Over the past few years gaming developers have dived into the world of Sci-Fi horror games following the success of Alien Isolation and Dead Space, players have enjoyed following intense and gripping gameplay and compelling stories, making their experience more replayable. Fallen Leaf Studios’ new title Fort Solis is no exception. To be released in the summer of 2023. This writing will summarise what this highly anticipated title will bring to players.    

Main Story & Characters

Fort Solis is a single-player, story-focused, third-person thriller. Set in 2080 on Solis Planum at an isolated mining post on the far side of Mars. The player will be in control of the protagonist Jack Leary played by Roger Clark, most known for his role as Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2. Jack Leary is an engineer on the base. After following an alarm call from Fort Solis, he believes this is a system malfunction. However, as he goes to check, he quickly discovers that this is no malfunction as pulse-racing, adrenaline-filled events transpire.

Following Jack along his journey is his companion Jessica played by Julia Brown, known for her roles in television series such as World on Fire and Shetland. Jessica is much younger and more intelligent than Jack and is said to bring humour to the game to bring a bit of light to the game’s more serious tone. Studio Director of Fallen Leaf, James Tinsdale states that they wanted Jack & Jessica’s relationship to be inspired by that of Henry and Delilah in Campo Santos’ Firewatch; despite their different personalities and skills, their relationship is strong and set to be a main attraction to the game. 

Finally, to complete the game’s leading trio, we have Wyatt Taylor played by Troy Baker, most known for his roles as Joel in The Last of Us, Higgs in Death Stranding, and Booker Dewitt in BioShock Infinite. Wyatt is a doctor on the base of the Planum. He is deeply passionate and driven to find the underlying cause of what is happening on Fort Solis. Tinsdale says that he wants the player to empathise with Wyatt. He is probably the most complex character in the game; he is extremely strict and “by the book” but is not an antagonist.  

Location

As previously told. The game is set on an isolated mining post on the far side of Mars. The base has been utilised so players can experience and fully explore the world; of course, like in any game, there will be some puzzles to solve as you navigate throughout the area, and you will need to gain access to some restricted places. The Fort has been split into nine sections; each is set to be one or two levels below ground, which will be daunting for players due to the dark, suspenseful corridors. Then, of course, players can go above ground to surface level, where a dust storm will worsen as the game progresses. 

Gameplay

Jack will rely on the multi-tool he wears on his wrist, sending alerts that will help the player progress through the story. While the player explores, there will be many mini games to complete; whether hacking a door or surging locks, there will be no shortage of things to do. One of the things that Jack will need to fix and upgrade throughout the game is the Lunar Terrain Vehicle which will be essential for navigation on the surface.   

Although Jack is not a soldier with weapons or fancy armour, it doesn’t mean he is incapable of escaping particularly harrowing situations. The way the player wants to progress and how they want Jack to be throughout the game is entirely up to the player. The game will follow a path determined by the player, and how the game is played will impact the progressing story and, of course, the ending. 

Ending Thoughts

Overall, the game has a lot of potential. The gameplay sounds interesting, especially since weapons don’t play a huge part in Jack’s character. The casting is outstanding, having names such as Roger Clark, a prominent figure following his success in Red Dead Redemption 2, and Troy Baker, one of the industry’s most well-known video game actors. Although Julia Brown is not well known within the video game world, from what is seen in the trailers, her role sounds essential to the story, and she appears to have heaps of talent.  

Fort Solis is set to release in the Summer of 2023 to PC and PlayStation 5 players. With all that has been shared and promoted by cast and crew from the game, it looks to be one of the summer’s most highly anticipated releases.