A Tense, Cinematic Mystery That Refuses to Rush
Mars is the big talking point in future space travel at the moment, NASA hoping to send humans there in the next few decades. But space travel is also the work of billionaires now, and Elon Musk is looking to send unmanned craft there next year and then humans by the end of the decade, all in the hope of building an outpost.
However, if anyone has visited Mars in video games, I would definitely advise against it, as things tend to go very wrong there. In typical video game lore, there are all manner of things out there waiting to kill you.
Fort Solis is a game set in that future when things inevitably go wrong on the Red Planet, and it’s up to a duo of engineers to work out exactly what has happened.
Fort Solis appeared on the PlayStation a few years ago, and finally, it has made its way over to Xbox consoles. It is a narrative adventure set on Mars in the year 2080. You first meet Jack Leary, a gruff but cheerful engineer working on Fort Minor, along with his partner in crime, Jessica Appleton, who is on the surface. They are joking around over the comms, talking about zombie films they have watched, when the electrics go up the spout and a distress call comes in from the nearby Fort Solis. Jack ambles over to the place only to see it in full lockdown. When he enters, he finds it devoid of people; the only things he can find are some strange messages on the terminals, and then, there is the blood…
I don’t want to spoil anything else in the story, but the writing is very good. I liked the narrative, which felt like a small, intimate story set within a big environment, remaining engaging and compelling throughout. It wears its horror trappings well but doesn’t necessarily go where you think it might be going. The tale of Fort Solis ends up being more of a human story than a fantastical space opera, featuring some great dialogue between the characters that is witty and light when it can be, and darker when it needs to be. It is a short narrative experience, taking around four to five hours to complete and honestly, I could have done with it being a bit longer, as I was so engaged with the characters and the mystery.
Navigating the Hub
The gameplay is presented in the third person, tasking you with navigating the space station, interacting with items, doors, and computer terminals. In terms of exploration, there aren’t really any problems with knowing what to do or what you are looking for, as you have clear markers on the screen for interactable objects.
You also have a wrist-mounted PDA which displays your messages and maps, and serves as the hub where you can view the video or audio files you find along the way. You can also find security level passes that you attach to your device, granting you access to previously locked doorways.
The mechanical side of the gameplay consists of a series of Quick Time Events (QTEs) to handle action sequences, such as climbing sections in the beginning or physical fight sequences later on. These work fine, but I think some people will feel frustrated with this mechanic as a primary form of interaction. There is nothing so tricky that it presents a real danger; I didn’t die once through this playthrough, and I’m not even sure if you can die at all.
Pacing and Design Choices
The biggest problem I think Fort Solis has – and for some, it might be a deal-breaker – is that the main characters cannot run. It is a slow walk through the entire experience, and at times, it feels jarring. Something urgent might happen in a cutscene where the characters sprint, but when you take control of them again, it defaults back to a slow stroll. I got used to it after a while, but it remains an odd design choice.
The game visuals and atmosphere are solid and well-designed. I loved exploring the station with its detailed rooms and hidden secrets. The character animations are brilliant, featuring some great facial expressions that help sell the drama. The environments, both interior and exterior, are ominous, and there is some excellent use of camera angles that makes the experience feel very filmic.
A Star-Studded Cast
Led by Red Dead Redemption 2 star Roger Clark, the cast also includes Troy Baker and Julia Brown. They do a superb job throughout, delivering emotional and worthy performances that add significantly to the cinematic feel. The soundtrack is also great, providing beats of tension and emotion in all the right places.
When reviewing games, it’s sometimes great to be able to play through a title in one or two sittings, which is exactly what Fort Solis allows you to do. Hopefully, you will be engaged enough with the world and atmosphere, like I was, to not want to switch it off. The mechanics are serviceable, and your opinion of QTEs will largely determine how much you enjoy the action sequences. However, not being able to run is a strange decision that hurts the pacing.
But overall, Fort Solis is a cracking playthrough, offering gamers another trip to Mars; a trip full of danger and disaster.
Important Links
Fort Solis Touches Down On Xbox Series X|S – A Nightmarish Sci-Fi Mystery – https://www.thexboxhub.com/fort-solis-touches-down-on-xbox-series-xs-a-nightmarish-sci-fi-mystery/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/fort-solis/9p15jr213dwd
