Fort Solis | PS5 Review
So-called walking simulators were pretty popular there for a while. Despite them becoming somewhat less standard over time, I’ve always appreciated them. The slower approach to interactive storytelling allows the environments to sing as you become entangled in the mystery you’re uncovering. Fort Solis is a great new entry to this genre.
Your Base Are Belong to Us
Set on Mars, you find yourself in the shoes of Jack Leary. An alarm has been sent out from the nearby Fort Solis. When you arrive, you find no one to greet you and explain what the alarm is all about. What follows is a slowly unfolding mystery of why the base is seemingly abandoned.
Most of the story is told via video logs, audio logs, and notes scattered around Fort Solis. As there were only six crew members stationed here currently, you actually get to learn a decent amount about them and their dynamics. I found myself pleasantly surprised at the origin of the disappearances because it’s a lot simpler and smaller in scope than you might think. It keeps things grounded and makes for a very satisfying story with a wonderful ending.
Just Two Buds Chilling in a Galactic Nightmare
Exploring is made less intense by the wonderful dynamic Jack has with his co-worker Jessica over comms. Their banter makes it evident that they’ve been close friends for years, with plenty of digs at one another. For every time you begin to feel tense, these two buds will cut through the tension in a way only your best friend could. It also makes the times they’re cut off from communicating with one another nightmarish.
These characters stand out not only because of the writing, but because of the excellent performances. Roger Clark as Jack Leary is every bit as nuanced and masterful as you would expect. Even in the brisk runtime of 5 hours, his character is wonderfully realized. I was equally impressed with Julia Brown as Jessica Appleton. I’m not familiar with her previous work in the lands of TV and film, but she is every bit as excellent as Roger Clark. Pretty impressive for a newcomer to the medium.
The real standout, to my surprise, is Troy Baker as Wyatt Taylor. Obviously a name that needs no introduction, as the man has been in a hundred games. Yet somehow, this is one of his best performances. The years of honing his craft shine through here with the way he can go from soft to menacing within even the same sentence. The video logs you find of this character feel so natural, with the drifty “ums” and “ahs” that anyone who records their own voice is familiar with.
Take Your Time
It wasn’t an issue for me, but I do feel the need to warn people about the slow walking pace in Fort Solis. Jack walks at the speed of a regular person, and there’s no way to speed things up. No sprint button or fast walk. It can make backtracking to access a room you just unlocked exhausting in theory, but I found in practice it was nowhere near as lengthy as I built up. You learn your way around every inch of Fort Solis by the end, and I really enjoyed that.
Fort Solis is an easy recommendation for anyone that likes walking simulators. I think it’s easy to look at the trailers and assume it’s yet another space horror game, but it’s much more akin to a tight thriller. The pacing and narrative ramp up is excellent, and I really enjoyed the payoff. The incredibly human banter between Jack and Jessica is worth experiencing the game for alone. If you want a perfect weekend thriller, you could do a lot worse than Fort Solis.
To hear me talk more about Fort Solis, be sure to listen to the August 30, 2023 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:18:54 time stamp.
This review is based on a purchased copy of Fort Solis on PlayStation 5. It is also available on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Fort Solis
$29.99
Pros
- Wonderfully Paced
- Delightful Banter
- You Can Explore Every Inch of the Base
- Truly Exceptional Performances
- A Mystery That Pays off With a Great Ending
Cons
- Slow Movement Speed Will Bother Some
