The Pale Beyond

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 2,319 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 11.6h for positive, 6.3h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (60.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Story milestones aren't labeled yet; all achievements are listed below.

All achievements (47)

• Prologue Complete the prologue. 100%
• The Ice Doesn't Care You're Here. Get your first crew member killed. 73%
• Act I 67%
• Act II 51%
• Act III 42%
• Act IV 40%
• A Fruitless Endeavour Survive the ice, unstained. 39%
• Act V 39%
• The Journalist Survive with Kasha alive and loyal to you. 39%
• The Doctor Survive with Dr. Nutlee alive and loyal to you. 39%
• The Kennelmaster Survive with Cordell alive and loyal to you. 38%
• A Commitment Kept Forgo rescue to complete the mission. 37%
• Captain Shaw Win the vote at the Viscount and survive. 35%
• ...For Warmth Find love on the ice. 35%
• The Science Officer Survive with Templeton alive and loyal to you. 35%
• The Navigator Survive with Kurt alive and loyal to you. 34%
• The Engineer Survive with Hammond alive and loyal to you. 34%
• Internship Bring the Stowaway there and back again. 34%
• The Cook Survive with Junior alive and loyal to you. 32%
• The Importance of Maintaining Decorum Succumb to the ice. 29%
• An Ernest Attempt Survive the ice with all crew alive. 26%
• Down with the Ship Go down with the Temperance. 25%
• Dispersal Sail the Viscount Home. 25%
• A Thousand Words Kasha' camera survives the expedition. 25%
• Envoyage Send out an envoy for rescue. 19%
• Up in Flames Observe the Viscount burn. 16%
• First Encounters Meet all crew members in the prologue. 16%
• The Carpenter Survive with Grimley alive and loyal to you. 15%
• A Quest Abandoned Abandon the mission to seek rescue. 15%
• Awareness Become stained with awareness. 15%
• Bonded Survive the ice with all crew alive and loyal. 13%
• Beneficial Survive the ice with Minerva's support. 13%
• A Sound Decision Smash the carpenter's accordion. 11%
• Isaac's Gun Let the scientist keep his weapon. 10%
• Terminus Convince Hunt to sail with you home on the Viscount. 8.2%
• Marooned Get marooned, or maroon someone else. 7.1%
• Within Earshot Lose an ear. 5.1%
• Detained Survive the ice as Minerva's prisoner. 3.3%
• This Place Wants Us Dead Survive the ice on Hard mode. 2.8%
• Worth his Salt Offer Hunt an alternative and see it through. 1.8%
• Immutable Mutiny Complete the game with no loyalty left from anyone. 1.8%
• Short Staffed Survive the ice without bringing Runt and their father. 1.8%
• Down in Flames Seal your own fate. 1.6%
• Old Reliable Survive the ice with Hunt as Captain. 1.5%
• Middle Management Survive the ice with Templeton as Captain. 1.5%
• Comeuppance 1.3%
• Deplorable The worst fates. 1.3%