Close to the Sun is a game that knows what it wants to look like, but not what it wants to be. The story is serviceable, but never goes quite far enough to really be anything much more than a B-movie spy plot.
The gameplay is a walking simulator with some simple puzzles that - like the story - never quite push the limit to be anything incredibly interesting.
The best parts of this title are the quiet moments where you get to appreciate the aesthetic.
The worst parts are by far any time the game fails to explain something properly. Chapter 3 is a notable downfall where I wandered aimlessly looking for a room that I couldn't draw for you now it was so unremarkable.
The voice cast was good enough and allowed for some of the writing to shine through, but a fair assortment of plot holes, cringe dialogue, and characters offering puzzles instead of helping in dire situations distracted from the immersion.
I wanted to like this game more than I did, and I especially had hoped it could scratch a Bioshock itch that it's so clearly inspired by. Unfortunately, there were simply too many bumps along the road for me.
The gameplay is a walking simulator with some simple puzzles that - like the story - never quite push the limit to be anything incredibly interesting.
The best parts of this title are the quiet moments where you get to appreciate the aesthetic.
The worst parts are by far any time the game fails to explain something properly. Chapter 3 is a notable downfall where I wandered aimlessly looking for a room that I couldn't draw for you now it was so unremarkable.
The voice cast was good enough and allowed for some of the writing to shine through, but a fair assortment of plot holes, cringe dialogue, and characters offering puzzles instead of helping in dire situations distracted from the immersion.
I wanted to like this game more than I did, and I especially had hoped it could scratch a Bioshock itch that it's so clearly inspired by. Unfortunately, there were simply too many bumps along the road for me.