Codename: ICEMAN

Last updated: January 16, 2026

Overview

Codename: ICEMAN is a graphical adventure game made with the SCI engine and published by Sierra On-Line in 1990.¹ The lead designer was Jim Walls, a former police officer who also created several Police Quest games.¹ The game represents an ambitious attempt to blend traditional adventure game mechanics with detailed submarine simulation, creating a unique hybrid experience that challenged players in ways few Sierra titles had before.²

Set in the early 21st century during a fictional global oil crisis, the game places players in the role of Naval Officer Johnny Westland, tasked with a dangerous rescue mission in Tunisia.¹ The game is notable for its emphasis on realistic military procedures, requiring players to consult the manual extensively for proper protocols.³ Action and intrigue combine with the latest in simulation technology to create what Sierra marketed as “a thrilling adventure” with “a story as chillingly authentic as tomorrow’s headlines.”⁴

Mention of a “Codename: PHOENIX” in Sierra promotional material suggests that ICEMAN was meant to be the first part of a series, but disappointing sales ended the would-be franchise after one game.¹ Despite its commercial failure, the game has earned a notorious reputation in adventure gaming circles for its extreme difficulty and unconventional design choices.⁵

Game Info

Developer: Sierra On-Line¹ Designer: Jim Walls¹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line¹ Producer: Guruka Singh Khalsa⁶ Engine: SCI0⁶ Platforms: MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST¹ Release Year: 1990 Series: Codename (standalone) Protagonist: Lt. Commander Johnny Westland Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

The story takes place during a future global oil shortage, when Tunisia is discovered to possess a surplus of high-grade oil.¹ While the Soviet and US governments try to acquire as much of the oil as they can, Soviet-backed terrorists kidnap a US ambassador in hopes of provoking an international incident.¹ The scenario presents players with a kidnapped U.S. ambassador and positions them as the only man who can save him—codenamed ICEMAN.⁴

Naval officer Johnny Westland is informed about the situation while on leave in Tahiti and is called back for the rescue mission.¹ The night before returning to duty, he meets a woman named Stacy and has a one-night stand.¹ This encounter proves more significant than it initially appears, as the player later discovers that Stacy is also an agent whom Westland must meet as soon as he reaches his goal.¹

In the Pentagon, Westland is briefed on his mission and learns the full scope of the international crisis.¹ To reach his target, Westland travels in a nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Blackhawk.¹ During the journey, Westland battles Soviet vessels, navigates an iceberg field, and must complete a series of increasingly complex naval operations.¹ The game’s manual describes it as combining “oil shortages, international politics and radical terrorists” as the backdrop for a challenging spy adventure.⁴

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Codename: ICEMAN employs a text parser interface similar to many of Sierra’s adventure titles at the time, asking the player to type in whatever directions they want the protagonist to follow.⁷ The player navigates the protagonist in eight different directions from third-person view, and types text commands to interact with the environment.² The command “LOOK” may be typed separately and lead to different text descriptions depending on where on screen the protagonist is positioned.²

Control is generally easy and simple, with the num-pad controlling movement (or the arrow keys).³ However, the parser system has been criticized as problematic, with numerous instances where logical commands are not accepted by the game.⁸ One reviewer noted that “the parser not accepting my very Sierra safe commands” was a recurring frustration throughout the experience.⁸

Structure and Progression

The game is divided into several distinct sections that blend adventure gameplay with simulation elements:

• Tahiti Opening: The player begins on vacation in Tahiti, where they must gather information, complete a first aid emergency, and engage in a romantic encounter with a mysterious woman.⁹
• Pentagon Briefing: Westland receives his mission briefing and must prepare for the operation.¹
• USS Blackhawk Operations: A substantial portion of the game takes place aboard the nuclear submarine, requiring the player to manage navigation and weapons systems.¹
• Combat and Navigation: The player must battle Soviet vessels and navigate treacherous iceberg fields.¹
• Tunisia Mission: The final section involves completing the rescue operation on the ground.⁸

The game is similar to the Police Quest series in that it relies on realistic procedures, in this case military instructions, first aid, and other protocols.² The player may reach dead ends and resort to restoring an earlier save if some of these procedures are not followed properly.²

Puzzles and Mechanics

Traditional adventure-style puzzles appear primarily at the beginning and end of the game, with the middle sections dominated by submarine simulation.⁸ The game features several unique mechanics beyond standard adventure gameplay:

Boss Dice: A dice game that players must master to make progress easier throughout the game.³

CPR Simulation: The manual includes instructions for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, which must be performed correctly during an early game emergency.⁹

Submarine Controls: A large portion of the game consists of submarine simulation, requiring the player to navigate a submarine and fight enemy craft.⁷ Controlling the submarine involves referring to the complicated manual instructions repeatedly.⁸

The game has been heavily criticized for allowing players to miss vital information and items without warning, only to discover much later that these elements are required for progression.⁸ The unforgiving nature of these dead-end situations has contributed significantly to the game’s reputation for difficulty.⁵

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

ST Format reviewed the game for Atari ST, noting that “You can instantly recognise a game by Sierra On-Line” and describing how the company had “developed a 3D adventure environment and used it in virtually all of their games.”⁹ The review criticized the game’s speed issues: “Simply walking across a screen seems to take an eternity, and to top it all, moving to another screen for the first time requires disk accessing - and that takes ages.”⁹

The reviewer acknowledged that “the backgrounds are well drawn and some of the animation is nicely done - particularly when you’re drowning” but noted significant drawbacks with the Sierra adventure system.⁹ Contemporary reception was mixed enough that the planned sequel, Codename: PHOENIX, was cancelled due to disappointing sales.¹

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospective analysis has been largely critical of the game’s design choices. The Adventurers’ Guild blog gave the game a harsh assessment, stating “It’s no secret that I didn’t think much of this game. It was ambitious to say the least, and offered something fresh, but in the end it was just a bit of a chore to get through.”⁸

One analysis noted that the game “represented a bold and challenging attempt to push the agenda of virtual realism in computer games even further — as far as it could substantially” but questioned whether this ambition served the gameplay.² Discussion in the Sierra fan community has labeled it as potentially “Sierra’s worst adventure game,” though defenders note it “never lacked imagination.”²

When people discuss the most difficult Sierra adventure games, “there is one name that usually comes up more than any other: Codename: ICEMAN.”⁵ The game is described as “notorious for its challenging mini-games, unwinnable situations, and its frustrating emphasis on military and medical procedures and protocols.”⁵

Aggregate Scores:

• GOG.com: 3/5 (25 reviews)⁴

Development

Origins

Codename: ICEMAN was designed by Jim Walls, who had established himself at Sierra with the Police Quest series.¹ The game was conceived as the first in a potential new franchise for Sierra, with promotional material mentioning a planned sequel called “Codename: PHOENIX.”¹ Written and designed by Jim Walls, the game was intended to expand Sierra’s catalog with a more military-focused thriller experience.¹⁰

From Jim Walls, described by Sierra as the “designer of two of the most exciting and realistic graphics adventure games ever written,” came a story positioned as “chillingly authentic as tomorrow’s headlines.”⁴ The concept combined Walls’ experience creating procedurally-focused games like Police Quest with Cold War espionage themes popular in the late 1980s.

Production

The game was developed using Sierra’s SCI0 engine, which provided the graphical and interface capabilities standard for Sierra adventures of the era.⁶ Development involved creating both traditional adventure game content and a detailed submarine simulation, requiring expertise in multiple gameplay styles.

Development Credits:⁶

• Director: Jim Walls
• Producer: Guruka Singh Khalsa
• Designer: Jim Walls
• Writer: Jim Walls
• Lead Programmers: Pablo Ghenis, J. Mark Hood, Doug Oldfield
• Lead Artists: James Larsen, Cheryl Loyd
• Composer: Mark Seibert

Technical Achievements

The game featured EGA graphics and employed Sierra’s SCI engine, which allowed for animated characters and detailed backgrounds.¹ One of the game’s most notable technical aspects was the detailed submarine control panel, which one reviewer praised specifically: “I especially like the detail that went into the control panel of the submarine and various other locations around your vessel.”³

The submarine simulation component represented an ambitious attempt to integrate realistic military hardware into an adventure game framework.¹ However, this ambition came with trade-offs, as the simulation portions required extensive manual consultation and proved challenging for players primarily interested in adventure gameplay.⁸

Technical Specifications

IBM PC Version:⁴

• Graphics: EGA
• Engine: SCI0
• Audio: AdLib, Roland MT-32 support
• Input: Text parser, keyboard navigation

Technical Issues

The game suffered from significant speed issues on the Atari ST platform, with screen transitions and multiple moving objects causing noticeable slowdowns.⁹ “If you have more than one moving object on screen at once, then everything slows down even more.”⁹

The text parser has been criticized for inconsistent command recognition. Players reported being “put off the correct scent by the parser not accepting very Sierra safe commands.”⁸ Specific examples include failed attempts to “sit with Stacy,” “get the duct tape off the fridge,” and “enter the coordinates into the diver” despite these being logical commands for the situations.⁸

One reviewer noted an issue with the game’s internal clock: “in some situations in the game it has an inbuilt clock which speeds up along with the movement speed, therefore you may find yourself looking at a restore, restart or quit screen for no apparent reason.”³

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Notes
1.0	December 1989	MS-DOS	Initial release6
1.0	March 1990	Amiga	Platform port1
1.0	1991	Atari ST	Platform port9

Easter Eggs and Trivia

The game features several notable design decisions and cultural references:

• The protagonist’s name, Johnny Westland, follows the action hero naming conventions popular in 1980s spy fiction.¹
• The game includes a one-night stand sequence that was considered somewhat risqué for its era, though tame by Larry standards.¹
• The dice game “Boss Dice” serves as both an optional minigame and a source of needed resources.³
• One reviewer famously described being “still angry about the duct tape” puzzle, which has become emblematic of the game’s parser frustrations.⁸

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

The game’s commercial performance was disappointing enough to cancel the planned sequel, Codename: PHOENIX.¹ Despite the commercial failure, the game is currently owned by Activision and remains available for purchase through digital distribution.⁶

The game has achieved a peculiar form of notoriety as one of Sierra’s most controversial titles. As one modern analysis noted, “when pressured to come up with ‘the worst game ever made,’ if you are a child of the Eighties, chances are that Codename: ICEMAN will be one of the first titles to pop into your head.”²

Collections

The game is available for digital purchase through GOG.com, where it is tagged with descriptors including “Adventure,” “Action,” “Classic,” “Puzzle,” “Difficult,” “Naval,” and “Espionage.”⁴

Fan Projects

In November 2024, a fanmade prequel titled “Kidname: Iceboy” was released by developer Grayson.⁵ Created in Adventure Game Studio, the game serves as “a hilarious parody of the 1989 original focusing on the early years of that game’s hero, the Naval officer Johnny Westland, as he visits a submarine camp at the age of 10, in 1973.”⁵

The fan game features “a bunch of jokes that poke fun at JW’s frequently naive and patriotic outlook on the world, as well as ridiculous cameos from American historical figures like the (then) US President Richard Nixon and Navy Admiral John S. McCain Jr.”⁵ The game had its world premiere through Twitch streamer and adventure game podcaster Jess Morrissette.⁵

Related Publications

• Codename Iceman Manual: Original game documentation including military procedures, first aid instructions, and submarine operation guides¹⁰
• Codename Iceman Hint Book: Official Sierra hint book¹⁰
• Codename Iceman Map: Game map included with packaging¹⁰

Critical Perspective

Codename: ICEMAN occupies a unique position in adventure gaming history as a game that was simultaneously ambitious and deeply flawed. One modern analysis argued that the game “is the farthest thing from” the worst game ever made, “because one thing it never lacked was imagination.”² The game “represented a bold and challenging attempt to push the agenda of virtual realism in computer games even further.”²

However, this ambition came at a significant cost to playability. The game doesn’t command “the same amount of fondness as Sierra’s other famous series like King’s Quest, Space Quest, and Gabriel Knight, instead often finding itself as the butt of various community in-jokes.”⁵ The tension between simulation depth and adventure accessibility remains a cautionary tale in game design, illustrating how genre-blending requires careful balance to succeed.

Jim Walls would continue at Sierra with Police Quest 3 before departing the company, but Codename: ICEMAN remained his only non-Police Quest adventure.¹¹ The game’s failure effectively ended Sierra’s experimentation with military simulation-adventure hybrids, leaving the Codename franchise as a curious one-entry footnote in the company’s extensive catalog.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• GOG.com - DRM-free digital version⁴

Download / Preservation

• Internet Archive – Manual - Game manual¹²
• PlayClassic.games - Browser playable version⁷

Manuals & Extras

• Sierra Gamers – Manual Download - Manual PDF, maps, and hint book¹⁰

Series Continuity

Codename: ICEMAN was designed as the first entry in a planned franchise of espionage-themed adventure games. Sierra promotional materials referenced “Codename: PHOENIX” as a planned sequel, but disappointing sales of ICEMAN resulted in the cancellation of any follow-up titles.¹ The game thus remains a standalone entry, representing Jim Walls’ only non-Police Quest work for Sierra.

While not a sequel, the game shares thematic DNA with the Police Quest series through its emphasis on realistic procedures and protocols. Walls would return to that franchise for Police Quest 3, applying lessons learned from ICEMAN’s mixed reception to create a more balanced adventure experience.

References

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia – Codename: ICEMAN – plot, development credits, platforms, sequel cancellation ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹

2. Only Solitaire – Game Review: Codename ICEMAN (1990) – critical analysis, gameplay description, historical context ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

3. GameFAQs – Code-name: ICEMAN Review – gameplay scores, control evaluation, manual requirements ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

4. GOG.com – Codename: ICEMAN – product description, user ratings, marketing text ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

5. Time Extension – Codename: Iceman Fanmade Prequel – difficulty reputation, fan project details ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

6. Police Quest Omnipedia – Codename: Iceman – development credits, engine info, release date ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

7. PlayClassic.games – Codename: ICEMAN – gameplay description, interface details ↩ ↩² ↩³

8. The Adventurers’ Guild – Codename: ICEMAN Final Rating – detailed gameplay critique, parser issues, puzzle analysis ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹

9. ST Format – Codename: Iceman Review – contemporary review, technical issues, Atari ST performance ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

10. Sierra Gamers – Codename Iceman – download resources, manual availability ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

11. AGDInteractive Forum – Codename: ICEMAN Discussion – community discussion, Jim Walls career context ↩

12. Internet Archive – Codename Iceman Manual – manual preservation ↩