Close to the Sun Reviews
All things considered, though, I would heartily recommend Close to the Sun. With some fantastic world-building, an incredibly well detailed and atmospheric setting that's enhanced by a cast of interesting characters with great voice acting. The real issue comes from the lack of replay value, though for those who like to explore the world and story, there are reasons to go back.
Close to the Sun has a huge potential. Supported by a technique of good quality, it however lacks dynamism. The fault of very slow movements and a gameplay that requires that we agree to walk to the discovery of clues more present to define an atmosphere, than to advance in the story. Not quite adventure game, not quite FPS either, it does not take clear enough direction to stand out. Nevertheless, it will satisfy the fans of the genre who do not have much to play at the moment.
Review in French | Read full review
Horror-adventure Close to the Sun pairs an emotionally-engaging narrative with arguably one of the most stunning and memorable game worlds of 2019. Pity about the frustrating gameplay choices and story decisions that ramp up in the final third of the game. They cast a shadow over the accomplishments that preceded them.
A very competent, well-made survival horror adventure with clear BioShock inspirations, Close to the Sun is a smart and compelling game marred only by some ill-advised showing of naff monsters.
Close to the Sun successfully crafts a tense narrative and world through visual storytelling.
As a blend of intrigue, mystery, sci-fi, and horror – Close to the Sun may not be the turn of the century BioShock that pre-release media might have suggested, but there's plenty of electricity and power to be found in the story it tells.
Close to the Sun is an exploration adventure game that has the visuals, the atmosphere and the tension, but one key element, the gameplay, is under cooked compared to the rest.
Overall, I found Close to the Sun very enjoyable and, to be frank, it has been a long time since a game has grabbed my attention enough to not only complete it but do so in such a timely manner. The ending of the game did leave me with some hopes for a continuation or at least a standalone DLC to explore the other angles of the story only hinted at. Currently, I find myself wondering what exactly does Tesla and rose to do in the future and how do they do it!
Close to the Sun doesn't have the most complex gameplay, but it has a genuinely interesting premise that draws you into a darkly intriguing mystery.
One look at Close to the Sun and you’ll have a fairly clear picture of whether it’s for you or not.
Epic store exclusive Close To The Sun offers a solid mix of SOMA-style horror with BIoschock style locations and story.
I was intrigued about Close to the Sun from the very first time that I saw the trailer and the original concept art. The comparisons with Bioshock, which can never be a bad thing, are many. The ocean setting, the art deco style, the communication via radio and the scientific element of the story. However, this is where the comparisons stop. Close to the Sun is a game that deserves its own identity and will offer a different experience to Bioshock. Read on to find out about my time aboard the Helios.
"The only problem with the experience, is the performance, a problem I can’t look past, and a problem I hope the developers do acknowledge through an upcoming update, or at least give an explanation as to why their game was limited to a single core on a CPU. If they can fix that, then this game has it all, and it’s 10-hour adventure is – regardless – a quite remarkable one that uses Greek mythos as its foundation."
With interesting setting and characters, Close to the Sun starts as a piece of art, but it doesn't keep its premises due to hurried pacing and a bit superficial evolution of the story. Non trivial jumpscares and a good direction make this short game really a missed opportunity and only a decent horror adventure.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Close to the Sun is a hugely ambitious title from such a small team. It doesn’t quite stick the landing but it’s a (mostly) great experience and one that sci-fi horror fans will enjoy.
Close to the Sun starts out quite promising, but simmers out the longer you play. Despite its walking simulator gameplay and predictable story, however, I find I would still recommend Close to the Sun to anyone who likes adventure horror games. The well-written characters and excellent ambiance really stands out, which can make the game quite enjoyable regardless of its flaws.
Fair trading but short walking simulator on a mysterious ship complex created by Nikola Tesla.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
For anyone that plays lots of games, Close to the Sun is sadly not going to impress. While the aesthetics, graphical fidelity, sounds, and backstory does have the means to intrigue a lot of people, I feel that the average avid gamer will drop off after the first hour.
Close to the Sun manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The early parts of the game establish a genuinely interesting narrative and world before the later parts throw most of this away in favour of repetitive and dull chase sequences. The narrative remains interesting enough to keep you playing and there's some strong character development, but the ending comes as a relief rather than a reward. It isn't a disaster but it is a missed opportunity.
Close to the Sun is a masterclass in atmosphere and storytelling, sadly let down by poorly-directed chase scenes that quickly grow repetitive and tedious.