Enemy shields can be shattered or ripped away, and protective masks torn off to expose vulnerable foes.

Combat stays true to the original’s chaotic nature but feels far more rewarding. Enemies still ambush from all sides, and reckless jumps remain risky, but now the hero is better equipped. With versatile chains that can tear through bosses, deflect projectiles, and latch onto ledges mid-air, I finally feel powerful — a far cry from the helplessness of the first game.

This isn’t just the game I thought I was playing as a kid — it’s the game I wish everyone would think of when they hear Beyond the Ice Palace. Rather than leaning on tired nostalgia or clunky retro design, it confidently stands on its own, delivering the adventure the original never could.

The developers took a rare and valuable opportunity — not just to replicate the original — but to carefully dissect what little magic the first game had and turn it into something genuinely remarkable [2]. They avoided the trap of forcing outdated mechanics for the sake of authenticity, instead crafting a game that’s equally enjoyable, challenging, and rewarding in a modern context.

The result is a sequel that not only honors the tiny sliver of lore the original had but also stands proudly on its own merit %E2%80%94 absolutely worthy of anyone%E2%80%99s time, attention, and money, even in today%E2%80%99s crowded gaming landscape.

References

1. https://www.yahoo.com/tech/m-not-sure-weirder-someone-213839268.html
2. https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/im-not-sure-whats-weirder-that-someone-made-a-sequel-to-a-completely-forgettable-37-year-old-game-i-played-as-a-kid-or-that-it-was-actually-worth-the-wait/

Cite this article:

Keerthana S (2025),Unexpected Sequel to a 37-Year-Old Forgotten Game Proves Surprisingly Worth the Wait, AnaTechMaz,pp 131.