Close to the Sun

Close to the Sun is an experience that I enjoyed but I also found myself wanting a bit more out of. The environments look fantastic and presentation was on point. Despite a few technical glitches. And while interesting, the story did fall a bit flat at times and seemed a bit rushed at others. I did enjoy my time with it though and especially enjoyed seeing what could have been possible if history had taken a different route. If you’re into the genre, like alternate history, or appreciate a well done style and tone, then I say go for it. It was a cool trip.

Combining BioShock's focus on exploration with the tense chases of Outlast, Close to the Sun delivers an intriguing alternate history in a detailed, believable setting. It's not perfect though: puzzles are often way too easy and the game at times refuses to register your button inputs.

Horror-adventure Close to the Sun pairs an emotionally-engaging narrative with arguably one of the most stunning and memorable game worlds of 2019. Pity about the frustrating gameplay choices and story decisions that ramp up in the final third of the game. They cast a shadow over the accomplishments that preceded them.

While the atmosphere, scares, and narrative are successful, the game suffers from sluggish controls and the odd confusing puzzle. [Issue#169, p.96]

Close to the Sun is a well-made narrative experience that's saddled slightly by inconsistent pacing. The acting is spot on but some of the earlier sub-plots tend to quietly slip away in favour of something games have readily explored. It's a very guided effort but there's a level of polish and artwork that helps make the Helios a believable venue for disaster.

Close to the Sun is a smart narrative adventure, but some of its elements ruin the tension of its well-crafted world.

With plenty of comparisons to BioShock just screaming to be made, Close to the Sun has some massive expectations to hurdle right from the outset. While it can’t quite avoid feeling like a tribute act at times, it does seem to be making all the right moves in its opening chapters, tantalising you with an effective blend of atmosphere and mystery. But when it comes time to make good on that promise and seal the deal, it misses the mark with frustrating frequency. While some nicely designed environments, and a scattering of enjoyable puzzles stop this ship from sinking without a trace, Close to the Sun doesn’t manage to reach the lofty heights of ambition it’s clearly aiming for.

A game with a lot of potential that doesn’t quite stick the landing. Still, it’s clear that a lot of love and care went into creating the game’s beautiful environments and main characters, and there are a few really great scares, such as a particularly terrifying and unexpected chase through a spooky maze. These things carry Close to the Sun through its rough patches, making it a worthwhile experience, despite its flaws, if the setting sounds at all interesting to you.

At the end of the day, Close to the Sun is the exact opposite of what its name implies. It's not aiming for the sun, and while that also means it doesn't get burned by it, it's such a safe distance away that it doesn't feel like it's even trying. It's unfortunate to say for such a pretty, atmospheric game, but the superb presentation and a decent story are contradicted by slow gameplay that doesn't deliver the satisfaction that the setup deserved. Even at a highly reduced price, Close to the Sun had a lot of promise but ultimately fails to create a memorable experience due to its unengaging and bland gameplay.