The Solus Project is the newest game from indie developer Sjoerd “Hourences” De Jong, in partnership with indie studios Teotl and Grip Studios. When I first got this game to review, I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t looked up other reviews or information on the game, so I went into it blind – and I was blown away. This single player survivor game puts the player on a mysterious alien planet, where they must survive for the sake of the continuation of humanity.
Game Play
One of the primary goals of the game, at least in the beginning, is to find parts from your crashed ship to build a communications transmitter, to send a distress call. After a cinematic introduction that explains the back story and how the player ends up on an alien planet, game play begins, post-crash. Before you get a chance to even move, a menu pops up, allowing you to pick one item that you can have with you. There are various suits to choose from that give different advantages, like protecting against the cold better than others, or you can choose to go hardcore, and bring nothing.
After the player chooses their gear, their first set of obstacles are to get out of the crash site, find supplies, and find shelter. This is where most of the “hand-holding” will take place, and it is mostly to get you used to the interface, and how to interact with the environment. Once these basic goals are achieved, the hints stop and you are on your own…on an alien planet…trying to survive. This is where I was happy that I went into this review pretty much blind, because it created even more of a immersive experience, in that I had no preconceived plan or knowledge of what to expect.
There is no combat in the game. It is purely exploration, and survival from the elements. The antagonists are hunger, dehydration, the extreme heat and extreme cold. You can die from hypothermia, or from a deficient caloric intake. Also, lack of sleep impairs your movement and stamina. In my first attempt at the game, I made the mistake of jumping into water that was deeper than I thought, which took out my torch, and left me stranded right before dusk. After attempting to find my way back through the water and beaches in the pitch black of night, I ended up dying of hypothermia. The planet also has weather patterns that include tornadoes – from which you must seek cover – along with earthquakes. These natural events seem random, just like real life.
Besides survival and building the communications tower, there is also an element of exploration that players can take advantage of. As you explore the planet for supplies and shelter, you learn that you were not the first one here, and that the planet holds mysteries wrapped in enigmas, with a side of puzzles. Though you are reminded that your primary mission is to build the communications array, you can’t help but be curious as to who – or what – was here before you.
The inventory and crafting system is actually pretty easy to use. When selecting a resource, you are able to see what items you have that can be crafted with the new item. You are also able to see what you have in your inventory with the push of a button – instead of having to scroll through each one – to determine if you have enough of a particular item category. The system automatically groups duplicates together, so it is somewhat organized. I didn’t see a way to organize it manually, however since there is no combat, the items in your inventory will be pretty basic, and easy to manage.
I can go on and on about the game play, but the bottom line is, it is extremely fun and addictive! You really need to think about how you approach situations. There is no feeling of “video game invincibility.” I found myself really thinking about each decision I made, and whether I had enough supplies to explore, or if I needed to scavenge beforehand. Shelter was always on my mind whenever I traveled. Since whether patterns were random, I didn’t want to get stuck in a tornado. It should be mentioned, also, that this game is VR ready, as well. I was unable to test this feature out, since I do not have a VR compatible rig, but I imagine that this only builds on the immersive experience.
Graphics
This game is, by far, one of the prettiest I have ever seen. The detail is amazing and unbelievably realistic. Using the Unreal Engine 4, the development team created a world that is mesmerizing. At night, one can’t help but look up at the incredibly detailed night sky with planets, moons, and stars swirling around, as hypothermia slowly sets in.
Overall, I didn’t experience many glitches or graphical problems. Once in a while, I would see some downgrading happen in the quality of the scenery, or how the heat “waves” coming off of fire would cause an unnatural distortion, but these were minimal occurrences, and only happened maybe three times in the hours of game play I logged.
Final Thoughts
This is an awesome game that is incredibly addicting and fun to play. If you are big on constant action and combat, then you will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for a game with depth to get into and test your survival instincts, then this is the game for you. In my almost 5 hours of game play, I feel like I am nowhere near the end of the game, or that I have seen nearly everything the game has to offer.
Sure there may be some hiccups here and there, but I dare you to tell me a game that is 100% perfect these days. Be aware that, going into the game, frustration is a part of the game, just like it would be if you were actually stranded. There is no hand holding or hints after the initial instructions. You must rely on your gear, and your will, to survive – or humanity is doomed.
The Solus Project is available for PC via Steam for $19.99, and is coming to Xbox One.
Final score: 5/5 atoms
*The Solus Project was reviewed using a pre-release code provided by Teotl Studios.
from Nerd Reactor
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