The Invincible is a walking simulator based on the beloved 1964 sci-fi novel of the same name by Stanislaw Lem. 11 bit studios have adapted this retro-futuristic story in a way that not everyone may expect, choosing to spend more time pondering on philosophical questions and existential themes rather than relying on high-octane space battles.
The Invincible is out on November 6th for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles.
Going in, you should be aware that this isn’t a game that attempts to wow the audience with constant white knuckle action scenes unfolding at every turn. Instead, The Invincible chooses to take a slower, almost meditative approach in crafting a tale of loss, isolation, science, and very real dangers. There were several times during my playthrough were I was reminded of my time with Firewatch.
One of the most impressive components of The Invincible, is its frankly breath-taking presentation. The visuals are very well-crafted, with solid art direction being employed to portray a distant world that feels realistic and lived-in, while also being vast and barren. Things also look pretty great graphically too, with some nice-looking organic and inorganic character models on display, as well as high-fidelity textures, palpable special effects, and some really nice lighting effects.
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The audio is also on point. It is all well and good taking dialogue from a well-written book and using it as a script, but without capable voice actors to bring it to life, it is futile. Thankfully the talent on display here is more than capable of breathing life into these characters and making the relationships between them feel real and complex. The sound effects also help to add to the game’s overall immersion.
Speaking of immersion, this is an area where The Invincible really excels and a lot of that is owed to the small details that the developers have included. Things like the choice to not include any sort of HUD is one thing, but having the bottom half of the glass space helmet fog up with Yasna’s breath when she sprints is a stroke of genius. Also, when the player comes across the other astronauts’ notebooks, each is filled in with that character’s own unique handwriting, adding yet another layer of realism to the cast.
It is difficult to talk too much about the game’s plot without spoiling it. All that I will say is this; if you are a fan of tale spun in the original novel, then the game does it justice. And if you aren’t aware of the plot going in, then it is something you will want to witness with no prior knowledge.
Overall, The Invincible likely isn’t going to be a late contender for GOTY 2023, but there is serious value in playing through it. This game is certainly far more worth the $30 price tag than something like Stray Souls. Also, if you are looking for a break from the constant fast pace of something like Spider-Man 2, then The Invincible may just be exactly what you are after.
The Invincible – 8/10
The Invincible was reviewed on PS5 with a code supplied to FandomWire via Terminals.io. Featured on OpenCritic.
