I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, The Invincible from Starward Industries and 11 Bit Studios is an incredibly story-driven adventure. After having played a snippet of the game a while ago, I’ve been really itching to get my hands on the full final release build. And now that I finally have, it’s great to report back here that The Invincible is an incredible game. However, it’s also one that will definitely be polarizing. Let’s dive into why this is the case shall we?
The Invincible
In The Invincible, players will take on the role of Yasna, a scientist stranded on an unknown alien world known as Regis III. The game kicks off with Yasna waking up in a strange environment, not knowing a single thing as to what’s happening or why she is there. However, after a brief introductory sequence where she tries to make contact with her crew via her radio, she slowly starts to remember some key facts.
The Invincible grips you from the start with Yasna having to identify just where the heck she is and what exactly is going on. The onboarding process is fairly straightforward and you’ll be able to move around on the surface of an alien world quite quickly. Upon getting back on your feet, you’ll be tasked with finding the rest of your crew after reading through some of your own journal entries.
The game however throws a flashback sequence at you along the way and this provides you with some much-needed backstory. Upon finding one of your crewmates, things get really interesting and without spoiling too much, Yasna is drawn into a far far more mysterious turn of events. The Invincible is all about storytelling. Gameplay takes a backseat in this title and this is exactly why it will be polarizing.
If you’ve played titles such as Firewatch or Fort Solis, you’ll feel right at home here. This is a “Walking Simulator” so to speak and is reliant on players moving around in their environment, soaking up as much information as possible from the few interactable objects available and interacting verbally via their communications device with another character.
The Invincible really draws you in though. The voice acting is fantastically done in this title with Yasna and Novik both truly carrying this game with their interactions. The Invincible’s story is based on the motifs of The Invincible a hard science-fiction book from author and Polish futurologist Stanisław Lem. If you’re a fan of Sci-Fi and anything related to space and alien exploration, The Invincible will appeal to you.
Gameplay in The Invincible does have some puzzle-solving elements to it with Yasna having to complete tasks for the Astrogator, her team leader. These are fairly straightforward at times but that’s all the game needs for it to be successful. You honestly don’t need insanely complex mechanics to tell a story and The Invincible’s storytelling is excellent enough with just the voice acting already.
Yas…na
The Invincible features decision making with players being able to choose different responses. Some of these responses require more thought but there often is a time limit placed on responding which makes things a bit more complicated.
Players will quickly grow attached to both Yasna and Astrogator and finding out more about what happened and why she’s on Regis III is a central plot point that shouldn’t be ruined. This is a game that you really should play to see exactly what I’m talking about here. Yasna is an excellent protagonist to play.
The lack of actual gameplay or rather, action-packed sequences is where The Invincible will lose its appeal to gamers who lack patience. Additionally, the actual walking in this game is done at a glacial pace and even when Yasna sprints, it feels rather slow and clunky. If this was done on purpose to mimic movement in a spacesuit, it makes sense, however, the fact that climbing up and down rocks also feels so rigid and slow really does detract from the game’s overall enjoyment factor. It just doesn’t feel good at all, especially when you are funnelled down narrow pathways with rocks blocking you and your movement quite often.
Graphically, just like I mentioned in my original preview of the game, The Invincible is flat-out gorgeous. Regis III looks like an authentic desolate rocky alien world. The dust effects, the atmospheric sky, the aesthetic of the game’s “Atompunk” vibe and the attention to detail in small things such as the items you interact with are all amazing. Part of what pushes you further into the game is the visuals since you’ll want to see more and discover more despite being in a rocky barren world allegedly devoid of life.
The game’s soundtrack is excellent and the voice acting deserves all the praise here. It really elevates the overall experience when the main characters are so believable in their delivery.
Final Verdict
Overall, The Invincible is a great game that more people should play. The storytelling delves into the philosophical at numerous points and it’s a game that will stay with you for a long time to come. It may be a bit frustrating to deal with the slow movement and the lack of actual fast-paced action gameplay but if you’re into slow-burn storytelling, this game will appeal to you.
There’s no denying that this isn’t a game for everyone, however, if you’re a fan of Sci-Fi, this will most likely grip you and won’t let go. The Invincible also doesn’t overstay its welcome and comes in at around 6 to 7 hours long depending on what you do and how long you take to explore. The game also features multiple endings so there is some added longevity to it in the form of playthroughs where you make different choices along the way. I highly recommend giving The Invincible a try. It’s fantastic science fiction and should be given a chance to suck you into the world of Regis III.
The Invincible Launch Trailer
Read more reviews here https://invisioncommunity.co.uk/category/review/
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