Today sees the addition of the first-person narrative adventure Close to the Sun for all three platforms, followed by Hell Let Loose on January 4th. Action-adventure title Figment is available on January 9th, followed by Super Mega Baseball 4 (via EA Play) and We Happy Few on January 11th. Psychological horror Those Who Remain rounds out the first wave on January 16th.

Several games will also be leaving the library soon. Grand Theft Auto 5 on cloud and console will be gone on January 5th. Check out the rest of the list (which subscribers can purchase at 20 percent off) below before their removal on January 15th:

• Garden Story (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• MotoGP 22 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Persona 4 Golden (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Persona 3 Portable (Cloud, Console, and PC)

First person narrative adventure titles aren’t easy to pull off and while Storm in a Teacup’s Close to the Sun isn’t a masterpiece, it did offer something different from the norm. If you haven’t had the chance to experience the title, then it will be coming to PC via Steam and GOG later today. Check out the new launch trailer below.

Close to the Sun takes place in an alternate 19th century setting and focuses on Rose. After receiving a letter from her sister Ada, Rose travels to the massive ship Helios to unravel the mysteries that lay within. As players board the ship, it’s clear that whatever experiment its scientists were working on has gone horribly wrong.

Releasing first for PC exclusively on the Epic Games Store last year, Close to the Sun eventually came to Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. So those who held off on purchasing it for Steam will finally get their chance to play. You can check out our review here for more details.

It’s a new week of free games on the Epic Games Store. This week’s offerings include Frogwares’ Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments and Storm in a Teacup’s Close to the Sun. Both games will be available until April 16th, 8 AM PT so grab them now while you can. An Epic Games account will be needed along with downloading the launcher to play them.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is a pretty good mystery game where one’s decisions can influence each case’s ending. Even better is the fact that there are multiple solutions with plenty of intense investigative gameplay. As for Close to the Sun, it’s a first person mystery title with an aesthetic and setting akin to BioShock except with Nikola Tesla. What’s not to like?

Next week’s free games are Avalanche Studios’ Just Cause 4 and Santa Ragione’s Wheels of Aurelia. The former is an action open world title that’s also available on PlayStation Now and features much of the same chaos that’s defined the series. The latter is a narrative game about two women leaving Italy with dialogue choices influencing the ending. Stay tuned next week for when they go live.

Storm in a Teacup’s first person thriller Close to the Sun will be coming to consoles next month. It will be available digitally and physically on October 29th for Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Publisher Wired Productions is providing a Collector’s Edition for $98.66, which can currently be pre-ordered and has a 1000 copy print run planned.

The Collector’s Edition includes a bevy of extras, from a 48 page hardback art book to a seven inch vinyl record of the main theme song by Porcelain Pill. A physical copy of the game is provided along with a bonus digital PC version which can be redeemed on the Epic Games Store. All of tis is wrapped up in an Art Deco FuturePAK metal case.

Close to the Sun launched for PC earlier this year and takes places in an alternative 19th century setting. Players take on the role of Rose who journeys to the Helios, constructed by inventory Nikola Tesla, at the behest of her sister Ada. Of course, things have gone awry aboard the ship and it’s Rose’s job to set them right. Check out GamingBolt’s official review of the game here.

Storm in a Teacup’s first person adventure title Close to the Sun will be heading to the Nintendo Switch later this year. The developer announced the same in a new trailer, along with showcasing how the game would look on the hybrid platform. Check it out for yourself below.

Close to the Sun takes place in an alternative 19th century onboard the Helios, a large sea vessel for scientists and other visionaries. A journalist, Rose, receives an invitation from her sister to board the ship but suddenly comes across a number of strange occurrences. It isn’t long before inter-dimensional horrors and other hijinks emerge.

Developed on Unreal Engine 4, Close to the Sun is already available for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The PC version is exclusive to the Epic Games Store currently. You can read our official review of the game here, where we praised its visuals and atmosphere, but ultimately found the gameplay to be wanting. Stay tuned for a concrete release date in the future.

"The gameplay is pretty straightforward, amounting to little more than pressing a few buttons, picking up scraps and figuring out where to go next."

On board the Helios, Rose is greeted with devastation. “Quarantine” is written on various walls in blood. Though her sister wrote the letter inviting her on-board, she claims to have done no such thing. Over time, it becomes clear that time travel, fueled by the science team’s desire to exploit the “One Electron” theory and harvest energy from alternate dimensions, is involved. Everything goes awry, murderous things make it through and people die. Your job is to meet up with Ada while avoiding the machinations of the mysterious Tesla and the murderous psychos on-board the Helios.

At its core, Close to the Sun is an adventure game with an aesthetic that embodies the beautifully ruined architecture of BioShock’s Rapture. Gorgeous statues are awash with warnings about the circle needing to be broken. Documents, passports, pictures and notes are strewn about the environment, inviting you to learn more about the poor souls on-board. There are corpses everywhere when the various rooms and hallways aren’t eerily deserted (save for the hazy after-images of those on-board). Several characters start out as voices in your receiver, offering instructions, cryptic warnings and insane ramblings aplenty.

Don’t get me wrong though – these aren’t the same games by any means. Instead of a first person shooter with RPG elements and complex systems controlling the inhabitants, Close to the Sun is more about exploration and puzzle solving. It’s about delving into this ruined mess of a ship and deciphering its puzzles while keeping all arms and legs mostly inside the ride at all times. The gameplay is pretty straightforward, amounting to little more than pressing a few buttons, picking up scraps and figuring out where to go next.

"Close to the Sun just feels like it’s scratching at the surface of its premise."

Here’s the thing – I enjoy creeping around the Helios, taking in the atmosphere, the minimal sounds and ruined sights of disaster. The lighting and texture work is spot on, showcasing the spic and span of ornate statues as well as the bloody remains of various individuals. Picking up various newspapers and notes to learn about potential spies sent by Edison conveyed the level of paranoia and tension that was no doubt apparent at the time. For all my not wanting to believe that Tesla could be so vain and narcissistic, I still found his own personal museum to be a treat. Tesla made a Death Ray and called it as such because it works as a preventive measure that no nation would want to go up against.

So clearly there are some nut-jobs aboard this floating disaster. Aubrey is perhaps the best example – he works in maintenance and requires Ada’s help to escape. He’s your main door opening guy and plays a key role in many of the set pieces, like when you’re escaping the crazed knife-wielding Ludwig to board a rail car. If it all sounds a bit too convenient – Aubrey’s assistance, Rose’s communication, Tesla’s shadiness – it just might be and the air of mystery is very well maintained despite this. The horror tones don’t really delve much deeper than providing gruesome scenes of the macabre. Honestly, there’s not much deeper meaning overall to this story.

I can see how that would appeal to some players, especially those who want a nice atmospheric adventure without being too inundated in philosophy. However, Close to the Sun just feels like it’s scratching at the surface of its premise. Though the gameplay isn’t strictly on-rails, like when searching for codes and figuring out how to progress forward, it’s pretty linear for the most part. Many doors are locked and prevent you from exploring the detailed environments, which basically amounts to them being pretty movie sets. Certain routes are strategically blocked to funnel you into specific paths.

"Close to the Sun a nice retro sci-fi tale to pick up and lose yourself in for a couple of hours before it eventually fades into memory."

While a linear experience without too much freedom can provide for excellent story-telling and characterization, Close to the Sun is just…fine on those counts. The characters themselves, aside from perhaps Aubrey (whose insane antics include using his dead friend’s arm as a backscratcher) and Tesla at times, aren’t especially appealing. I don’t really feel the sisterly dynamic between Ada and Rose all that much, mostly due to the script and voice acting. Again, this isn’t to say that either is terribly enacted but it doesn’t really drive much of the desperation to venture forth like it should. Throw in some rather stiff controls, whether it’s trying to precisely press some buttons or hopping and skipping away from danger, and Close to the Sun really doesn’t stand out on the gameplay front either.

Though it didn’t really enthuse me, the experience wasn’t a huge disappointment either. Close to the Sun a nice retro sci-fi tale to pick up and lose yourself in for a couple of hours before it eventually fades into memory. Fans of BioShock hoping for an equally compelling story here should be advised to watching more gameplay before taking the plunge. For everyone else, there are several other atmospheric, moody, horror and whatever other genre of adventure you could think of worth recommending over Close to the Sun. It doesn’t fly too close to wing-melting degrees of success as it does eye them from a safe distance.

This game was reviewed on PC.

RAGE 2

Easily the biggest release of May – and one of the more anticipated titles of the year – RAGE 2 is a direct sequel to id Software’s original open world shooter. This one is co-developed with Avalanche Studios and sees players taking on the role of Walker, the last ranger, as he runs afoul of the Authority and other enemy factions. Employing a more DOOM-like approach to its shooting, RAGE 2 features a variety of powers to rip foes apart, an Overdrive meter for added damage and healing, and interesting weapons like the Grav-Dart Launcher to send enemies flying. That’s of course not including the vehicular gameplay. RAGE 2 is out on May 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. And yes, despite being published by Bethesda, it’s coming to Steam.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

A smaller yet intriguing title that’s garnered attention over the past few months is A Plague Tale: Innocence, developed by Asobo Studio. It’s set during the Hundred Years War with the Black Death taking over Europe and follows the siblings Amicia and Hugo. The two are on the run and attempting to survive, dealing with guards from the Inquisition while avoiding the ravenous rats. There aren’t just a handful of rats either – the game is teeming with the little critters, though you can fend them off with fire and have them devour your foes instead. A Plague Tale: Innocence looks good – let’s just hope it plays as well when it launches on May 14^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 (PC)

A remake of one of the greatest PS2 games ever made and arguably the best game in the series, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is coming to PC on May 9th. Along with all the improvements, additional content, a standalone adventure for Goro Majima and stunning visuals, the PC port will have its fair share of options. These include customizable controls, support for 4K resolution, unlocked framerates and much more. If you care even the least bit about a solid action adventure with excellent side quests and story-telling, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is highly recommended.

Life Is Strange 2 – Episode 3: Wastelands

The emotional tale of Sean and Daniel Diaz continues as they head further south to their father’s hometown in Life Strange 2. In Episode 2, the brothers had a brief stopover in Oregon where they meet Chris Eriksen aka the protagonist of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit. As for what’s next, you can expect the same difficult choices with varying consequences as the brothers struggle to survive. Life is Strange 2 – Episode 3: Wastelands is out on May 9^th for PC, Xbox One and PS4.

Team Sonic Racing

Sumo Digital’s latest entry in the kart racing franchise seems to tick all the right boxes. It has 21 tracks based on classic zones, Grand Prix mode for earning points and Team Adventure mode to embark on an epic campaign. There’s a decent amount of customization, 12 player online support and co-op support in Team Adventure. However, it seems like a step down from Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed with no guest characters or transformations, instead focusing on coordination as teams rack up points together. We’ll see how it pans out when the game launches on May 21^st for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Total War: Three Kingdoms

Total War: Three Kingdoms is the next big title in Creative Assembly’s series, exploring a brand new era and introducing a bevy of new mechanics. The turn-based management and real-time battles are still very much intact as players choose from one of 12 factions in their quest for dominance. Some of the new mechanics include generals dueling each other and “guanxi” which requires you to meet their demands to maintain happiness lest they defect. If that weren’t enough, the game offers two modes – Romance, which makes the generals a lot stronger in keeping with the Romance of the Three Kingdoms fantasy; and Records which is a more historically accurate experience and prevents generals from being controlled separately. Total War: Three Kingdoms arrives on May 23^rd for PC.

Blood & Truth

As a follow-up to The London Heist, one of the few major VR experiences for PlayStation VR, Blood and Truth is pretty much more of the same. It features a dedicated campaign where players control a former SAS soldier on a rampage and lets you tactfully select cover during firefights. Gameplay-wise, it might seem a bit dated but Blood and Truth should be worth checking out when it releases on May 28^th for PlayStation VR.

Observation

From the team that brought us Stories Untold, Observation has a rather unique premise. It sees Dr. Emma Fisher investigating the fate of her crew in a space station with the help of an AI called S.A.M. The twist is that players control S.A.M, guiding Fisher through various cameras and controls in the stations while also investigating its own quirks. Observation is out on May 21^st for PS4 and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Close to the Sun

Perhaps it’s the historical period that feels more old-timey as players explore the Helios, a mysterious ship created by Nikola Tesla. Perhaps it’s the environments that are a shadow of their former brilliance, completely ruined by human excess. Whatever the case may be, you’ll need to survive and solve the mystery of the Helios. Close to the Sun releases on May 2^nd for PC via the Epic Games Store – it will arrive later this year for Xbox One and PS4.

Pathologic 2

A re-imagining of the first game, Pathologic 2 is actually split into three parts with the first releasing on May 23^rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. Players head to the Town-on-Gorkhon as Artemy Burakh and must deal with accusations of murder while unraveling other strange incidents. The previous game dealt with a plague unfolding over 12 days as players struggled to survive and either influence events or let the town fall into ruin. With two additional protagonists and their stories to experience, it should be interesting to see where Pathologic 2 takes us.

Publishers Wired Productions have announced that the upcoming first person horror title, Close to the Sun, developed by Italian indie development team Storm in a Teacup, will be launching exclusively for the Epic Games Store on PC when it comes out later this year, and will be skipping Steam (at least at launch).

“It’s great news for independent developers and publishers that Epic has opened up these incredible opportunities for its partners,” the publisher wrote in its update. “The relationship with Epic and the decision to use the Unreal Engine provided fantastic opportunities for Storm in a Teacup, the studio behind Close to the Sun, enabling a greater creative freedom and the ability to double-down on quality. To launch on the Epic games store feels like the perfect next step and we can’t wait to reveal more gameplay and information over the coming weeks!”

Epic Games Store has been an attractive prospect for multiple indie developers, with the likes of Super Meat Boy Forever and Supergiant’s upcoming Hades both having declared exclusivity (not to mention major mainstream releases like The Division 2, The Walking Dead: The Final Season, and Metro Exodus). A major reason for this is Epic’s decision to take only 12 per cent of all revenue from sales, as opposed to the 30 per cent which is followed as an industry standard across most other storefronts, including Steam.

Close to the Sun is due out some time this year for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with no concrete release date announced yet. You can check out the announcement trailer for its Epic Games Store exclusivity below. To learn more about the game, make sure you check out our recent interview with the developers through here.

"Basically, we used already existing elements to create our own universe and to fill it with gadgets, machines and technology in general. In the end, this is what steampunk is: use existing ideas and technology and manipulate it to make it believable in your pre-technology context. Each level in our game is very different from the others – we couldn’t just focus on steampunk elements. We had to create something very unique and different."

Nikola Tesla seems to play quite an interesting role in this alternate version of history. What inspired you to write him this way for this story?

We decided to write about Tesla because he changed the world in a way most people these days are unaware of, yet he ended his life in poverty and depressed. We wanted to give him voice to make him look like a winner for the first time.

In Close To The Sun, Tesla is that winner – a man who achieved more than a normal person could be capable of thinking. We could compare our Tesla to modern day’s Elon Musk, for instance: both men capable of standing out of the crowd achieving what for the others is unachievable. However, the fact that in our game Tesla is more or less a man of unlimited power also makes him very vulnerable.

This is the interesting point of view we all hold at our company about power: if you have too much power, then falling from your own pedestal is way easier. Tesla is an important man in our game, but it’s his power that allows him to confront the laws of physics he loves so much, all leading to ‘the accident’ that takes place before the game kicks off and Rose comes aboard the huge ship Elios.

Our story takes place in an era where technology was slow. In just a few decades time, technology would became faster and faster, so we decided to imagine Tesla as the man behind this change of pace in technology.

What were some of your influences in designing the Ship which serves as the game’s setting?

“The City Of Lost Children” for sure had a huge initial impact on our vision, but searching for steampunk images on Google helped a lot more than that. Our Art Director Federico Belingheri did a vast research on the topic, so when things really began to roll he was ready.

Basically, we used already existing elements to create our own universe and to fill it with gadgets, machines and technology in general. In the end, this is what steampunk is: use existing ideas and technology and manipulate it to make it believable in your pre-technology context. Each level in our game is very different from the others – we couldn’t just focus on steampunk elements. We had to create something very unique and different. I think gamers will like the end result – there is so much to see!

"More or less, we studied every horror game out there to create Close to the Sun – we took the good and we reinvented it for our own purposes, while everything we disliked about other horror games we left out. In essence, we decided to cut, paste, reshape and reiterate. This is a dangerous strategy, but sometimes it leads to a product very different from the rest. I have to admit we were courageous and lucky at the same time – what came out is really unique."

What exactly will the core gameplay consist of?

This is a horror experience, in essence. We wanted to really make it feel real, so we decided not to just focus on jump scares, or chases, or even gore. The game consists of every element of horror movies and games you can think of, but mixed within a really special spice. It’s all about the climax.

Sometimes you have time to explore and look for lore elements, sometimes you don’t have any time left and you must run, sometimes you just don’t know if you are safe or not. The climax we built is what takes you through the fear, the meditation, the investigation, the bloody scenes and so on. The characters you talk to are not always what they seem and, as such, your goals will change during the game, your faith in others will vacillate, all combining to create a rollercoaster of different emotions.

You’ve mentioned problem solving as one of the key features in this game. Can you tell us more about how this works?

Why have simple puzzles when you can solve problems that have a logic tapped into the game’s environment and linked to the characters? Every puzzle in Close to the Sun is there not because of some kind of diabolical “deus ex machina”, but because there is a reason for them to be there. Also some of the puzzles are not actually presented in form of a puzzle – I can’t really say any more, but you will see for yourself. The keyword here is believability. By that I mean, everything in our universe is believable and puzzles are just pieces of ordinary lives that became puzzles for us in that environment.

With the many horror games out there vying for players’ attention, what would you say sets Close to the Sun apart?

More or less, we studied every horror game out there to create Close to the Sun – we took the good and we reinvented it for our own purposes, while everything we disliked about other horror games we left out. In essence, we decided to cut, paste, reshape and reiterate. This is a dangerous strategy, but sometimes it leads to a product very different from the rest. I have to admit we were courageous and lucky at the same time – what came out is really unique.

"Making a game is always a challenge, in truth. I do think sometimes gamers don’t really grasp how difficult some things – like fixing bugs or design elements – actually are."

When do you plan to release the game?

All I can say is, 2019.

Are there any major challenges you’ve faced during the game’s development?

Making a game is always a challenge, in truth. I do think sometimes gamers don’t really grasp how difficult some things – like fixing bugs or design elements – actually are. Specifically in terms of Close to the Sun, however, our major challenge was to create the universe and the mood of the game, as well as creating a world with zero technology but still vibrant enough to allow players to achieve every little single goal.

What are some of the main inspirations you’ve drawn upon in making this game?

We were inspired by a whole stack of movies and books, as you might expect, where we took forward the lesson of “don’t try to play God”. It’s an ancient theme, but we felt like we could do something new with it. Specifically, we went quite back to stories from ancient Greece right up to the present day to create the mentality behind our God-like Tesla. After that, we focused on generating the world around him. It’s like climbing a set of stairs – you have to take one step at a time.

It has been a year since the game was announced. Has there been any major changes you’ve made to the game during this period?

In that time the game has basically doubled in size, and in budget, haha. It has been a good investment, though. One year ago the game didn’t have the potential it has today and the story was way more simple. Everything was slower, smaller and less “shiny”, in short. What we hope we have in our hands today is a small nugget of gold that we’re polishing day after day to give it that extra gloss.

"I love Switch, and I would love to see Close to the Sun on it. Will it be released within the same time frame as other platforms? I honestly don’t know at the moment – I can’t say."

Will the game feature Xbox One X specific enhancements? What can players expect if they are playing the game on Xbox One X? Is 4K/60fps on the cards?

As things stand I can’t really comment on specific platforms, but rest assured that we test the game on PC to make sure that it runs as smoothly as it can on all consoles. All I can say is, Xbox One and PS4 players will get the exact same experience those on PC enjoy.

From a development perspective, how do you find the Xbox One X to be? With so much GPU power, we are sure you must be doing some amazing things.

In general terms, power isn’t always the most important thing – developers have to be able to control that power in a way that is both useful and usable. Otherwise, you’re just another developer adding resolution or frame rate specs when, in reality, your game could do with time being invested somewhere else. I would love to see games running at 12K at 1000 FPS on consoles, but only if we have nothing more that we could do to actually make the game better.

How is the game running on the original Xbox One and PS4, frame rate and resolution wise?

Very well. We are very happy about that and creating our own technology has paid dividends in the end. We have full control over every aspect of the game – not all developers can claim that.

Do you have any plans to bring the game to Nintendo Switch? If not, why?

I have a Switch myself and I have to say, to echo your question, why not? I love Switch, and I would love to see Close to the Sun on it. Will it be released within the same time frame as other platforms? I honestly don’t know at the moment – I can’t say. The fact Switch is cartridge based definitely makes things more complex as it has an impact on production costs – cartridges are expensive. If we come to Switch, we would want the quality of the gameplay to be identical to that experience by PC, PS4 and Xbox players, and that’s tough. Tough but not impossible, of course.

"When I was working in the movie industry we had a saying: “the more power you give us, the more we will make things fancier and, in the end, the more it will cost you”."

Next gen is coming sooner or later. From a development perspective, what is your biggest expectation from the next PlayStation and next Xbox?

I honestly have no expectations beyond the obvious; more processing power, more and faster ram. The problem is, the business is already tough – players always want more, year after year. Adding more processing power helps to untie a developer’s hands a little bit if that make sense, but the down side to that is doing so requires an even bigger budget.

As a result, more power is nice, but it doesn’t necessarily make our lives any easier – indeed, it risks players being promised something only the biggest of studios can deliver, if that isn’t already the case. When I was working in the movie industry we had a saying: “the more power you give us, the more we will make things fancier and, in the end, the more it will cost you”. What a beautiful but stressful world we live in, haha.

The power of the Xbox One X is something that a lot of developers have sung plenty of praises about- which makes perfect sense. As the most powerful console currently on the market, it allows developers to do some truly incredible things from a visuals and technical perspective.

According to Storm in a Teacup’s CEO Carlo Ivo Alimo, who’s also serving as the art director for the upcoming survival horror title Close to the Sun, that power doesn’t really mean much if developers don’t know how to use it properly.

We recently conducted an interview with Alimo about the upcoming horror title, and eventually ended up asking him about what he, as a developer, thinks of the Xbox One X as a machine, and what it provides thanks to its greater capabilities. Alimo gave a very interesting response, saying that notching up the technical aspects of a game is something developers should be focusing on if they’ve already invested as much as they can into actually making the game better.

“In general terms, power isn’t always the most important thing,” Alimo said to GamingBolt. “Developers have to be able to control that power in a way that is both useful and usable. Otherwise, you’re just another developer adding resolution or frame rate specs when, in reality, your game could do with time being invested somewhere else. I would love to see games running at 12K at 1000 FPS on consoles, but only if we have nothing more that we could do to actually make the game better.”

It’s hard to argue with that, really. There’s obviously a lot of value in a game that can provide stunning visuals and can run with buttery smooth performances, but if the game itself isn’t any fun to play, or even if it is but could have been much better, those visuals don’t amount to as much as they could have otherwise.

Close to the Sun, meanwhile, is slated for an early 2019 launch for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for our full interview with Alimo.