The Wisconsin offering, “Flash Frozen,” casts the player as a traveler trapped in a frozen, partially submerged vessel inhabited by an enveloping, living, whispery-evil ice entity. The game play is heavy on isolation, manipulation of the ship’s doohickeys and managing the player’s body temperature (thus the “survival” quality). All this makes it reminiscent of the Penumbra series, though there appears to be no hiding in broom closets to avoid creepy mystical aliens that are the scariest thing you’ve ever seen. At least we hope there won’t be.

The game was developed in the Unity engine, a 3D and 2D studio for game development that can be licensed for a relatively low price. “Flash Frozen” tied for first place out of some 60 entries from around the country.

Trailer below, followed by some interviews with the students who made the game.