The Invincible is a First-Person Thriller Written by Stanislaw Lem
The Invincible is a sci-fi-laced game that takes place on a planet called Regis III. Players will be in the skin of futuristic scientist Yasna as she embarks on a quest to find missing crew members. Not knowing the basic tendencies of this planet’s atmosphere, Yasna will explore and discover this desolate landscape by herself. Using “atompunk” technology, she will make decisions on the fly which will ultimately lead to various consequences. This game will be using a subtle “choice-driven” feature that will either usher in dangerous situations or more diplomatic ones. The main companion that Yasna will have during her adventure will be her Astrogator. This person will act as a navigator during times when players get stuck. This game is a gritty, philosophical jaunt that delves into the nuances of humanity’s place in the universe. Loosely based on the novel of the same name, The Invincible was written by famed Polish author Stanislaw Lem.
This game will be a first-person adventure. Yasna will encounter sundry characters, creatures, and wildlife that may or may not have ulterior motives. There won’t be a clear indicator of how these NPCs will react toward Yasna’s presence. So, players will need to approach every situation with care. This game is being built with Unreal Engine 5. Hence, it will look visually tangible. The technology used in The Invincible is reflective of what was used back in the 90s. Analog tools and devices will be at Yasna’s disposal like telemeters. This, in turn, gives this game a unique “retro-futurism” motif to it. It is almost reminiscent of the Fallout games. At least, in terms of how obsolete all the tech seems to be. This design choice does give this game a certain charm to it. Almost like it is an alternate reality if the digital age never came to be.
Star Science
The type of Astro studies that The Invincible uses are something that’s vaguely relative to our own version of “physics.” It’s all made up, of course. However, the original author of this IP Stanislaw Lem accurately predicted some technology that came to pass, back in the mid-90s. Things like smartphones, wireless devices, and drones were all mentioned in his work throughout the years. These things will be present in the game, of course. A tablet will be used as a map, for example. The suit that Yasna will be wearing will act as the game’s HUB. A radiation indicator will go off on her left arm, which players can manually check, for instance. Very much like it was on Metro Exodus. The lack of on-screen meters makes this game all the more immersive. The only thing that’s seen are subtle button prompts for interactivity.
There’s a rawness to The Invincible. The Unreal Engine 5 makes everything looks super polished and smooth. However, there appears there won’t be any hand-holding in this game. Players will need to rely on Yasna’s tools to make their way around. Not to mention listening to her Astrogator friend. This game seems to be rather straightforward with its narrative. With some freedom to explore in Yasna’s vehicle, as well. The main appeal to this game isn’t necessarily the size of the map. Rather, it is about all the intimate moments that will come to pass. Right before Yasna is attacked, the player will be presented with different options which will be her “last words.” This will affect the outcome of the situation in a number of ways. It will be a “spur of the moment” type of thing that players will need to decide on. This is just one example of the many different types of decisions players will need to make.
Astronomical Anamolies
There necessarily won’t be any combat in The Invincible. Instead, this game is taking things to a more cerebral level. Yasna will need to find ways to simply outwit her enemies. Of course, there won’t be a clear distinction on who or what the enemy will be. Therefore, there will no doubt be a sense of paranoia in all the encounters during this campaign. Players will have plenty of room to explore the map. Fallen ships, complexes, camps, and ruins will be teeming with collectibles to find. Players will be piecing together what happened to Yasna’s crew. Almost like an outer space gumshoe detective, in some ways. There is a deep, philosophical approach to this game. Which will leave players pondering the very meaning of human existence. Given the fact that this title is based on a novel, there is much more here than what meets the eye.
The Invincible may not be on too many lists right now. However, it will only be a matter of time before it will reach mainstream appeal. Polish developers tend to have a knack for making emotional and deeply immersive games. It looks like this game will be no exception. Technology is now to the point that games are becoming more about building, sharing, conversing, and establishing relationships. As opposed to simply seeking and destroying to make progress. The Invincible will be a very adult game, in the sense that players will need to make some really mature decisions. This is an interesting project which shows just how far the gaming community has come in terms of interactive storytelling. Hopefully, there will be future projects like this in the pipeline for this current generation.
Yasna’s Yarn
Given the current state of development, there isn’t a whole lot to showcase right now. What was shown in the most recent trailer are snippets of varying features. It is enough to garner some attention, at least. There is a freshness to the overall design and gameplay mechanics with The Invincible. When released, it will be available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. Even though there isn’t an absolute release date locked in, The Invincible is slated to come out sometime in 2023. If everything goes smoothly, this game could end up being an underlying gem that might usher in a whole-new sub-genre of thrillers.
