When discussing the founding of Starward Industries, game director Marek Markuszewski brings up all the points you might expect from a new team. The company wanted to gather a group of experienced but still-passionate developers, all focused on the idea of creating something ambitious despite the studios smaller size. The surprise, however, comes from the studios approach to narrative. According to Markuszewski, Starward looked for stories that werent already exploited by media when figuring out its first project. It wanted to tell a story that hadnt been told.
Admittedly, where Starward landed was a story told before almost 60 years ago, in the novel The Invincible, written by Stanisaw Lem. In it, the crew of the Invincible spacecraft investigates the planet Regis III for its missing sister ship. There they discover self-replicating machines that, over time, become more hostile. It ponders questions about what it means to be alive, the ever-increasing role of technology in everyday life, and has more than its fair share of retro-futurism, proper nouns, and heady jargon.
For Starward, comprised of developers previously from CD Projekt Red, Techland, and more, it was the right fit for its narrative ambitions something dense and literary. And for what its worth, video game adaptations of novels are relatively rare.
In Starwards The Invincible, you assume the role of Yasna, a scientist. In typical video game fashion, the protagonist is a somewhat unreliable narrator. She knows shes a scientist. She knows she came here with a crew thats since gone missing. But many of her memories are foggy. A voice on the other end of an earpiece, that of the Astrogator, helps you along your journey.
Its all fairly standard video game fare, though the source material is an interesting starting point. Lem was known for his approach to hard sci-fi, and the world of The Invincible feels well-realized and believable within its fiction. Its perfectly conceivable to imagine it translating to a video game well, where players are incentivized to explore, experiment within, and discover the world around them. And for the next hour, with insights from the team, I have the chance to do just that.
My time playing an early pre-alpha build of The Invincible begins with Yasna exploring her surroundings, taking note of her findings, and reporting back to the Astrogator. Im looking for a lost convoy and perhaps other survivors. Things arent going well.
One of the most immediate things about The Invincible is that fidelity-wise, it looks great. Textures have lots of definition I can really tell these are rocks everywhere I look and the bright bask of the sun gives off a feeling of warmth as it bakes the ground around Yasna. Regis III mostly looks like Mars red, arid, dull. But in a way that drives home the desolation of the setting. There isnt much to do in The Invincible other than go forward and look around. The environment gets that point across.
So, forward I go. I can go around stealthily or move directly to my objective. I choose to take the direct route. After a short drive, I find one of the convoys vehicles trapped under a collapse of rocks. Yasna notes that the radiation levels in the area are high. I climb through the vehicle and out the other side of the collapse, running across a machine that will soon mean trouble: a mobile antimatter cannon. Well, two, to be specific. One intact. One destroyed. Nearby is a massive tunnel blown clean through a rock face. One final discovery awaits me: a corpse.
Yasna removes the onboard recorder from the antimatter cannon, and the scene of carnage in front of me begins coming into focus. Yasna sees the missing convoy marching towards its destination. Things seem to be going well. However, the plan goes awry upon reaching Yasnas current location.
One slide shows the team using the antimatter beam to make their own path through the rock, retrieving materials from the tunnel they created with the antimatter cannon. The next slide shows the convoy rushing out of their new hole. Another shows the cannon firing into the hole. And then, chaos. One of the antimatter cannons shoots at the other, obliterating it, before turning its beam onto the humans. As you might expect, it tears them apart. Its monstrous what the antimatter beam does to the human body, Yasna remarks. Finally, she looks at the final slide, a still image of herself just moments ago inspecting the cannon. Shes shocked but decides to continue her exploration, turning her sights to whatevers on the other side of the tunnel.
It doesnt take long to figure out The Invincible is a slow game both literally and narratively. It takes time to do just about anything, from walking to your objective (there is, thankfully, a sprint button which I found after some time in the menus) to listening to Yasna and the Astrogator talk, which they do a lot.
According to Markuszewski, this is a deliberate choice, which makes sense. The work of Stanisaw Lem is, again, dense. Lem is often categorized as a hard sci-fi author, meaning the work is focused on being scientifically accurate and believable based on current technologies and theoretical possibilities.
He was kind of a prophet, writing about things like [the] matrix, ebooks, Markuszewski says.
Internet, art director Wojtek Ostrycharz adds.
Internet, cell phones, marketing manager Maciej Dobrowolski pipes in. All those things, yeah.
It takes time for that information and exposition to be relayed to the player via visuals and dialogue. As Markuszewski points out, in a book, you can spend as many pages as you want to describe how something looks or a characters thoughts and feelings. Video games dont quite have that luxury; adapting The Invincible into something interactive has been a challenge.
If youre going with the much more conventional approach, like real-time action, leading a character, being in the place normal pacing, normal speed you dont have this stop-moment [to visualize] all the very attractive parts of the book, Markuszewski says. Its tricky to have really short slots for describing all the emotions or concepts [that we want to discuss].
Based on my time with the game, I think Starward could work on that balance more. Contrary to what Markuszewski says, I spend a large portion of my playtime doing very little, just listening to characters speak, occasionally choosing a dialogue prompt. If theres one major issue I have so far, it is the games pacing. Its hard to know how much Starward can fix this before launch, but with such an interesting story concept, its a shame that its delivered in often-tedious ways.
At the end of the tunnel, I find a little robot carrying a crate in circles around a cave. Yasna later notes the robot is stuck in his task.
Deeper in, I find metallic plants growing from the cave walls. Yasna and the Astrogator then debate the nature of biology whether or not the metal in front of us can be classified as alive or not if it lacks things like membranes, organs, and the like. All very heady stuff, with the jargon theoretical science fiction fans eat up, slowly doled out as you stand still, waiting for The Invincible to give you your next objective.
On my way to my new point B, my little robot, for reasons never made abundantly clear, breaks his loop and begins walking out of the cave. I follow suit, making my way back to the location with the two antimatter cannons. As my mechanical companion walks along his new route, making his way on a new adventure, the in-tact antimatter cannon springs to life. It shoots the robot, completely disintegrating it, before turning its cannon towards me.
I ready my hands to dodge out of the way, then to fight back, to save my own life from what would otherwise be sudden death. I remember those slides I slowly looked through, recalling the way it tore through the convoy. Im ready to use their failures to my advantage, to save my own life from utter destruction. On the other end of the line, Astrogator begins panicking, knowing Im likely mere seconds from death. Fight, he yells into my ear.
To not spoil anything, Ill stop short of revealing more of what I played. If youre excited for The Invincible or a fan of the novel, some of the narrative moments youre looking forward to come next. After this initial set-up and some further exploration, I will say that Im left with many questions about whats happening on Regis III and who is on the desolate planet.
My numerous questions stem mainly from seeing a later-stage mission largely out of context. One conversation between Yasna and Astrogator stands out to me the earlier chat about the metal plants, biology, and the human condition.
I dont think that particular moment has anything interesting to say or anything other games havent already explored in great detail, such as 2017s Nier: Automata, for example. But I do like a video game asking these questions if only because its a rare example of a big-budget game taking the time to explore more nuanced, mature questions, even if a specific moment isnt adding too much to the conversation. In its current form, I have problems with how The Invincible is telling its story structurally, but I cant help but feel like its themes are a welcome change of pace. And I feel thats exactly what Starward was going for that the developers want players to think about new concepts and ideas.
I had this one great feeling when I was playing Persona 5, where after an hour and a half of playing that game, I actually had to stop, go outside, have a cigarette, and go, Oh my God, I cant believe what this game is about, Starwards community manager Micha Napora says. Maybe people dont need to go at [it in] this extreme way go out and smoke cigarettes but itd be cool if they finish the game and maybe thought about some things that they didnt think about before.
This article originally appeared in Issue 346 of Game Informer.
See the rest here:
Inside The Invincible - Game Informer
- Alzheimer's May Spread Through Blood Transfusions, Scientists Find - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- So Much Polar Ice Is Melting That It's Slowing Down the Earth's Rotation - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Scientists Alarmed to Discover Microplastics in Ancient Archaeological Dig - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Crazed CEOs Adding AI to Home Appliances - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- NASA's First Artemis Moon Astronauts Will Bring Small Greenhouse to Lunar Surface - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Twitter Caught Selling Data to Government Spies While Complaining About Surveillance - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Scientist Who Gene-Edited Human Babies Back in the Lab Again After Prison Release - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Investigation Finds What Really Happens If You Actually Click Those PUSSYINBIO Links - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Reddit's Stock Is Already Collapsing - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Official NYC Chatbot Encouraging Small Businesses to Break the Law - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Marineland Under Investigation Amid 17 Beluga Deaths - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Experts Say Bridge Collapsed Because It Was Struck by Giant Ship - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- The James Webb's Beautiful Images Actually Arrive in Black and White - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- ChatGPT Use Linked to Memory Loss, Procrastination in Students - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Rich People Hiking Mount Everest Now Forced to Bring Their Poop Back With Them - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Cargo Giant That Took Out Bridge Had Silenced Whistleblower Who Warned About Safety - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Sam Bankman-Fried Sentenced to 25 Years - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Against All Odds, Japan's Toppled Moon Lander Is Still Alive - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- OpenAI Let Directors Make Short Films With Sora and the Results Are Wild - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Google Pushing Its Unsafe Search AI on Users Who Didn't Opt In - Futurism - April 2nd, 2024 [April 2nd, 2024]
- Microsoft's Super Bowl AI Ad Will Get Dumbest People You Know Absolutely Hyped - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Genes Aren't Actually the Blueprint of Life, Experts Say - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Tesla Driver Says He's Not Sure If He Killed a Pedestrian Because He Was on Autopilot - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Google Renames Its Forgettable AI in Fight to Stay Relevant - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sierra Space Reveals "Star Wars"-Looking New Spaceship - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Sample From Distant Asteroid Shows Signs of Originating on Ocean World - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Facebook Exec Warned Zuckerberg Might Have Panic Attack and Faint - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Mounjaro Patients Show Hugely Improved Blood Pressure - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Wait, Did Elon Musk Just Hint He's Going to Buy Disney? - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Tesla Is Officially the Worst-Performing S&P 500 Stock of the Year - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Massive European Satellite to Plummet Back Down to Earth Uncontrollably - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- "Pro Life Spider Man" Tries to Climb the Sphere in Las Vegas, Gets Immediately Arrested - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Fusion Reactor Produces Record Amount of Energy in Final Experiment - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- If You Have Signs of Dementia, Doctors Found a Way to Help - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Fusion Facility Generates Twice the Power Put Into It - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Nicki Minaj, Who's Used AI, Decries Use of AI - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- NASA Spacecraft Swoops So Close to Io That It Can See Volcanic Eruptions - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Harvard Scientist Presents New Evidence That Samples Are Alien Spacecraft - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Transcript: The Futurist: The Rise of AI - The Washington Post - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Operator of AI-Powered Joe Biden Unmasked, Criminal Investigation Opened - Futurism - February 13th, 2024 [February 13th, 2024]
- Twitter Suddenly Suspends Journalists Critical of Elon Musk - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Experts Warn Against Strip Mining the Moon - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Satellites Show the East Coast Is Sinking - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Millions of Plastic Pellets Wash Up on Shore - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- We'd Like to See the Chain of Custody on Elon Musk's Pee After the Drug Allegations - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Scientists Working to Explain "Superstructures" on Ocean Floor - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Gaping Hole in Boeing 737 Linked to Stuffing More Passengers Into Flights - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Rejoice! Device That Sprays Your Butthole Now Connects to Alexa for Voice Control - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Wizards of the Coast Denies "Magic: The Gathering" Art Was AI-Generated, Then Admits It Was - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Zuckerberg Brags About Feeding Cows Macadamia Nuts and Beer at His Alleged Doomsday Bunker - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- People Close to Elon Musk Concerned About Alleged Drug Use, Slurring Words - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- SpaceX Sues Government Over Claim It Fired Employees for Criticizing Elon Musk - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Tesla Admits Its Cars Have Shorter Driving Range Than It Claimed - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Remember That Uber-Hyped "AI Pin" Startup? It's Already Doing Layoffs - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- The Mighty Cybertruck Keeps Getting Stuck in the Snow - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Robotics Expert Says AI Hype Is Due for a Brutal Reality Check - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Schoolteacher Finds Door Plug That Fell Off Boeing 737 in His Backyard - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Experts Alarmed After Large Piece Blows Off Boeing 737 Mid-Flight - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- SpaceX Releases Bizarre Video in Attempt to Prove Elon Wasn't on Drugs - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- Scientists Have Been Studying Your Pee and They Finally Have Answers - Futurism - January 12th, 2024 [January 12th, 2024]
- What should we expect in 2024? We asked three futurists - ISRAEL21c - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Partiers Attempt to Celebrate New Year's Twice With Flight Between Time Zones, Accidentally Land in Wrong Year - Futurism - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Adopted Child Accused of Secretly Being an Adult Takes DNA Test to Prove Age - Futurism - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Congress Receiving Mysterious Classified Briefing About UFOs - Futurism - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Driver Injured in First Cybertruck Crash - Futurism - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Kiki Goti STIRred 2023 with striking visions of maximalism and neo-futurism - STIRpad - January 4th, 2024 [January 4th, 2024]
- Scary AI Can Look at Photos and Figure Out Exactly Where They Were Taken - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Scientists Simulated Runaway Greenhouse Effect and It's Horrifying - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Jeff Bezos Discusses Plans for a Trillion People to Live in Huge Cylindrical Space Stations - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Car Dealership Disturbed When Its AI Is Caught Offering Chevys for $1 Each - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- DNA Tests Are a Fun Holiday Gift... Unless They Reveal a Horrifying Secret - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- NASA Proudly Shows Off Desiccated Tomatos Lost in Space Station Crevice - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Man Horrified When Someone Uses AI to Reword and Republish All His Content, Complete With New Errors - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- DeepMind Says Its AI Solved a Math Problem That Humans Were Stumped By - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Booze Affects Sperm More than a Month After Cessation in Mouse Research - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- There May Be Some Big Tech Names on the Unsealed Epstein List - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Teslas Crash More Than Any Other Brand, Analysis Finds - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Microsoft's Stuffing Talking Generative AI Into Your Car - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Those Scam Texts You're Getting Are Sent By Victims of Human Trafficking - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Tesla Driver Forced to Pay After Killing Two People on Autopilot - Futurism - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]