Terminator: Resistance Enhanced

Terminator: Resistance is a fun first-person shooter based on the popular movie which allows players a ton of flexibility in how they choose to go about the many encounters peppered throughout the story. You can choose to sneak through enemy areas and pick them off one by one, or you could just go in guns blazing, or anything in between. The Enhanced version soups up the original in a wide variety of ways, which makes it the best way to experience this underrated shooter.

Dying light 2

Developer Techland’s latest Dying Light 2 might not have fulfilled most of its promises, but it’s still a solid game that’s worthy of your attention. It excellently builds upon the foundations laid in the original, and meshes them well with new mechanics like paragliding and improved combat. Add to that some gorgeous graphics and oodles of content, and Dying Light 2 becomes a really great game that players can sink dozens upon dozens of hours into.

Haven

Released in 2020, Haven is an indie gem that tells the story of two lovers trying to make a life on a distant planet. It features a really charming story with beautiful characters, and while the gameplay mechanics are really simple – they work pretty well within the context of the game itself. Between this and a highly imaginative world, Haven has the capability to keep you engaged for a long time.

Bugsnax

Bugsnax looks like a rather childish game at first glance with its cartoony characters and Pokemon-style game, and while that notion isn’t completely wrong – it isn’t indicative of the full picture either. Bugsnax’s story can veer into pretty dark territory at times, and the gameplay revolving around constantly upgrading your snacks is surprisingly addictive for all age groups.

Weird West

WolfEye Studios’ Weird West is an action RPG that combines a familiar Wild West setting with dark fantasy elements that culminate in a world that looks like no other. The gameplay is pretty open-ended in its nature, and players are encouraged to come up with creative solutions for the presented problems. Add to that some quality writing, and Weird West becomes a really gratifying experience.

Aragami 2

Aragami 2 is one of the very few stealth games in the current gaming landscape, but what makes it special is the solid foundation of mechanics that it operates on. Aragami 2 is all about hiding in the shadows, carefully surveying your surroundings, and using your tools and abilities to pick out enemies and complete your objectives while being a complete ghost. The story might not be the most interesting, but the gameplay is engaging enough to make you want to keep playing regardless.

Evil West

Flying Wild Hog recently released Evil West to some great critical reception, but the game unfortunately never received the love and appreciation on a commercial level. Evil West puts you in the shoes of a cowboy hunting for monstrous creatures, and that weird premise has been wonderfully realized here – which makes for a fresh setting. Add to that visceral gameplay and high-fidelity graphics, and Evil West becomes a game that’s really hard to pass on.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy suffered from a lot of skepticism after Marvel’s Avengers flopped hard, which is part of the reason why it never got much mainstream attention. But those who have played it will most likely sing endless praises about the story and its simple yet fresh combat mechanics, and we can’t really argue with that. Guardians of the Galaxy is a really solid game that sadly flew under the radar for many gamers, but it is a game that is most definitely worth your attention.

Lost Judgment

The original Judgment was a fun spin on the Yakuza formula, and Lost Judgment does an equally good job of building upon those mechanics. The detective murder mystery at play never fails to keep one guessing, and those narrative beats are punctuated with some excellently choreographed fights and chase sequences – which makes for a thrilling ride through and through.

Chernobylite

Chernobylite is set 30 years after the disaster at the nuclear plant and focuses on a physicist that returns to seek out his beloved. Though players will have to deal with hostile soldiers, including Stalkers that roam the zone, they can recruit teammates to their cause. Crafting equipment and weapons is the key to survival but keep in mind that any character can die with a wrong decision. Two graphics modes are available for the PS5 version – Performance and Resolution. The former offers 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second gameplay with “higher graphics quality.” The latter is dynamic 4K and 30 FPS with ray tracing and improvements to shadows, environments and texture quality.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure was one of the PS5’s launch titles that sadly got overshadowed by the likes of Demon’s Souls and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a charming ride through some gorgeously knit levels, and the platforming also does a good job of introducing new kinds of obstacles at every turn. It’s a very relaxing game that doesn’t ask much from the player, and that alone has a very distinct kind of charm.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name might not be the franchise at its finest, but it is a game that has plenty of merits to its name. The gameplay transports us back to the series’ brawling roots, and the inclusion of multiple playstyles also makes combat a medium of personal expression. Of course, you also get a whole host of side activities to indulge in apart from the main story – so there’s that to consider as well.

Outriders

Developer People Can Fly’s Outriders is a pretty competent looter shooter that not only nails the shooting but also manages to create a progression loop where you are constantly getting more powerful and facing equally challenging obstacles. The story isn’t the best, and there are some balance issues here and there – but Outriders can be a really fun game to sink your teeth into, and it gets even better if you have a couple of friends raiding alongside you.

Solar Ash

Solar Ash takes place in a fantasy world where you must complete a series of challenges to save the world from imminent doom. Developed by Heart Machine, Solar Ash boasts a beautiful art style and a solid movement system with fluid animations and a great sense of flow to the gameplay proceedings. It has a few rough edges here and there, but it has its fair share of merits as well.

The Crew Motorfest

The Crew Motorfest aims to resolve most if not all of the issues with prior releases, and the end result is definitely remarkable. The smaller map means that it has been curated with plenty of attention to detail, and the selection of racing events also features some much-needed variety which ensures the gameplay doesn’t get stale after a while. It borrows a lot of ideas and elements from Forza Horizon 5, but that doesn’t make it a bad game by any means.

Solar Ash focuses on the Voidrunner Rei, who ventures into the Ultravoid to enact a plan to save her planet from destruction. Venturing through its surreal environments filled with the remains of past civilizations, she runs into the Echo, who warns her of activating the Starseed and battles enormous bosses.

Unlike the studio’s first effort, Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash is a fully 3D title focusing on platforming. Rei can grind on rails, glide, jump and much more as she unravels the secrets of the Ultravoid. Check out our review of the game here. It’s currently available for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Aragami 2

The original Aragami was a surprisingly solid stealth game in a market mostly devoid of such releases, and 2021’s Aragami 2 excellently builds on those foundations to create a sequel that’s both larger and better in more aspects than one. Aragami 2 allows you to take enemies head-on with a brand new combat system, mission objectives are more varied than before, and you can also tackle the many missions with friends thanks to support for co-op – making it a dream come true for stealth game fans.

Solar Ash has been rated for the Nintendo Switch by PEGI, indicating that an announcement and release on the platform could be on the horizon. Interestingly, the game was set to launch for Xbox consoles this Winter as well, but there have been no updates on that front since the announcement was made, so it should be interesting to see if publisher Annapurna Interactive ends up releasing all ports of the game in one go.

In our review of the game, we gave it a score of 7/10, saying, “Even with some rough edges, Heart Machine’s latest is an endearing 3D platformer with its own unique hooks, carried by some strong lore, level design and aesthetics.” Read the full review through here.

Solar Ash is currently available on PS5, PS4, and PC. Meanwhile, developer Heart Machine is currently also working on Hyper Light Breaker, which is set to launch in early access this Spring.

The story focuses on a Voidrunner, Rei, who ventures into the Ultravoid to stop her planet’s destruction. As she ventures across various regions of ruined civilizations, Rei encounters the Remnants, which must be destroyed to activate the Starseed and hopefully collapse the Ultravoid. However, a mysterious entity known as Echo warns her against doing so.

Check out our official review here. It’s available for PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store. Aside from its release on Steam, Solar Ash is also coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Game Pass this Winter. If it appears at The Game Awards, it may be to announce the Xbox version’s release date. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Originally available in December 2021 for PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store, Solar Ash comes from the team behind the acclaimed Hyper Light Drifter. It tells the story of Rei, a Voidrunner who ventures into the Ultravoid on a mission to save her planet. As she explores the various surreal landscapes, Rei learns more about the history of the black hole and the mysterious presence known as Echo.

For more details on Hyper Light Drifter, check out our review of the PS5 version here. Heart Machine is also working on Hyper Light Breakers, a 3D rogue-lite title set in the Hyper Light universe. It’s planned to release in Spring 2023 for PC via Steam Early Access.

Just announced during the #AnnapurnaInteractive Showcase: Solar Ash coming to @Steam on December 6th, and @XboxGamePass this Winter!#SolarAsh #Steam #XboxGamePass https://t.co/djO6nl9sOI pic.twitter.com/Krg51xYkbE

— Heart Machine Official (@HeartMachineHQ) July 28, 2022

Century: Age of Ashes

After being delayed to get out of the way of Battlefield 2042 (which is hilarious in retrospect), Playwing’s Century: Age of Ashes is slated to release on December 2^nd for PC. This free to play competitive multiplayer arena title is pretty unique in that players ride dragons and battle in high-speed aerial bouts. Along with three classes to choose from, each with their own unique abilities, there are three modes – 6v6 Carnage, the CTF-style Gates of Fire, and Spoils of War which involves slaying foes and stealing their gold. It may seem fairly straightforward but given its looks and concept, Century: Age of Ashes could end up being a dark horse…er, dragon in the multiplayer department.

Solar Ash

Heart Machine’s Solar Ash is its first major release since the spectacular Hyper Light Drifter in 2016. It’s a 3D action adventure platformer, focusing on Rei as she ventures into the Ultravoid to save her planet. Along with encountering various entities, players must traverse the surreal environments of the black hole, grappling between obstacles and dealing with gravity shifts. Eventually, they’ll combat the massive Sentinels and destroy their weak points while hanging on for dear life (not unlike Shadow of the Colossus). Solar Ash is out on December 2^nd for PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice

As a new expansion to Mimimi Games’ acclaimed stealth title, Aiko’s Choice sees the titular kunoichi going up against her former master, Lady Chiyo. Thankfully, she won’t be going it alone as the gang reunites for three new main missions and three interlude missions in new levels. Much of the gameplay remains the same though – you can either infiltrate locations quietly and dispatch opponents in non-lethal fashion or massacre everyone, synchronizing your squad’s abilities for deadly assassinations. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice is out on December 6^th for PC and doesn’t require owning the base game.

Halo Infinite

The wait has been long but Halo Infinite is nearly here. Though the multiplayer is already available – and under fire for numerous reasons – the campaign launches on December 8^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. As Master Chief ventures to Zeta Halo, what happened to Cortana after the events of Halo 5: Guardians and how does The Weapon fit in? What are the goals of The Banished? It’s up to the Chief to find out, exploring a semi-open world with various side missions and points of interest, unlocking new equipment like the Grappleshot, and battling new foes like the Skimmers. If nothing else, it should offer the same tight gun play that fans love.

Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach

While previous titles were known more for their jump-scares, Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach leans more into first person exploration and survival horror. Trapped in Freddy Fazbear’s Mega Pizzaplex, protagonist Gregory must survive against various deadly animatronics until the morning. In an interesting twist, Glamrock Freddy is a friendly animatronic whose suit can be hidden inside of when required. Enemies can also be stunned using the new Faz-Cam and Fazblaster, and along with minigames, there are also boss battles to overcome. Releasing on December 16^th, Five Nights at Freddy’s Security Breach is coming to PS4, PS5 and PC.

The Gunk

The SteamWorld series is beloved for its quirky style and solid gameplay but with The Gunk, Image and Form is offering a completely different, fully 3D adventure. As Rani, players venture to a planet corrupted by a slimy parasite called Gunk. Armed with a power glove that can suck up the Gunk, one battles monsters, utilizes the environment, and scavenges resources while learning more about the planet’s past, before deciding whether to save or exploit it. The Gunk is out on December 16^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

White Shadows

Following The Great War, civilization as we know it has evolved into half-human, half-animal beings that reside in The White City. As Ravengirl, players must venture to Tin Town in search of freedom, navigating the city’s monochromatic terrors to escape. Touting itself as a “modern fable,” White Shadows features an interesting aesthetic with puzzle solving and platforming challenges. It’s out on December 7^th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

After the Fall

While Arizona Sunshine leaned into zombie-slaying, Vertigo Games’ After the Fall leans into a different kind of post-apocalyptic VR (read: one with lots of snow). Taking place in snowy Los Angeles during the 1980s, players must survive and craft weapons while also wielding powers to survive against the undead hordes in an evolving world. Along with standard zombies, there are Special Zombies and bosses to battle with four player co-op and 4v4 competitive modes. After the Fall releases on December 9^th for PlayStation VR, Oculus, Steam VR and Vive.

Syberia: The World Before

Microids’ Syberia series is an underrated classic for adventure game fans (except for the terrible third game which was released in 2017). Syberia: The World Before is a brand new story with Kate Walker, taking place across multiple continents and time periods. Along with playing as Kate in 2004, players will also venture back in time to 1937 as pianist Dana Roze with World War 2 looming over Europe. Syberia: The World Before arrives on December 10^th for PC so here’s hoping it signals a return to the series’ compelling roots and gameplay.

Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo

Developed by Pendulo Studios, who also made Blacksad: Under the Skin, Alfred Hitchcock – Vertigo is another 3D adventure title with plenty of mystery. It’s not a direct adaptation of the film, instead focusing on Ed Miller who suffers from vertigo after a car accident. With his wife and daughter missing, Ed undergoes therapy to learn the truth via flashbacks. Vertigo could be an intriguing mystery but that all depends on its storyline – hopefully, the Alfred Hitchcock name will be more than just an attempt at brand recognition. It’s out on December 16^th for Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

Chorus

Chorus is a brand new space combat title from Fishlabs, best known for its Galaxy on Fire series. It offers a distinctively stronger narrative focus with Nara, former right hand of the Circle, abandoning the cult and rising against them with the help of Forsaken, a sentient ship. Throughout their journey, the duo will gather allies, undertake various missions – from eliminating Circle targets to taking back space stations – and navigating Ruins of the Faceless to ultimately bring down the cult. Chorus is out on December 3^rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia.

The trailer, which you can see in full below, gives you a good look at the game’s trippy art style. It’s similar to the look of Hyper Light Drifter, but since it’s a full third person action game, it looks even more stylized. The trailer is narrated by some who warns the protagonist they are letting their passion blind them, and that they are unable to save anyone, as various bits of gameplay show your character hacking away at various enemies, including the huge bosses you’ll have to topple.

Solar Ash is set to release on December 2nd for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC. We found the game an interesting, if uneven, affair, and you can read our full review through here.

In a nut-shell, the story is about Rei, a void-runner who’s trying to save her planet. It’s currently in the pull of the Ultravoid and slowly disintegrating but her people have a plan. Implanting a contraption called the Starseed into the Ultravoid, the idea is to calibrate it and collapse the black hole, thus saving their planet in the process. However, upon entering the Ultravoid, the Starseed is found to be offline, its conduits blocked by signals emanating from massive bosses called the Remnants, and her companion Cyd suffering from memory loss.

"Initially, Solar Ash’s pacing feels at odds with its story set-up. Despite being thrust immediately into the Ultravoid, it takes a bit to get going, familiarizing players with the mechanics and how battles with the Remnants work."

What happened to the other void-runners and who is the mysterious Echo that seemingly holds a vendetta against Rei? It’s up to the player to clear the conduits of black gunk and take down the Remnants to bring the Starseed back online. As so often happens though, things aren’t quite as straightforward as they seem.

Initially, Solar Ash’s pacing feels at odds with its story set-up. Despite being thrust immediately into the Ultravoid, it takes a bit to get going, familiarizing players with the mechanics and how battles with the Remnants work. In between, one is caught up in exposition regarding the void-runners, the Starseed, Cyd, and Rei’s own musings. Over time, it settles into a more comfortable groove, with the ethereal visuals and stellar synth-wave tunes setting a solitary mood.

This isn’t a purely visual story – all characters are fully voiced and the core plot doesn’t leave too much up to the player to figure out on their own – but telltale signs of Heart Machine’s environmental story-telling are apparent throughout. Venturing to the Broken Capital showcases the Veruki and their failed battle against…something (with an aggrieved stranger named Lyris thinking she’s still in the conflict).

In contrast to this is the Eternal Garden, home to the easily frightened Ahrric who must commune with the Elders but is hesitant for some reason. Each level has its own intriguing side quest chains along with void-runner caches that talk about what happened to Rei’s friends. The latter not only provides contexts for events leading up to her arrival but different suits with unique benefits as well (like shorter cooldown on dashes and Time Slips).

"The core of Solar Ash is its platforming. Rei is capable of skating around in environments with the ability to dash, attack enemies with a light construct sword without losing speed, and grind on rails."

Throughout all of this, the tone seemingly shifts like the various structures adrift in the neon clouds. Rei is more or less the anchor in all of this – a fish out of water in this eternal sea (a babelfish at that, since everyone all speaks one language). On the whole, she’s likable enough, providing observations and gameplay suggestions when exploring.

However, seeing her act tough and persevering one minute, and parkouring with glee in another can be a little jarring. Some rough lines, like “Thing’s tough, but I’m tougher” also fall a bit flat during the tense moments. The voice acting as a whole is good enough – certain characters will likely resonate more than others, though I would have liked to see their stories more entwined with one’s objective to take down the Remnants (though they do become more important near the end-game).

The core of Solar Ash is its platforming. Rei is capable of skating around in environments with the ability to dash, attack enemies with a light construct sword without losing speed, and grind on rails. She can also grapple to specific points and use Time Slip to briefly slow down time. Using Grapple in conjunction with Time Slip allows for grappling across much greater distances along with propelling Rei towards enemies.

The mechanics are fairly straightforward and the controls extremely responsive. The momentum feels just right, adding that extra bit of challenge to precise platforming without becoming frustrating. It’s the level design that really leverages all of Rei’s movement abilities in interesting ways. The Broken Capital is all about grinding and hopping between rails to traverse massive buildings. While the Eternal Garden is similar, it introduces mechanics like mushrooms that create rails based on the direction they’re hit, spores that must be gathered to activate rails and open gates, and so on.

"With the exception of two bosses, the only real danger to Rei is beating the timer to hit the next pressure point, lest the black ooze on the Remnant kills her."

Each level also has a number of different markers where a black gunk has congregated – they must be cleared out to awaken and battle the Remnant. These are essentially timed challenges where Rei must destroy specific pressure points in order to clear the gunk. All in all, the progression between levels feels natural, building on the player’s knowledge while upping the challenge in interesting – and mostly fair – ways.

The one exception is perhaps the Mirrorsea where stepping into the acidic water fills up a toxicity meter. If you’re still standing in it at that point, you immediately die. So when having to traverse massive bodies of this toxic water, seeing the meter fill up, even when not in the water, can make for some annoying deaths (not to mention that checkpoint placement could be better in some places).

Once a Remnant is awakened, Rei must scale its body, destroying pressure points to expose and attack its weak point. As a Remnant gets weaker, the black ooze encompassing its body will glow red while its shell dissipates further, making it tougher to traverse without dying. Though fairly epic, most of the Remnants feel somewhat passive. With the exception of two bosses, the only real danger to Rei is beating the timer to hit the next pressure point, lest the black ooze on the Remnant kills her.

"Given Heart Machine’s pedigree with combat, it may be surprising to hear that Solar Ash’s combat is so simple."

Don’t get me wrong – these sequences can be fairly enjoyable. I just wish that they were a bit more threatening (though perhaps playing on higher difficulties will alleviate that). It also would have been nice to see the environments having more of a role in these fights. In many cases, it’s simply about locating a grappling spot and then traversing the Remnant’s massive frame towards the weak point. Perhaps the limited environmental interaction is to reinforce the fast-paced nature of these battles. At the end of the day, it’s a different approach to boss design and works for what the game is trying to achieve, even if it can feel a bit one-note at times.

Given Heart Machine’s pedigree with combat, it may be surprising to hear that Solar Ash’s combat is so simple. Regular enemy design is fairly rudimentary with the usual smaller fry, the tankier charging foes, flying enemies and so on. There isn’t much by way of combos or special abilities – you’re either hacking and slashing or utilizing speed to dodge attacks and retaliating (though using Time Slip to nullify the recovery time on combos is nice).

On the one hand, I can understand why it’s like this – it works pretty well when you’re grinding on rails and grappling across gaps. But on the other hand, combat kind of feels unnecessary in many places, especially when the main source of Plasma – which is used to upgrade shield capacity – comes mostly from exploring and destroying red crystals.

"It’s not a long journey and while the whole isn’t overwhelmingly better than the sum of its parts, there’s enough to its story, lore and gameplay to warrant gazing into the abyss."

Presentation-wise, you really can’t under-sell how gorgeous the game looks or how its somber music vibes so well with its ruined beauty. Each area feels imaginative and distinct while conveying different purposes, whether it’s the ruins of a civilization fighting to the death or a massive ship surrounded by floating wreckage.

Performance is solid on PS5 overall even as the frame rate drops occur every so often (though there is a day one patch so improvements are to be expected) – this is likely due to the sheer scale and draw distance in levels. I had one soft crash where Rei became stuck and unable to move in the Landing Site, which necessitated quitting and restarting the game but it was easy to jump right back in thanks to the auto-save system. Otherwise, the experience is fairly well polished overall.

Solar Ash is an oddity, no less so than Hyper Light Drifter; it harbors a unique soul that’s unlike anything currently available while still remaining approachable and enjoyable. It’s not a long journey and while the whole isn’t overwhelmingly better than the sum of its parts, there’s enough to its story, lore and gameplay to warrant gazing into the abyss.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Story

In essence, the story of Solar Ash is about the Ultravoid, an all-consuming black hole that contains the remnants of past civilizations and planets. But it’s also about Rei, a voidrunner who ventures into the Ultravoid to prevent the destruction of her planet. How this can be done is unknown but it seems to be connected to the Sentinels that roam the black hole and the fact that the characters within must “find solace in each other” to survive the “spiral of despair they find themselves trapped in.” Your guess is as good as ours on what that means.

Characters

Thus far, we only really know about the protagonist Rei, more specifically her goal to save her planet. As for the voidrunners, they’re described as a group of explorers who venture into black holes in search of valuables before escaping. What makes the Ultravoid so special is unknown but we’ve seen some entities residing within, particularly a large NPC that asks Rei if she’s afraid before loudly proclaiming that she should be (along with holding her within the palm of its hand). There also seems to be a personal assistant of sorts whom Rei can purchase upgrades and new abilities from. Also, unlike Hyper Light Drifter, there’s now voice work as Rei can select dialogue to speak to different characters.

Connection (or Lack Thereof) to Hyper Light Drifter

In 2019, creator Alx Preston tweeted that Solar Ash is set in the same universe as Hyper Light Drifter. This led to some theorizing about the connections between the two (including the former possibly being a sequel to the latter). Preston clarified to Kotaku this year that both titles are indeed set in the same universe but not in the “same next-door, neighbor planet or anything” like the MCU’s Metaverse. “The universe, as in literally the same – it could be several galaxies away. So, in that sense, yes.” He did note that there was a “connective tissue” between the two due to him being in charge of design and creative for both titles. However, long story short, don’t expect any direct storyline connection between both games.

3D Platforming and Exploration

Besides the fully 3D visuals, Solar Ash distinguishes itself from Hyper Light Drifter by being more focused on platforming and exploration. Rei is capable of skating along the ethereal clouds dotting the landscapes of the Ultravoid – which are vast and neon-lit – along with grinding on rails, double-jumping and grappling across large gaps. You may even find spots with strange gravity, further adding to the challenge. As Rei explores, she’ll find pink globes which can be collected and traded to the personal assistant to increase her max health. There are also suits which confer special abilities like Time Slip which allows for briefly stopping time.

Combat

Combat is also a key part of the experience though much less so than Hyper Light Drifter. Armed with a light construct weapon, not completely unlike the kind that The Drifter wields, Rei is capable of basic hack and slash combat. There doesn’t appear to be any ranged combat nor have we seen many advanced melee skills, at least based on the gameplay showcased thus far. It’s perhaps not that surprising considering the developer’s focus on providing a unique challenge but you can expect combat to be mixed in with the traversal mechanics at certain points.

The Sentinels

Outside of smaller foes, players will have to take on The Sentinels – large beings not unlike the Colossi from Shadow of the Colossus (which served as one of the inspirations for the game). We’ve seen brief snatches of these Sentinels thus far including a bug-like creature with multiple eyes that’s seemingly fought on a smaller satellite planet; a massive serpent-like Sentinel that’s slowly flying through the skies, twisting and turning as it goes; and a bird-like Sentinel with a large wingspan. Each seems to have specific points that Rei must attack in order to weaken it before striking their central weak point. Though navigating and fighting a Sentinel is key, you’ll also need to figure out how to reach some of them.

Different Kind of Challenge

Though the developer is leaning more towards an accessible experience, that doesn’t mean Solar Ash is going to be a walk in the park. Preston described it as offering a different kind of challenge, one that emphasizes skillful jump timing, being aware of one’s environments and managing the overall speed of the platforming. This is coupled with the team’s desire to appeal to speedrunners, including not patching certain things that it may otherwise have done. So if you’re more keen on a 3D platformer than a hack and slash title, then Solar Ash may be worth checking out.

DualSense Support and SSD Usage on PS5

Along with a high framerate, Solar Ash leverages the PS5’s SSD for fast loading times (which can be “practically instant” at times) and the DualSense for feedback. There are still plenty of questions regarding the different graphics modes, and whether haptic feedback and the adaptive triggers are being utilized but perhaps we’ll learn more in the weeks leading up to launch.

Release for Other Platforms

Solar Ash is currently set to release for PS4, PS5 and PC via the Epic Games Store. Considering that Hyper Light Drifter came to PC first, then Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and iOS, there’s always the possibility of its successor following suit. Of course, things are clearly different here – Solar Ash has been marketed as a PlayStation console exclusive since June 2020. Regarding other platforms, Preston told Twinfinite in an interview that, “Everyone knows that everybody is considering other platforms, it’s just a matter of what’s viable, what our timeline is, what’s gonna work for the groups we partnered with, Sony, and otherwise.

“So there are plenty of considerations but at the end of the day, I’d love for Solar Ash to be out on as many platforms as possible and have the widest reach it can. It just depends on what needs to happen and when and where and how.” There’s also its Epic Games Store exclusivity – based on other Annapurna-published titles like Outer Wilds and The Pathless, it could likely arrive a year later on platforms like Steam.

Accessibility Options

Unfortunately, there won’t be too much by way of accessibility options by launch. Preston noted that there would be “flexibility on difficulty changes dynamically” whenever the player wanted without locking them to a specific tier. This seems to indicate the ability to separately tune combat and exploration to be more or less challenging (not unlike what games like CrossCode have done). However, an elaborate suite of options isn’t possible due to the smaller size of the team. It’s possible that more options are added post-launch based on feedback though.