Solar Ash

Solar Ash took me a little over seven hours to beat on normal difficulty, and while some of the anomalies and bosses were less entertaining than others, and there were moments of frustration with the controls, this was a world I enjoyed spending time in. This game may take place in a ruinous void, but its clean yet vibrant visual design is full of life, as is the story that ultimately gives Rei’s journey meaning.

Of course, like any piece of art, Solar Ash is ultimately concerned with a constellation of things, some of them conflicting. I love that for the most part you are allowed to make your own connections and find your own meaning. Enthusiasms, worries, preoccupations, all books on the shelves here. Read what you want.

Solar Ash offers a collection of promising concepts that don’t quite hit realization. While undoubtedly a visually striking experience, Rei’s journey into the Ultravoid suffers due to a disengaging narrative and repetitious gameplay. Solar Ash’s attractive world struggles to provide the player with captivating experiences. The elements do occasionally come together, however, ensuring that while Solar Ash isn’t quite the adventure it might have been, it successfully retains unmistakable Heart Machine charm.

Solar Ash is another triumph from Heart Machine, a fast-paced burst of vibrant, surreal science fiction where players get to glide and jump around fascinating worlds with terrific bits of platforming and action spread out across a series of unique worlds with jaw-dropping visuals.

Solar Ash deserves props for its world design, the fluidity of movement when you're in the groove, and the sense of scale on display, so it's somewhat painful to be down on it to the degree I am. It's not far from being a bit special, the kind of indie gem that everyone has to play, but it's unfortunately just not quite there. There's still a great deal of fun to be had here, and your mileage with the mechanics might be better, but for me Solar Ash is so focused on delivering flow, it forgot that you don't want to go on the same walk every day.