Fort Solis Reviews
If Fort Solis really was a Netflix series, it wouldn't get a second season.
With a slow burn opening that lays the groundwork for a potentially brilliant sci-fi thriller, Fort Solis initially shows plenty of promise - but its story loses momentum in its later chapters, and fails to stick the landing.
Some of you will certainly enjoy the potential Fort Solis puts forward, but others may find its sharper edges a little too rough to handle.
Fort Solis has some impressive talent behind it, not least the artists and performers. But almost everything else drowns beneath a thick sludge of annoyance thanks to the stifling mechanics, such as the useless map, lack of sprint, and overreliance on QTEs for the underwhelming mystery. If Fort Solis had been a 4K YouTube video instead of a game, I imagine the experience would not have differed much. And maybe it should have just been a video. At least I could have fast-forwarded through the tedious walking sections that comprise most of the game.
Fort Solis places a small but intriguing cast in its off-Earth saga in ways that can be familiar, but it justifies its addition to the subgenre with its own fun twists and philosophical arguments.
Thinking back on my playthrough, there were positive times where I’d notice myself admiring some of Solis’ design details, like Jessica’s rubbery glove caught in her glinting headlamp as she shielded her face from the smoggy storm, or narrative decisions, like when Jack passed his hand over a murder victim’s open eyes to empathetically close them. But they don’t create a unified image; I can neither value nor reject what I’ve done here. I put Fort Solis down confused and disengaged, with half a mind on my email notifications.
Fort Solis highlights its enigmatic narrative that immerses you in an ever-evolving mystery. Through an episodic structure similar to a thriller series, you connect emotionally with the characters as you meticulously explore the Fort Solis base for clues. Although it lacks conventional action and stealth, its authentic atmosphere and strategic sound design will keep you immersed. However, technical issues in the PS5 version and its limited duration are aspects to consider. Fort Solis offers a unique and captivating narrative experience, though it requires patience and an open mind to appreciate its episodic approach.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fort Solis aims for big-budget horror but fails to deliver on all fronts. I don't mind short games in the slightest, in fact, I welcome them, but Fort Solis felt like four hours of my life I will not get back. Unless you have money to throw away, you should probably give this one a miss.
Fort Solis is presented like an interactive movie, but with gameplay that detracts from the experience rather than complimenting it. The narrative tries to subvert your expectations to maintain the excitement, but despite the compelling circumstances in the beginning, the story failed to stick the landing in the end.
A sci-fi thriller too cryptic with its story and with very little substance on the gameplay side, for an unfortunately unsatisfactory result.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fort Solis is a tremendous proposal to turn on the console or PC, sit down with our partner and/or friends, and enjoy as if we were watching a series.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fort Solis features some of the best voice acting I've heard, and an engaging story that carries you through to the tense reveal at the end.
A short-lived yet slowburn sci-fi drama about two engineers exploring a spooky, beautifully designed Martian base that's let down by a general lack of inspiration and especially, a dissatisfying plot.
It feels strange to put gameplay at the bottom of the list for any video game, but Fort Solis clearly made performance and visuals a priority. With a cast consisting of two video game A-listers, the game showcases what a difference hiring talented people can have on the impact of a story. Disappointing conclusion aside, the visuals, tone, and the acting are strong enough to satisfy some people. However, the gameplay is rarely fun and occasionally frustrating, even if the mood is tense and the desire to see more is compelling. Fort Solis is a hard game to recommend for a mass audience, but there is a specific subset of gamers who this game will really resonate with.
Fort Solis presents a thrilling story with fantastic visuals, exceptional voice acting, and heart pounding suspense. What it may lack in mechanical gameplay is more than made up for by really feeling like you are playing a movie. Don't be surprised if you can't put it down and play straight through in a single four hour sitting. I will definitely be checking out Fallen Leaf Studios future projects and Fort Solis has even won me over to the Walking Simulator genre. Don't miss this one.
Fort Solis is a beautiful, yet very boring game with a stellar cast and walking simulator-like gameplay.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Fort Solis is technically great from a graphical and audio perspective. The issue is that the narrative and gameplay do not match up, being poor by any standards. It's challenging to get into Fort Solis, from poor pacing and storytelling to gameplay that is boring at the best of times - primarily thanks to some of the slowest movement speeds in gaming today. When you are in, you'll be glad to get back out as soon as possible.
Fort Solis starts out promising, with an eerie and mysterious narrative that just seems to get everything right. From environmental details to pacing, this opening act genuinely had us thinking we had a Firewatch or Everybody's Gone To Rapture on our hands. However, as the game begins to expand, the pacing tanks, the story fumbles its way across the finish line, and the gameplay experience makes us want to throw our DualSense off the wall. There are a number of ways in which we should be impressed by the game - it's made by a 10 person team after all - but in the end Fort Solis is an experience as dusty as the red planet itself.
Fort Solis is a satisfying and simple narrative video game, with few real innovations but many themes and points of reasoning that thriller lovers might like. It's not a horror movie, so don't expect scares of any kind. It is not even approachable to works like Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol.
Review in Italian | Read full review