I was sent Fort Solis as a review code. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I will not let it sway my opinions about the game. This will be my honest review.
Jack Leary is an engineer on Mars on the final days of his tour when he receives a distress signal from a nearby mining camp. What starts as a simple check-in quickly turns into the longest night of his life. There is something strange happening within the walls of Fort Solis. Can Jack survive long enough to find out what?
Fort Solis felt more like a visual novel or interactive fiction than a video game. Players have some freedom with their investigation of the base, but the experience is somewhat rail-roaded. There are some variations in the narrative based on the choices players make through the quick time events, but you’re essentially walking from checkpoint to checkpoint and collecting clues in between.
I had no issues with this style of narrative because it felt like I was watching a solid sci-fi series with no filler. The atmosphere is properly creepy, the music is fantastic, and the voice acting is phenomenal. The game may not be scary, but it does enough to keep the story engaging. Fort Solis does a fantastic job at creating a creepy isolated experience as you stumble through the darkness, piecing the mystery together. The mystery is fine, but I think I failed a bit too many quick time events to get the full story.
A lot of the narrative exists through dialogue and logs you find throughout the base. A lot of the game is tied to exploration, so keep that in mind when considering buying this title. The logs and clues were well implemented, making Fort Solis one of the few games where I went out of my way to collect as much of the story as I could because of how invested I became. I didn’t uncover everything sadly, but I was left with enough mystery for at least another playthrough.
There are multiple endings, and the endings are influenced by the choices players make throughout the game. It is easy to start passively enjoying the narrative and fail a quick time event. I recommend you stay alert if you want to avoid a bad ending. That said, the game is short enough where you can easily see other endings. If you do the bare minimum to get through the checkpoints, it should take players no more than 4 hours to clear the game. I took my time to get lost in the world because I was enjoying my time through the base. There is also a ending credit scene you should look out for.
I enjoyed Fort Solis. The game has a well-designed narrative, amazing voice actors, and a great sound track. This is a great game if you enjoy thrilling sci-fi and don’t mind interactive fiction. That said, I think $25 is a little too much for what you get. I recommend you pick it up when it goes on sale unless you can’t really can’t wait. This is a game you should at least play once for the unique experience it provides.
You can pick up Fort Solis for the PS5 ($29.99), Mac (39.99), PC via Steam and Epic Games (24.99). Steam and Epic Games currently have it on sale for $22.49 until August 29.
Game Review: Drop – System Breach
I was given Drop – System Breach as a review code. I am grateful for the opportunity, but I will not let it sway my opinions. This will be an honest review of the game.
Drop is a fast-paced hacker simulator for PC that you should consider if you like these types of puzzle games. In a city full of hackers, you must prove your worth. Take odd jobs, join a faction, and test your hacking skills. Do you have what it takes to be the best?
I had to uninstall this game because of how addicted I became to the gameplay. I understand it may not be for everyone, but there is something in its simple gameplay loop that I couldn’t get enough of.
I love the aesthetic of this game. The graphics aren’t high-end, but they are appropriate for the game. It looks like something you would see in a movie or tv show about hacking.
The gameplay loop is simple. You log into a network of computers and start unlocking the network of nodes until you complete the objectives. You will install viruses, steal data, or do anything else a hacker will do. But you will not be without resistance. Systems will have alarms, viruses, and other defenses to obstruct you. The trick to this game is to efficiently manage your resources while you finish the objectives to maximize your profits. The deeper you get into this game, the more you have to mitigate. This game appears simple, but it gets intense.
There is a story, but it isn’t important. There are also factions, but like the story, they only exist to add flavor. If you miss any text, you aren’t missing out on anything important. I read all the messages, and while I appreciate the flavor it added, I noticed a lot of syntax errors. It won’t ruin the game, but it is hard to overlook.
So should you buy this game? It depends. I enjoyed the game way more than I should have, but it is repetitive. The puzzles feel different because the system’s defenses are always different, but the loop will always be the same. If you don’t like the repetitive loop that is common in roguelikes, you won’t like this game. If you don’t mind the reputation, this game is fantastic. The aesthetic is cool, the gameplay is fun, and the soundtrack is fantastic. You can buy Drop – System Breach for $9.99 on Steam. I think it’s worth the money.
GDC Recap: SteamWorld Build
I got to try out SteamWorld Build at GDC before the title was made public. I am extremely excited about this cute entry into the SteamWorld universe. I love city builders, and with my limited exposure to the title, I already know Build is taking all of my free time. If you are a fan of the genre, go wishlist SteamWorld Build.
Build takes place after the events of Dig 2. The planet is dying, and you must make a final push to escape it. With the help of your citizens, you must gather resources, build your town, and fight off the wildlife that endangers our town. Can you escape before it is too late?
At first glance, Build can seem overwhelming with how much there is to manage. You have to build a city, keep your workers happy, mine resources, and defend your base all at once. The game does a fantastic job at easing the player into its mechanics, and once you get used to them, the management isn’t bad The pacing of this game can be stressful if you aren’t actively planning your moves, but the pacing of the game was rather relaxing. You will have plenty of time to maneuver between your tasks, and the game does a great job of alerting the players about what needs to be done.
There is a story to this game, but it acts more as a tutorial as it guides you through the different mechanics. Each section of the story will have you unlock and repair buildings that will open up more of the game. The main draw of this game will be its sandbox mode, where you will have the freedom to build and establish your base without restrictions. I recommend going through the story to at least get a basic understanding of its fundamentals.
The game is all about managing your base. Your base is split into different levels. At the top, you have a town of your design where you will recruit your workers. Below the town, you will mine for resources and defend against monsters. You will spend most of your time moving between levels to make sure all your worker’s needs are met while advancing your base.
My favorite thing about this game is the art. The steampunk western aesthetic is adorable. I love the art in the SteamWorld games, and the translation from 2D to 3D art was done beautifully. The art for this game was done by the same people that did the costumes for Little Big Planet, and they did a fantastic job. I spent most of my session admiring all the little details that went into the design. The world reminds me a lot of the Ork aesthetic in 40k where everything is made from recycled metal, except here it’s cute. I loved watching the little robots complete their chores or interact with buildings. The small details make me see the passion there is for this game and have me excited to see a finished product.
I didn’t get to play SteamWorld Build enough to have a fleshed-out opinion, but I am very excited by what I experienced. If you like city builders or are looking to get into one, Build is worth looking into. The game will be available on all consoles and PC. Go try out the demo on Steam or Epic Games. There is no release date yet, but you can wishlist it on Steam, Epic Games, GOG, and Playstation.
Shoutout to the devs that took the time to show me the game and answer all my questions. Keep up the good work!
Make sure you join the official SteamWorld Build Discord server to stay up-to-date on all the news. It is a very active server that occasionally has giveaways. You can also follow them on Twitter
Best Student Game: Slider
This year’s winner of the IGF award for Best Student Game went to the cute 2D adventure puzzler, Slider. Use the power of a magical artifact to change the world around you to solve puzzles, aid humanity, and save your cat. The game has nine regions to explore, each full of increasingly difficult puzzles. This game has tactical combat, grids, and time travel.
I didn’t get to play Slider during my time at IGF, but I did see people play it. The puzzles are unique, and I am a huge fan of pixel art. There is no release date for Slider, but there is a free demo you can try. I will be trying the demo and return with some more impressions then. Until then, head over to Steam and try it for yourself. Don’t forget to wishlist it if you like it.
*Feature image taken from press release