It’s 1897. Deep in international waters, the Helios stands still. Dark clouds loom overhead as unforgiving waves crash against the hull.
Colossal effigies of gold, decorated with magnificent finery, stretch as far as the eye can see. Born of Nikola Tesla’s vision, the Helios serves as a haven for the greatest scientific minds. An unbound utopia for research, independent from state and isolated from the gaze of society.
Free to push the boundaries of matter and time. Journalist Rose Archer steps aboard the Helios in search of her sister Ada. She quickly discovers not all is as it seems.
Grand halls stand empty. The stench of rotting flesh lingers in the air. Silence.
A single word is painted across the entrance… QUARANTINE!.
When Tesla fights with Edison, sparkles fly. An above-average story, perfect atmosphere and a decent pace. You will spend one great afternoon with the game despite its minor shortcomings. [Issue#304]
Although the slow tempo of the gameplay might not be appealing to everyone, and although the story could have ended much, much better, Close to the Sun is still a great title that easily worth 5 to 6 hours of your time.
Close to the Sun is great at atmosphere-building, but the ending is nothing short of disappointing: too many big questions are left unanswered, as if developers couldn’t bring themselves to choose one version of the events over all others.[Issue#238, p.64]
With interesting setting and characters, Close to the Sun starts as a piece of art, but it doesn't keep its premises due to hurried pacing and a bit superficial evolution of the story. Non trivial jumpscares and a good direction make this short game really a missed opportunity and only a decent horror adventure.
Close to the Sun is a decent enough exploratory mystery, but it misses the boat on substantial gameplay or any real horror by settling for cheap thrills over suspense.
Close to the Sun is a few steps shy of a great narrative-driven horror, but its trite gameplay expels the magic its environments worked to create.
Close to the Sun is a game that’s only remarkable for its scenery. And it’s a shame, really, as the Helios could have carried a great tale. As it is though, while there’s nothing about Close to the Sun that’s broken, there’s nothing compelling enough to make it worth your while, especially with its short run time and lack of replayability.
December 19, 2018
The FPS Close to the Sun has a publisher: Wired. Watch video