Few survival games have embraced harsh environmental realism quite like ICARUS. Originally released on PC in 2021 by RocketWerkz — the studio founded by DayZ creator Dean Hall — the game carved out its own identity within the crowded survival genre by introducing a unique session-based structure.
Rather than existing permanently in an open-world environment, players descend from orbit onto the dangerous surface of the planet ICARUS for time-limited missions known as “drops.”
Fail to extract before the mission timer expires, and your character may be permanently lost.
Now, after years as a PC exclusive, ICARUS is finally making its way to consoles. ICARUS: Console Edition arrives on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 26 March 2026, bringing with it a wealth of content and improvements that have been added to the PC version over time.
Even more importantly, the console version launches as a complete package, bundling the massive New Frontiers expansion from day one.
For console players eager to experience one of the most demanding survival games in recent years, the wait is almost over.
A Hostile Frontier
The premise behind ICARUS is simple yet captivating.
Humanity once attempted to terraform the distant planet ICARUS, aiming to turn it into a new home for civilisation. The project ended in disaster, leaving a planet with unstable ecosystems, toxic atmospheres, and unpredictable environmental dangers.
Despite these risks, ICARUS holds something extremely valuable: exotic matter, a rare resource capable of powering advanced technology.
Prospectors descend from an orbital station to gather these resources, complete contracts, and return to orbit before the planet claims their lives.
It’s a setting that instantly establishes the game’s core philosophy: the planet itself is your greatest enemy.
The Drop System
One of the defining features of ICARUS is its session-based survival design.
Unlike many survival games where players gradually build permanent settlements in a persistent world, ICARUS concentrates on individual expeditions.
Each mission begins with a drop from orbit onto the planet’s surface. Players start with minimal equipment and must gather resources, build shelter, craft tools, and complete objectives before returning to their dropship.
The catch is that every mission has a time limit.
If you fail to return to orbit before the timer expires, your character can be permanently stranded on the planet.
This mechanic creates a constant sense of urgency rarely seen in the genre.
Every decision matters. Spending too long building a perfect base or exploring distant caves could mean missing the extraction window altogether.
Survival Against the Planet
While dangerous wildlife certainly exists on ICARUS, the real threat often comes from the environment itself.
Extreme weather events play a major role in the gameplay.
Lightning storms can ignite forests and burn wooden structures to the ground. Violent winds can damage buildings, forcing players to reinforce their shelters. Toxic atmospheric conditions may require specialised suits to survive in certain regions.
These hazards create dynamic survival situations where players must constantly adapt.
A safe base can quickly become vulnerable if a storm unexpectedly rolls in, forcing players to scramble for repairs or abandon their structures altogether.
This unpredictable environmental system helps make each drop feel unique.
Crafting and Technology Progression
Like most survival games, ICARUS heavily focuses on crafting and technological progress.
Players start with basic tools, collecting wood and stone to make simple equipment.
Over time, they unlock more advanced technologies through a four-tier crafting system, gradually moving towards modern industrial gear.
Eventually, players can build advanced items such as:
- Electric power systems
- High-tech survival suits
- Automated machinery
- Specialised environmental tools
The progression from primitive survival tools to futuristic technology reflects the game’s blend of sci-fi and wilderness survival themes.
Persistent Progression
Although individual drops are temporary, ICARUS features a persistent progression system that links each expedition.
During missions, players can locate and mine Exotics, the rare resource that fuels the entire game economy.
These materials are transported back to the orbital station where they can be exchanged for powerful equipment upgrades.
This system ensures that even short missions contribute to long-term character progression.
Over time, players build stronger loadouts, improved tools, and more efficient equipment for future drops.
The New Frontiers Expansion
One of the most exciting aspects of the console launch is the inclusion of the New Frontiers expansion from the very start.
This expansion introduces the Prometheus region, a perilous new area where the terraforming process failed even more catastrophically.
Prometheus features entirely new environments including:
- Alien grasslands filled with strange plant life
- Volcanic wastelands covered in lava flows
- Toxic swamplands filled with mutated creatures
The expansion also introduces new resources, enemies, and story-driven missions that expand the overall scope of the game.
For console players, having this content available at launch significantly increases the scale of the experience.
Solo or Co-op Survival
ICARUS: Console Edition allows up to four players to cooperate in gameplay, enabling teams to complete missions together.
Teamwork is especially important during longer expeditions. Players can share roles such as hunting, building, exploring, and crafting.
The game also supports solo play through a dedicated Solo Talent Tree for players exploring the planet alone.
Although solo survival is much more demanding, it offers a uniquely intense experience for those who enjoy high-stakes gameplay.
One point to note is that cross-play between platforms is not supported.
Animal Companions
Pre-order players will gain access to a roster of 11 animal companions.
These creatures can accompany players during expeditions, offering minor gameplay benefits and cosmetic variety.
Some companions may assist with resource gathering, while others provide combat support or possess unique abilities linked to their talent trees.
Although the companion system seems fairly lightweight, it introduces an extra layer of customization for players assembling their expedition teams.
Visuals and Performance
From a technical standpoint, ICARUS has always been a visually impressive survival game.
The planet’s environments feature detailed forests, mountain ranges, deserts, and cave systems that create a convincing alien wilderness.
Weather effects are particularly striking, with storms dramatically transforming the appearance and atmosphere of the world.
GRIP Studios’ work on the console version will likely focus heavily on performance optimisation, ensuring stable frame rates during large-scale environmental events and cooperative gameplay sessions.
Early Expectations
ICARUS: Console Edition offers several benefits over the original PC release.
Years of updates have improved the game’s mechanics, while the inclusion of the New Frontiers expansion ensures that console players get a much more complete experience from the start.
The session-based survival system remains one of the most distinctive features in the genre, providing a level of tension that traditional open-world survival games rarely match.
However, the same mechanics that make ICARUS special can also be unforgiving. Losing progress due to poor planning or missed extraction windows may frustrate players who prefer a more relaxed survival experience.
Preview Verdict
Even before its release, ICARUS: Console Edition stands out as one of the most ambitious survival games arriving on consoles this year.
Its combination of environmental hazards, high-stakes mission timers, and persistent progression systems creates a survival experience that feels truly dangerous.
For players who enjoy survival games that test preparation, teamwork, and decision-making, ICARUS could become a standout addition to the console survival genre.
If the performance on consoles holds up and the cooperative gameplay meets expectations, ICARUS: Console Edition may finally bring one of PC’s most demanding survival adventures to an entirely new audience.
