There’s been a bit of a debate about video games being too much like movies. Some people enjoy cinematic games while others consider it just an interactive movie. I happen to be among those that enjoy cinematic games. I thought enjoyed Detroit: Become Human and Heavy Rain. The latest game of this style is Fort Solis. A sci-fi suspense game made by the Studio Fallen Leaf. So does this game reach the highs of the other in its genre and should you play Fort Solis?
Let’s talk about it.
Narrative:
You place as engineers who respond to an unusual alarm call from a remote mining base on Mars named Fort Solis. As you explore the Fort and look for the crew you discover something sinister has happened. As the night grows longer, things spiral further out of control.
This game has 4 overall chapters and feels like a show or a movie. In fact, you play through each chapter almost like you would binge a TV show. The story matches up for you to do that or mow through its 4 to 6-hour runtime in one sitting. The game is paced well though one could argue that the ending is a bit rushed. Overall the narrative is the meat and potatoes of this game and thankfully they nail that aspect.
Gameplay:
Fort Solis plays like Detroit Become Human and Heavy Rain where you walk around and interact with the environment to get the lore and the next story beats. Just like those games Fort Solis also has quick-time events at points in the game.
The gameplay could be more dynamic and memorable. You walk around and piece together information through the text that you find, the video logs you watch, and the audio logs that you listen to. There are a couple of puzzles that you have to solve. They are thoughtfully designed and shouldn’t take you long to complete.
Additional Pros:
The voice acting in this game is phenomenal. That’s no surprise considering it’s star-studded cast centered around Julia Brown (Foundation), Troy Baker (God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite), and Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption 2). As to be expected by their pedigree these crew were amazing in their roles and help to make this feel like a high-budget AAA game.
While the visuals and graphics weren’t the best thing ever they were still good. You can tell that this was an Unreal Engine 5 project when you look at the details of the character’s models. The in-game logs and video logs add layers to the game’s lore and look futuristic. The lighting and shadow effects are another standout aspect of the graphics adding that creepy vibe to the environment.
The score is approximately eerie and suspenseful. As I’ve said numerous times on The Single Player Experience Podcast, I’m a chicken when it comes to horror/thriller types of games. The score in this game had me on edge during my entire playthrough. Add in the random sound effects and I was very jumpy.
Cons/Flaws:
You move around by walking at all times. There isn’t any running or jogging outside of the quick-timed events. The pace of the walk felt slower than it should have. I get that it’s a space-centric game, but walking feels lethargic.
Overall/Should you Play Fort Solis:
If you like Sci-fi thrillers and enjoy the gameplay of games like Heavy Rain and Detroit Become Human then you should check out Fort Solis. If those games weren’t your cup of Hot Chocolate then this game won’t be either. Overall while the gameplay in Fort Solis won’t blow you away, the story, voice acting, and presentation present a high-quality experience that makes this game well worth your time.
Where Should Fort Solis fit in your video game backlog:
Here at the ProNerd Report and on the Single Player Experience Podcast, we practice the 10 games backlog rule. In this practice, you log down 10 games, those games are gonna be your video game backlog. To be as productive as you possibly can be, we recommend that you only play three games at one time. One single player narrative game, one game that’s gonna be your chill and relaxed game, and another game that’s going to be your palate cleanser game, which is a game that you play when you’re not in the mood for your other narrative. When you complete or get tired of one game, it leaves the backlog list. Then you decide which new game is added to the list, and which game on the list advances to your active three games.
Fort Solis – If you are fans of sci-fi thrillers or cinematic walking simulators then you should have Fort Solis in your video game backlog. This is for sure a game that should be in your narrative slot. I don’t even think it fits in any other slot.
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