Solis rises on Steam for Windows and Mac

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Demo also available for painterly narrative-driven side-scrolling adventure 

Is there ever really any truth in advertising? It's an important question of media literacy for all of us, but especially so for the marketing protagonist of Solis, the newly released side-scrolling adventure from solo developer Bram Boomgaardt of Gibberish Studio.

Players control Billie, a marketing whiz for the company that calls itself eliXeR. The name is no accident, as its primary product may just be the most important one in human history: eternal life. At least, that's what thy claim they're selling, but while you have "effectively sold this vision to the public" on their behalf, you have your doubts about the company and particularly its "elusive CEO." When you're invited to visit from out of town and attend a celebration at eliXeR's headquarters, over the course of one night you'll have your chance to "explore the city of Solis from dusk till dawn, talking with its inhabitants and meeting colleagues," all while secretly investigating your employer. In speaking with a "myriad of individuals with diverse perspectives," you'll have to decide for yourself what to believe and whether to "remain loyal to eLiXeR or come out with the truth."

As interesting as the game's premise is its "distinct vibe," which the developer intends to serve as a "blank canvas for artistic and musical expressions alike." The painterly aesthetic is uniquely stylized, and the inclusion of sculptures by Belgian artist Gijs Milius is meant to "provoke reactions" from both Billie and the player. An "expansive" original soundtrack provides the musical accompaniment, and as you travel around the city and enter concert venues, "virtual bands take the stage, delivering performances infused with songs crafted in distinctive styles that match the individual identities of each group." 

Controlled via keyboard or gamepad (no mouse), Solis is a side-scrolling adventure that allows you to travel seamlessly across the horizontal planes of this "atmospheric and compact open world," with exits available to travel vertically or to other locations. A subway will drop you off at different stations, from the seediest parts of town to the posh buildings of the elite (where, of course, eliXeR's HQ is based). There will be inventory items to collect along the way, but rather than focus on complex puzzles, the focus here is on a story about "technology and deception" and the moral implications of working for a dishonest company. While avoiding any direct real-world connections, the game draws "loose inspiration from the Theranos saga alongside other tech billionaires and Silicon Valley entities," and explores themes influenced by "contemporary phenomena such as Pizzagate, deepfakes and social media." Decisions you make over the course of 3-4 hours of play time promise to have real consequences, as the "in-game text adjusts to reflect your choices," and will ultimately help determine which of the multiple possible endings you receive.

You can begin uncovering the corporate conspiracy behind eliXeR right away, as the complete version of Solis has now launched on Steam. Or you can take a preliminary stroll through the titular city through the playable demo also available for Windows and Mac.

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