The Solus Project

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 12
  3. Negative: 2 out of 12
  1. Video Chums
    Sep 25, 2017
    72
    One of the most memorable and haunting games that I've ever played. Its VR implementation is amazing, too. If it didn't have annoying controls and lengthy monotonous segments then it could be a must-have PlayStation VR game.
  2. DarkStation
    Nov 1, 2017
    70
    The Solus Project kind of feels like No Man’s Sky without starships. The survival aspect is more robust and requires full attention to different health systems. The game could use a bit more polish in places, like better inventory management, more worthwhile exploration and more interesting caves. Overall, The Solus Project is a pretty solid adventure that left me feeling surprised with how it hooks into at certain moments. Although it ended up being one of those games I played to have something to do while catching up on podcasts, I caught myself getting more and more intrigued by the whole affair.
  3. The Games Machine
    Oct 5, 2017
    70
    The Solus Project is still a fascinating title, albeit on PS4, one that suffers from the same problems of the original release (repetitive, and a disappointing survival). The VR headset adds a nightmarish control system, but at the same time offers an intriguing take on the horror side of the game.
  5. GameCritics
    Nov 6, 2017
    65
    While the story about the fate of humanity and the mystery surrounding the unseen alien race was ultimately a disappointment, I still find myself thinking about the most memorable moments from The Solus Project, such as encountering my first raging storm or wading waist-deep through that subterranean pool. At its best (and in VR) it evokes the strange and wonderful sensation of exploring a truly unknown environment. At its worst, it’s a slog that undercuts its unique qualities with finicky survival elements and an inconsistent, sometimes-buggy experience.
  6. COGconnected
    Sep 28, 2017
    62
    The Solus Project does what it sets out to do — immerse you in a dangerous environment for a dozen or so hours and task you with surviving long enough to experience the story. While I wish there was a bit more to the plot, and while the controls frustrated me, it’s a fairly solid exploration and survival game. The VR component makes it worth investing some time in.
  7. PlayStation Country
    Oct 2, 2017
    60
    The Solus Project is an interesting experience, blending on foot exploration with incredibly atmospheric visuals and survival mechanics. This recipe for VR greatness is marred however by its awkward Move controls and diminishing returns. If you are interested in a sci-if sightseeing tour then consider this. However, The Solus Project does end up outstaying its welcome.
  8. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Sep 26, 2017
    55
    From a conceptual standpoint, The Solus Project is fascinating. The sense of scale is amplified in VR, especially the fantastic skyboxes that cycle between day and night, massive planets in rotation around you, and the ferocity of the elements. That feeling of being stranded in an alien landscape, needing to survive, and needing to explore to complete your mission are a heavy weight from the drop. Where The Solus Project fails is in gameplay mechanics and puzzle psychology.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 17
  3. Negative: 4 out of 17
  1. Soleandro
    Nov 26, 2020
    10
    This Game in VR is one of my favorites! I love it because its a mix between Walk Simulator, Survival Game, Exploration with an interestingThis Game in VR is one of my favorites! I love it because its a mix between Walk Simulator, Survival Game, Exploration with an interesting Story. No fights and no fast action. Nice graphic on the PS4 Pro. I especially like the freedom that you have on the many areas that you have to explore. You wanna go on the top of the hill and look down? No problem. And from time to time some extreme weather effects will come. Also nice on VR. Also some areas are really cool.… Full Review »
  2. pacific1
    Feb 5, 2019
    4
    Read the push square vr review, I agree with that completely. Just getting out of the first little area was a nuisance. This game needed aRead the push square vr review, I agree with that completely. Just getting out of the first little area was a nuisance. This game needed a better tutorial system. It seems like some people were able to power through and find some value here but really there are better games than this at this point.… Full Review »
  3. BulletPeople
    Jan 8, 2019
    9
    I played this through on PSVR in about 20 hours. The scenery and weather effects in VR are beautiful, The music and sound are haunting.I played this through on PSVR in about 20 hours. The scenery and weather effects in VR are beautiful, The music and sound are haunting. Without auto-mapping, the cave exploration will be a challenge, but although you may find yourself lost at times there are enough things to distinguish the different areas you can regain your bearings after some exploration. The load times are taxing, that's for sure, but there are a wealth of things you can do by jumping out of the game to the PS4 user interface during loading that after realizing this I never minded the load screens again.

    I loved the exploration aspect, and the survival aspects were not difficult enough to be frustrating. I appreciate greatly how you can set the difficulty to 0 and essentially not have to deal with the food/water survival cycle, and I only used that option when I had completed the game with all but 2 items and had to wander far and wide to find them--still cheating but I had essentially beaten the game at that point. It was interesting that at 0% difficulty it becomes a different, very laid back and wonderful exploration game. I am tempted to replay it entirely on 0% difficulty just to witness the spectacle of the amazing level design at my leisure.

    I really loved the level design and special effects. You did feel like you were on a different planet. I tried the 2D version after beating the game, and it was a very different experience, one that felt very small and weak compared to seeing the world around you in VR. Very much looking forward to what this designer produces next.    … Full Review »
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