izigame.me

Let me just start this out by saying that going in, I really wanted to like this game. I feel like it has a lot of potential and it does have some good parts, but I feel like they're drowned out by other lackluster aspects. First thing's first, the game is GORGEOUS. If you're just looking for a super immersive Mars station to walk around in while not too focused on storytelling then this is definitely the game for you. The atmosphere is masterfully crafted for essentially every area in the playable map, and it really goes to show what UE5 is capable of. Creepy flickering maintenance tunnels, overgrown botany facilities, well-lived-in residential areas, etc. The voice acting is also superb as well, once again the legendary Roger Clark nails it, with fantastic performances by Troy Baker, Julia Brown, and other supporting cast members. I found the acting, both voice and motion, was extremely believable, especially in the pre-recorded video logs you can find.
HOWEVER
I also feel that even with these advantages the game fails to properly deliver its story both through gameplay and the narrative. The story itself isn't anything groundbreaking per-say, and has been seen before in other stories, but its execution left me a little confused. Unless you scour through every nook and cranny of the base for details on the story, you're not entirely likely to understand the whole plot, as I feel it's understood by the characters, but not the audience, and it leaves something to be desired. The gameplay isn't much to talk about either, mostly just a tense walking simulator (No running either, by the way. The fastest you can go is race-walk.)with solving a few minor puzzles and a heavy reliance on usually unprompted QTEs, which aside from being annoying if you're trying to focus on the action, seem to have very little influence on the story. On that note as well, the story is, as advertised, very linear, but in doing so it seems to give you the illusion of choices, while not having much of an effect on the plot itself.
Overall I feel Fort Solis would probably have been better off as a TV series or film, which it feels like it's trying to be but is hindered by its own gameplay. On the surface I feel like the dev team definitely did a good job, and I do mean that, but at the end of the day the game did feel like it left something to be desired. That all being said, I am definitely curious to see what future projects this company goes on to produce, I feel like this game was on the cusp of being really good, and I'd like to see them get over that line.
VERDICT-
If it's on sale and you're in the mood for a shorter space sci-fi, I'd say go for it and see what you think for yourself. As it stands though I don't quite feel as though the bang is worth the buck, so to speak.