Game Review: Close to the Sun (Xbox Series X)

Heavily inspired by Bioshock, but with gameplay more akin to a ‘walking simulator’, Storm in a Teacup and Warp Digital Limited’s Close to the Sun is a surprisingly compelling game.

Surprising because it feels so Bioshock-light at first, but gradually finds its own unique identity as it goes on. An identity that is played from the first-person perspective and combines horror with mystery and thriller elements.

Set in a world (alternate-history style) where Nikola Tesla and his ‘unique’ inventions have changed the world. However, that comes with a cost, and unwilling to conform to scientific limitations, he built a giant city-style ship called the Helios. There, he can other scientists are free to explore the limits of their imagination.

It sure sounds familiar, right?

If that wasn’t enough, players step into the shoes of Rose, a journalist who received a letter from her sister, Ada. In the letter, Ada begs Rose to come to the Helios and help her. It’s from this point on, that the problems really start.

Once docked, Rose steps onto the enormous ship, and finds it deserted. As players explore, it’s clear a catastrophe occurred onboard the Helios. The ship is badly damaged, but it’s the many dead bodies that really unnerve Rose. Bodies that were killed by both human and inhuman hands. Just what happened to the Helios and where is Ada?

Starting off slowly, but really hotting up as it goes on, the story of Close to the Sun is very compelling. Not only is it imaginative, but it’s dark and twisted, and has enough real-world parallels to be much more digestible. It holds the attention right up to the very end, and then some, as there’s no doubt this is a world ripe for expansion.

You’ll want to explore this world, and everything around it, especially the ship itself. The Helios is very similar to Rapture, both in visual style and in how explorable it is. Close to the Sun does a fabulous job of making the entire location feel gargantuan, without ever putting the player in the position of feeling lost. Each new area delights, from stately homes to laboratories, from opera halls to dirty tunnels, from the inside of infernal machines to the docks, Close to the Sun has some stellar locations. Even when it’s just suffocating corridors of death.

So, let’s talk about gameplay. As stated already, Close to the Sun has more in common with the ‘walking simulator’ style of gameplay. Players have no weapons, occasional puzzles to solve, some chase sequences that can be a bit ‘trial and error’, and little else. It’s mostly walking/running, reading notes that add to the overall story, and unlocking the next part of the ship so you can progress.

This might sound boring, but the game does a good job of mixing things up enough to ensure the pacing never drops to the point of annoyance. Not only that, it’s filled with things to look at, sounds amazing (the voice acting is top stuff), and has such an overall eerie vibe, you can be sucked right in and not notice the slowness of the experience.

It is fair to say though, that this kind of experience is not for everyone, and Close to the Sun does have problems too. The most notable being the ‘out of place’ chase sequences. While these moments do offer up some heart-pounding tension, they feel at odds with the overall tense and eerie vibes of the game. Not only that, they can be extremely trial and error, as most chases have one route you’re supposed to go only, and if you make a mistake, you’re going to die and have to try again. Nowhere is that more annoying than at the very end of the game, where the last chase goes on far too long and the dark area makes it difficult to see the path ahead.

The positives far outweigh the negatives though, and Close to the Sun deserves praise for finding its own identity, even after borrowing so heavily from a much superior game. If you like slow burn stories filled with mystery, thrills, and a little bit of horror, it delivers. Just be prepared for a leisurely experience, rather than a frantic one.