Icarus is a session-based survival game from RocketWerkz (DayZ creator Dean Hall) where players drop from an orbital station onto a terraformed alien planet for timed prospect missions. Each drop is a race against the clock — gather resources, complete objectives, and return to your dropship before the timer expires or lose your character permanently. Between drops, you spend earned currency on Workshop gear that persists across missions. The Open World maps added permanent bases, and the game has evolved significantly since launch with biome additions and talent rework.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough.
Essential Tips
1. Always bring Oxite on your first drop into Arctic prospects — without it, you can freeze to death before building any shelter
Always bring Oxite on your first drop into Arctic prospects — without it, you can freeze to death before building any shelter. Oxite provides 10 minutes of cold resistance when consumed.
2. Tier 2 wood houses survive storms but Tier 1 thatch does not — prioritize upgrading your shelter walls to wood within the first 20 minutes of any prospect
Tier 2 wood houses survive storms but Tier 1 thatch does not — prioritize upgrading your shelter walls to wood within the first 20 minutes of any prospect.
3. Skinning knife gives double animal resources compared to pickaxe or bare hands
Skinning knife gives double animal resources compared to pickaxe or bare hands. Craft one as soon as you have iron — the extra leather and fur accelerate your armor progression.
4. Fill canteens at rivers before heading inland — dehydration kills faster than starvation, and finding water in the Arctic or Desert biomes is much harder than in forests
Fill canteens at rivers before heading inland — dehydration kills faster than starvation, and finding water in the Arctic or Desert biomes is much harder than in forests.
5. Abandon prospects before the timer expires or your character is permanently lost with all Workshop gear they carried
Abandon prospects before the timer expires or your character is permanently lost with all Workshop gear they carried. Set an alarm for 30 minutes before deadline.
6. Workshop items (gear bought with Exotics between missions) massively outperform craftable equivalents
Workshop items (gear bought with Exotics between missions) massively outperform craftable equivalents. Prioritize buying a Workshop Knife and Pickaxe first — they last many missions and speed up early gathering.
7. Bears are the most dangerous common wildlife
Bears are the most dangerous common wildlife. They charge in straight lines and can be kited around trees or rocks. A Hunting Rifle headshot kills them in one shot with proper Combat talent investment.
8. Build near cave entrances for easy access to iron and copper deposits
Build near cave entrances for easy access to iron and copper deposits. Caves also provide natural shelter from storms without building costs.
9. Lightning during storms can destroy Tier 1 structures and kill exposed players
Lightning during storms can destroy Tier 1 structures and kill exposed players. Build Lightning Rods on your base and stay indoors during electrical storms.
10. In co-op, have one player spec Construction while others spec Combat/Solo — the Constructor builds and maintains the base while Combat players handle objectives and hunting
In co-op, have one player spec Construction while others spec Combat/Solo — the Constructor builds and maintains the base while Combat players handle objectives and hunting.
Advanced Strategies
Build Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive:
For Solo Build (S-Tier):
- The Solo talent tree maximizes self-sufficiency with bonuses to gathering speed, crafting efficiency, and stamina. Solo players should rush Tier 2 shelter and a Hunting Rifle, as most prospects are manageable alone with proper gear. The Solo tree's reduced food/water consumption is crucial for long prospects.
- Core gear: Workshop Knife, Hunting Rifle, Compound Bow, Fur Armor, Bedroll
- Stat priority: Solo talents (gathering, crafting speed), then Combat (bow/rifle damage)
For Construction Spec (A-Tier):
- Construction talents make buildings cheaper and more durable, letting you establish outposts faster during long prospects. The reduced material costs for Stone and Concrete buildings let you build storm-proof shelters sooner. Essential in group play where one player handles base logistics.
- Core gear: Workshop Hammer, Textiles Bench, Machining Bench, Stone structures
- Stat priority: Construction talents (cost reduction, durability), then Solo (crafting speed)
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Icarus's systems interact is where the real optimization lives:
prospect missions + orbital station: Prospects are timed missions lasting hours to days (real-time) with specific objectives: scan locations, hunt exotic creatures, mine rare veins, or survive extreme weather events. Combined with orbital station, between drops, you access the orbital workshop where you spend exotics and credits on persistent equipment (workshop items).
talent trees + weather survival: Three talent trees (Solo, Construction, Combat) provide passive bonuses that persist permanently. When paired with weather survival, icarus features brutal weather systems: temperature extremes, storms with lightning that damages structures, and blizzards that reduce visibility and cause hypothermia.
resource extraction scaling: Resources follow a tiered progression: fiber/sticks > wood/stone > iron/copper > platinum/titanium > exotic materials. Mining exotic veins (special deposits found during certain prospects) yields Exotics currency for the Workshop. Resource nodes respawn on a timer, and deep mining caves contain the rarest ores.
Equipment Efficiency
| Equipment | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting Rifle | Hunter Build and Solo Build — reliable ranged damage for wildlife and hostile fauna | The first firearm you can craft, requiring iron ingots and a Machining Bench. |
| Compound Bow | Solo Build for quiet hunting, Hunter Build as a secondary weapon | Craftable at Tier 2, the Compound Bow is silent (doesn't alert nearby wildlife) and uses craftable arrows. |
| Recurve Bow | All builds in the first 30 minutes of any prospect | The starting ranged weapon available at Tier 1, using basic wood and leather. |
| Bolt Action Rifle | Hunter Build — top-tier damage for dangerous prospect targets | The strongest craftable firearm, requiring platinum ingots and advanced components. |
| Spear | Emergency melee in the first 10 minutes, before crafting a bow | The earliest melee weapon, crafted from sticks and stone. |
Location Efficiency
Forest Biome (Beginner prospects): The most forgiving biome with moderate temperatures, abundant wood, and basic wildlife (deer, rabbits, wolves, bears). Most starter prospects take place here. Resources are plentiful but spread out — iron deposits are common in rock faces and cave entrances.
Arctic Biome (Mid-level prospects (Tier 2-3 gear)): Freezing temperatures (-30C to -50C) that drain health without Fur Armor and shelter. Blizzards reduce visibility to near zero and cause rapid hypothermia. Rich in Platinum deposits and exotic ice fauna. Bring Oxite for emergency warmth and build Tier 2+ shelter immediately upon landing.
Desert Biome (Mid to high-level prospects): Extreme heat during the day with cold nights. Sandstorms reduce visibility and damage exposed players. Water is scarce — bring Rain Reservoirs or find oasis points. Rich in Titanium deposits and contains unique desert fauna with valuable drops.
Riverlands (Early to mid-level prospects): A temperate biome centered around large river systems. Good for fishing (a reliable food source) and contains alluvial gold deposits. Wildlife is moderate — river predators (crocodile-like fauna) guard water access points. Less extreme weather than Arctic or Desert makes this a comfortable mid-game area.
Styx Map (All levels (permanent base)): An Open World map with no time limit, allowing permanent base construction. Players build persistent outposts with full crafting infrastructure. The Styx map contains all biome types and is the best option for players who dislike the timed prospect system. Mission boards in Styx provide objectives for Exotic currency.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Forgetting to return to the dropship before the timer expires — this is permanent character death with all gear. Always track the prospect timer and head back with time to spare.
- Dropping into Arctic prospects without cold protection — hypothermia kills in under 2 minutes without Fur Armor or Oxite, and you'll die before crafting any shelter.
- Ignoring Workshop gear between missions — players who spend all Exotics on cosmetics instead of Workshop tools start every new prospect at a massive disadvantage.
- Building Tier 1 thatch shelters and expecting them to survive storms — lightning and wind destroy thatch instantly, killing you inside what you thought was safe shelter.
- Fighting bears with melee weapons early game — their charge attack one-shots players in Tier 1 armor. Use a bow from elevated ground or lure them into water where they move slowly.
Efficiency Quick Reference
| Aspect | Optimal Choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Solo Build | S-tier, best overall |
| Starter | Construction Spec | Most forgiving for learning |
| Equipment | Hunting Rifle | Best resource-to-power ratio |
| First area | Forest Biome | Iron, Copper, basic leather/fur, abundant wood and stone |
| Priority mechanic | prospect missions | Everything else builds on this |
Pro Quick Tips
- Always bring Oxite on your first drop into Arctic prospects — without it, you can freeze to death before building any shelter. Oxite provides 10 minutes of cold resistance when consumed.
- Tier 2 wood houses survive storms but Tier 1 thatch does not — prioritize upgrading your shelter walls to wood within the first 20 minutes of any prospect.
- Skinning knife gives double animal resources compared to pickaxe or bare hands. Craft one as soon as you have iron — the extra leather and fur accelerate your armor progression.
- Start with Construction Spec, switch to Solo Build when ready
- Invest in Hunting Rifle above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Forest Biome → Arctic Biome → Desert Biome → Riverlands → Styx Map
- prospect missions + orbital station together are stronger than either alone
For full build details, check builds. For progression path, see the walkthrough.
