Before I begin this blog I wanted to extend my biggest “Thank You” & “Congratulations” to James Tinsdale and the team at Fallen Leaf Studios Upon the release of Fort Solis and to Dear Villagers for allowing me to play the game early. It was an enormous honour and I can’t wait to see what comes up next with your future endeavours.

There is nothing more in modern media that engages the interest and sparks conversation much like a video game. Either it be fuelled by excitement or controversy. Video games have been a huge topic of discussion in the most recent years and today I am here to talk about the brand new highly anticipated game that had sparked a lot of conversation online Fort Solis.

It goes without saying that the team at Fallen Leaf already had players’ head in a spin when they discovered the incredible casting trio which was assembled, From Roger Clark; most known for his leading role as Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, Julia Brown who has been all over British television for a number of years now with shows such as World on Fire, and finally Troy Baker one of the biggest names within the gaming industry. Players knew they were in for a treat with the casting alone, with the anticipation of thrills and horrors within the story at an all time high, fans were curious to see how it would all play out.

With the game being set out in a far corner of Mars with a huge storm storm coming the tension was palpable which continues throughout the game, the tension felt as you get through the later chapters of the game only intensifies especially as the storm gets stronger and more unbearable . The only thing that settles the atmosphere is the tantalising banter between Clark & Brown, their energies just bounce off each other, making their friendship and mentorial relationship much more believable. Clark’s character Jack Leary is portrayed as a older man, kind of grumpy and more of seeing the glass half empty than full, he is very much looking forward to his vacation, unfortunately the emergency call at Fort Solis has thrown a spanner in the works. Whereas Brown’s character, Jessica Appleton is much more optimistic, a hopeless romantic, she brings a lighthearted and calm ease to the tense and uncertain atmosphere throughout the story.

Troy Baker’s performance as Wyatt Taylor was truly unforgettable, a man haunted by his mind, the isolation and sheer desolation of Mars has brought an unease to this character, showing some of his darkest flaws. Baker brings a sinister yet somewhat sympathetic nature to the character, although we don’t see a lot of the character on screen he is a very present and focal point of the story and the incoming conflict that faces Jack Leary.

Steam has put one of the categories of Fort Solis as a “Walking Simulator” and this is very much the case, but it isn’t a bad thing. As playing as Jack Leary it’s much more realistic to have him walking around, exploring his horizons only running when there is danger in his path. There is a lot to collect within the base, it is essential to collect as much as possible to get the full extent of the situation on Fort Solis, even when you have finished the game go to the extras menu and rewatch EVERY video log in order especially if they are by Wyatt Taylor, you will get a much better insight of the character even after the game has finished. The only downside is that the QuickTime events were short, although it’s is fast and intense which kept the intensity and blood pumping, if they were longer especially in the final stages of the game it would have sparked more of an accomplishment at the end. The length of the game was not an issue, in fact the opposite, if the director allowed the game to go on much longer, the player would probably lose the immersion and intensity that was built up throughout the game.

For a first game from a brand new studio, Fallen Leaf truly ticked a lot of the boxes, although not perfect, there could have been just that slight bit more of quick time and combat, especially in the final moments of the game. Overall James Tinsdale and his team have truly outdone themselves. This game won’t be forgotten quickly and will still be leaving conversations open and questions regarding the situation on Fort Solis unanswered.

If players are looking for a game with the right amount of thrills and intensity, golden cast and beautifully haunting score. Fort Solis is the game for you! Enjoy the journey and stay safe on Mars.