Fort Solis introduces players to Jack Leary (Roger Clarke) and Jessica Appleton (Julia Brown), maintenance workers stationed on Mars. Their routine is disrupted by a distress call originating from the nearby research facility, Fort Solis. The transmission abruptly cuts off, and subsequent attempts to re-establish contact prove futile. Prompted by the urgency of the situation, Jack ventures to Fort Solis to investigate. Upon arrival, he discovers the station seemingly deserted. As Jack delves deeper, he begins to unravel the events that transpired, gradually realizing the perilous situation he has entered.
While it is not typical to highlight voice actors during plot summaries, it feels pertinent in the case of Fort Solis, given its meticulously crafted interactive cinematic experience. The narrative premise of investigating a location after a catastrophic event, piecing together clues to understand what happened, has always been compelling. Memorable examples include MacReady’s arrival at the Norwegian station in The Thing and the marine deployment to the base in Aliens. The trailers for Fort Solis, with their emphasis on this investigative gameplay, piqued my interest significantly.
Fort Solis delivered on its promise. It is a deliberately paced and atmospheric title. Movement is restricted to walking; jumping is absent. While not action-oriented, certain sequences incorporate Quick-time-events. Restrictions on player movement can sometimes detract from the experience, but in Fort Solis, it is effective. Jack is portrayed not as an action hero, but as an ordinary individual thrust into a dangerous situation. The game boasts impressive graphical fidelity, and the detailed sound design creates an immersive and suspenseful experience as you explore the sprawling base. I found myself becoming acutely aware of every sound and shadow, heightening the sense of unease as the station’s secrets began to unravel, leaving me apprehensive about what lurked in the darkness.
The voice acting is exceptional, with two of the three main roles performed by established figures in the video game industry. Roger Clark, known for his portrayal of Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption II, voices Jack. The enigmatic Wyatt Taylor is voiced by Troy Baker, celebrated for his role as Joel in The Last of Us Part I and Part II. Julia Brown, while new to the gaming sphere, provides the voice for Jessica. Her performance provides a crucial link to the outside world as she and Jack maintain constant communication until she joins the investigation.
Often, a game’s greatest strength can inadvertently become a limiting factor. Fort Solis is inherently linear, offering no branching storylines, alternative routes, or dialogue choices. The experience unfolds as an interactive film, with the player’s agency limited to selecting the number of video logs viewed and emails read, which provide additional background information but do not alter the core narrative. Consequently, the replayability is somewhat limited.
In conclusion, I recommend Fort Solis. While subsequent playthroughs may lack the same impact, the initial experience is memorable and akin to a well-produced interactive film. Heed the words of Arnold in Total Recall and “Get your ass to Mars” to uncover the secrets within Fort Solis.
Fallen Leaf provided a review code for the purpose of this evaluation. The provision of review materials does not influence editorial objectivity.
