Ice Quake Studios says its 2D pixel-art extraction shooter has entered closed beta. The first test is single-player; independent search results have not confirmed the beta's availability or the planned online stage.
A failed run costs players their gear. Ice Quake Studios says Project S.U.N.D.I.A.L. has entered closed beta, starting with a single-player test of its extraction loop. Online PvPvE testing is planned for later.
The beta and game details here come from the studio's announcement. Available search results did not turn up an independent Steam listing or official patch notes. They also contained no developer page or coverage from a major gaming or news outlet confirming the game's stated features or current status. That does not overturn the announcement, but the beta's availability and any later developments remain unverified.
A solo first test
Set in a post-apocalyptic zone, the game is a 2D pixel-art extraction shooter. Players venture out to scavenge supplies, then complete contracts and try to leave with their loot. Death carries a gear-loss penalty. Between expeditions, players can develop a hideout and prepare equipment for the next run.
That structure puts risk and preparation at the centre of the test. But a single-player beta cannot show how online PvPvE will work in practice. The announcement gives no details about multiplayer rules or matchmaking. It also names no start date for that testing. The plan to test online play later is not evidence that the mode is already available. Search results offered no independent confirmation of a start date, beta results or subsequent updates.
Weapons and survival systems
Project S.U.N.D.I.A.L. has a weapon assembly system built around individual components, alongside broader weapon customisation. Contracts and quests give players reasons to enter the zone. Exploration adds another reason to venture out, while hideout upgrades and survivor management tie each expedition to preparation between runs.
Injuries are part of the announced design. Damage to different body parts can require medical treatment, adding recovery to the scavenging and combat loop. The studio names bandits and raiders as threats. Mutated Hollows also appear, though the announcement does not explain how any of these enemies behave or how encounters are structured.
Six regions in the zone
The announced world has six regions with semi-procedural layouts and events. The announcement does not say how much the layouts vary or how often events occur. It also leaves open whether all six regions are available in this beta.
Ice Quake Studios cites S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Escape from Tarkov as inspirations. Those references place the game in the survival-and-extraction tradition, but they do not establish that it reproduces either title's systems. Its announced pixel art and weapon assembly offer concrete points for testers to assess. Body-part injuries and a hideout round out that design.
Available search results revealed no independently verifiable public history of Ice Quake Studios or Project S.U.N.D.I.A.L. beyond the supplied announcement. They found no information about the studio's funding or publisher. Nor did they turn up previous projects or related incidents. No independent official comments from developers, regulators or other participants added to the announcement.
Access and unanswered details
Players can request beta access through the official Discord. Journalists and content creators can request a Steam beta key by emailing contact@ice-quake.com. Ice Quake Studios is described as a small international indie team developing the game.
The announcement gives no beta duration or full access criteria. It also omits system requirements, pricing and a date for online testing. Search results did not independently confirm whether the beta is accessible or how many participants it has. They offered no confirmation of supported platforms or system requirements either. The test's duration and the timing of another stage remain unverified outside the announcement.
A trailer is available, but the announcement does not say whether it shows captured gameplay or identify the build in the footage. That leaves the trailer unable to establish how the beta plays or how closely its footage represents the test.
The separate indie project The Astra Protocol had a Steam page presenting its planned systems and release timing. Project S.U.N.D.I.A.L. offers players a way to request access to a test. Its single-player build can show whether preparation, injuries and gear loss hold together across an expedition. The online PvPvE stage has no independently confirmed start date.
