Solis for Windows

A free indie sci-fi horror game

Solis is a free first-person adventure video game wherein you get to explore an abandoned spaceship. Developed by Carbonado, this 3D atmospheric indie game is a short sci-fi horror experience that isn’t all about jump scares and cliche horror elements. 

Similar to Alien: Isolation, Solis features exploration gameplay that hinges on mounting tension and creepiness as you wander about the darkened map. It doesn’t have any violent or mature content in it so players can focus on uncovering the secrets of the story. However, getting the ending can be tricky since its progress is non-linear.

Find the clues left behind

In Solis, you play as a scrap dealer who drifts across desolate areas in space to collect whatever junk may be valuable enough out there. It was just another normal day for you at the Outer Rim and you were about to head home when suddenly, you found a ship just standing out there. There seem to be no signs of life coming from it but you decide to investigate.

What’s interesting about this game is that it tends to hinder your senses in order to retain the creepy and foreboding atmosphere. For one, your vision is partially blocked by the interiors of your spacesuit’s helmet—simulating more of the sci-fi elements but also not giving you full control of your sight. Another thing is that everything is fully dark without any light sources and sound is a huge factor here.

Solis’ gameplay of using routers and power conduits to figure out where to go next is also pretty neat, as it ensures that you won’t get too lost in exploring. However, the plot itself doesn’t hold your hand too much. You’ll have to actually explore and find key items to unlock the ending as it won’t prompt you to achieve it. This whole execution still lends a great horror atmosphere, though.

A short creepy experience

All in all, Solis is an amazing horror indie game about the mysteries of space. While getting the ending isn’t too straightforward, it still gives you a degree of freedom in which you can set the pace of the creep factor as you wander around the abandoned spaceship. This is a highly recommended game for fans of the space horror subgenre who don’t want jump scares.