The Invincible
- June 13, 2022
- Starward Industries
- 8h median play time
Choose between morality and survival, even if it seems like all hope is lost
The Invincible is a narrative-driven game where you play as an astrobiologist named Yasna, stranded on the mysterious planet Regis III with your crew. Search for lost crewmates, interact with alien life forms, and make difficult decisions that affect the outcome of the story, leading to one of 11 possible endings. Encounter humanity's greatest threat, forcing you to reconsider mankind's ambitions and biases.
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and a captivating retro-futuristic aesthetic that immerses players in the world of Regis III.
- The storytelling is engaging, with meaningful choices that impact the narrative and multiple endings to explore.
- The voice acting and sound design are top-notch, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional depth of the game.
- The gameplay is primarily a walking simulator with limited interactivity, which may not appeal to players looking for more action or complex mechanics.
- The pacing can be slow, with long stretches of walking and dialogue that may frustrate some players.
- There are technical issues, including bugs and performance drops, which can detract from the immersive experience.
- story1,200 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of "The Invincible" is widely praised for its deep, engaging narrative and atmospheric presentation, drawing heavily from Stanisław Lem's original work. Players appreciate the immersive world-building, compelling characters, and the philosophical themes explored throughout the game, although some express disappointment with the pacing and the resolution of the plot. While the game is primarily a walking simulator with limited gameplay mechanics, it offers multiple endings based on player choices, enhancing its replayability for those who enjoy story-driven experiences.
“Such an amazing game with deep storytelling that inspires you to the core.”
“Its story, world, characters, and gameplay surprised me in the best way possible, and I do wish I could play it again with fresh eyes to experience what it has to offer for the first time once more.”
“The story is captivating, the atmosphere really outstanding and the game design and cinematography is gorgeous.”
“The entire plot turns out to be one massive coincidence piled onto another to ensure the maximum amount of build up.”
“The story was the reason why I was about to leave a good review, but then I hit the endings.”
“The story is short but very worthwhile to get to the end.”
- graphics397 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Invincible" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning retro-futuristic aesthetic, effectively capturing the essence of 1960s sci-fi. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and immersive environments, which enhance the storytelling experience, although some have noted occasional graphical glitches and performance issues. Overall, the game's art style and atmospheric design are highlighted as standout features, making it a visually captivating experience.
“The graphics are absolutely awesome!”
“Gorgeous graphics that draw out the 1960's sci-fi aesthetic to its absolute maximum in scale and beauty as well as one of the best representations of an alien world I think ever committed to a game.”
“The visuals are stunning, drawing you into this intricate world, and the storyline keeps you hooked with its unexpected twists.”
“Midway through the game, there is a massive FPS drop and frequent crashes to the point where loading the game will crash within 2 seconds, even with low graphics settings.”
“There are graphical errors and stuttering through a lot of the game's environments.”
“I really wanted to like the game and it's not bad, but I can't recommend it because of the terrible performance; I'm down to single digits with a 3080 and the graphics are mediocre at best.”
- gameplay269 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Invincible" has received mixed reviews, with many players describing it as a slow-paced walking simulator that prioritizes narrative over mechanics. While the stunning visuals and engaging story are praised, the gameplay is often criticized for being clunky, linear, and lacking depth, with minimal interaction and frustrating movement mechanics. Overall, it appeals primarily to those who appreciate immersive storytelling rather than action-oriented gameplay.
“Its wonderfully thought-provoking plot and slow-burn gameplay had me diligently booting up the game day after day, excited to see what new peril Dr. Yasna was doomed to face.”
“The gameplay is a real step up from most walking sims as it shows the massive potential of interactive narrative.”
“The gameplay is limited to atmospheric exploration and some fairly simple interactions.”
“Plus there are some legitimate grievances I have with what little gameplay there is; movement is slow and clunky, you can’t sprint and strafe, and there are invisible walls everywhere.”
“However, from a gameplay perspective, it's really just a keep-w-key-pressed-down simulator for 95% of the time, which I personally find to be quite a waste of potential.”
“The gameplay is so clunky and slow that it ruined the story and aesthetics.”
- atmosphere173 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and retro-futuristic aesthetic, effectively capturing the essence of classic sci-fi literature. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of isolation and existential dread, complemented by a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some critiques mention pacing and gameplay issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the atmosphere is a standout feature that draws players into its captivating world.
“Fabulous, atmospheric game; I would describe it as a walking simulator taking place in a Chris Foss painting.”
“The atmosphere created by the soundtrack and artistic design, as well as the portrayal of the world of Regis III, is excellent.”
“The game's interesting story, stunning graphics, and immersive soundtrack create an enveloping atmosphere that's hard to forget.”
“However, if you are here for its atmosphere, retro machines and precise realization of the flies (expect goosebumps!), which was exactly what I hoped for, then you will love it!”
“It tells a story, kind of able to create a certain atmosphere, but that's pretty much it.”
“The game's interesting story, stunning graphics and immersive soundtrack create an enveloping atmosphere that's hard to forget.”
- music139 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the stunning visuals and engaging storytelling. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as haunting, beautiful, and perfectly suited to the game's retro sci-fi setting. While some noted minor issues with sound design, the overall consensus is that the music significantly enhances the player's experience, creating a captivating and eerie ambiance throughout the game.
“The music is perfect.”
“An incredible, atmospheric soundtrack that manages to feel modern but drive the 1960's sci-fi vibes all the same.”
“The atmosphere created by the soundtrack and artistic design, as well as the portrayal of the world of Regis III, is excellent.”
“The rambling songs are moronic and irritating.”
“There's a lack of emotional impact, music, or any element that would engage and excite you.”
“Music is mostly ambient and unobtrusive.”
- optimization53 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 28 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and bugs, particularly in certain areas. While some users experienced smooth performance on high-end systems, others struggled with low frame rates and crashes, especially on less powerful hardware like the Steam Deck. Overall, the game is seen as needing substantial optimization to improve the experience for a wider range of players.
“Good graphical performance and excellent visuals.”
“Performance wise the game runs great, I played in native 4k 120fps and it stayed locked at that framerate for the entirety of the game but my PC is quite high-end.”
“Great performance, pretty graphics and atmospheric soundtrack.”
“Suffering from performance issues is this experience's only significant flaw.”
“The reason for that is that the game is not optimized and buggy.”
“It's really inexcusable for a game of this genre to have such iffy performance.”
- stability34 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and loading freezes that can disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced smooth performance, particularly on the Steam Deck, others noted frequent frame rate drops and issues that required reloading. Overall, the game appears to be poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience for many, despite its appealing visuals and story elements.
“Gameplay is tight, it runs great on the Steam Deck, and looks awesome on a big TV.”
“I have an i3-3240 with GTX 1650, it runs great at 30+ fps at 2K with everything on.”
“Performance-wise, the game runs great; I played in native 4K at 120 fps and it stayed locked at that framerate for the entirety of the game, but my PC is quite high-end.”
“A huge issue with the game that really needs to get addressed in my opinion is the absolutely horrible loading freezes you tend to get a bit further into the game (broken asset streaming?).”
“I'm well beyond the system requirements and glitches that require reloading are constant.”
“Lots of graphical glitches, frame drops are immense and frequent, you can also get soft locked right now.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players noting limited value due to its linearity and short playtime, while others appreciate the multiple endings and choices that can alter the story outcome. Although some find enough incentive to replay for different paths and achievements, many feel that the overall experience does not warrant multiple playthroughs. Overall, while there are elements that encourage replay, such as varied choices and endings, the consensus leans towards a lack of substantial replay value.
“+ story: wonderfully crafted, with multiple endings, this game has a lot of replay value.”
“It might not be a long game, approximately 8-9 hours in one playthrough, but there is replayability in regards to different paths that you can take during the game, which changes the outcome.”
“Many options to change the story outcome will help with replayability.”
“But after beating the game, I felt there is almost no reason to play it again since there is no replay value here.”
“Overall, in my opinion, almost guaranteed positive unforgettable experience with big replay value, I'm looking forward to seeing more productions like that, 9/10.”
“Replayability is very low, due to the amount of tedium and only having one save slot.”
- emotional18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to tackle deep and serious themes through a beautifully crafted narrative and immersive world, often evoking introspective and poignant moments. Players appreciate the well-written dialogue and vocal performances that enhance the emotional impact, although some express frustration with the lack of engaging gameplay and the need for multiple playthroughs to explore different story outcomes. Overall, the game is seen as a compelling emotional experience, reminiscent of literary works, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and interactivity.
“Whether it is Yasna's quiet hums or Novik's desperate cries from orbit, the vocals help to deliver the considerable emotional impact that this game has on me.”
“It weaves together themes of adventure, mystery, and human resilience in a way that is both compelling and emotionally resonant.”
“The developers do their best to inject some humanity into the story through the well-written dialogue between the player character and her commanding officer, which makes for some genuinely emotional scenes.”
“The story is boring, and with multiple choices, I feel forced to replay the game just to explore different aspects. The user experience is frustrating as well.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 87 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to unskippable dialogue and poor navigation mechanics that hinder progress. While some appreciate the story and visuals, many express dissatisfaction with the repetitive nature of gameplay and the lack of effective save options, making it difficult to explore all endings without significant time investment. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a major drawback that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“But it is not tedious at all, and it is short enough that it doesn't overstay its welcome.”
“Now, there are supposedly '11 endings'; however, the way the save system works with checkpoints and no manual saves means it’s incredibly tedious to actually find all those endings.”
“If you're one to care about getting all the achievements, you might tear your hair out with how tedious sitting through the molasses that is the traversal and dialogue (which you can't skip either, another genius decision).”
“Second time this has happened; the first time I waited for ages, tried pressing buttons, etc., and nothing, so I reloaded and went through all that tedious, unskippable dialogue again, and it's done it again. What a waste of time.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing glitches, such as characters forgetting to open their eyes, and is complemented by a well-crafted story and likable characters. Players appreciate the blend of humor with the engaging mystery narrative, making it an enjoyable experience that even sparks interest in the source material.
“Instruments were becoming inaccessible from time to time, triggers fail to trigger, action points were not becoming active until I approached them three times from different angles... and twice during my walkthrough Yasna forgot to open her eyes after blinking, which was hilarious to be honest.”
“It is an amazing story with likable characters, good humor, and fantastic execution for a mystery story.”
“Funny to say too, this game makes me want to read the book it is based on.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is viewed positively by some users who appreciate the absence of microtransactions and greedy practices, while others criticize it as a quick cash grab that feels low-quality.
“Yet another example of a well-made game with no greedy developers and no microtransactions.”
“Overall, it feels like a quick cash grab with a low-end indie tier product.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its masterful pacing and engaging plot twists, enhancing the overall narrative experience. However, some players criticize it for relying on repetitive dialogues that feel like filler, detracting from meaningful character growth.
“The game's narrative is a masterclass in pacing, keeping players on the edge of their seats with its well-crafted plot twists and character development.”
“Instead of some sort of character development, you get repeating dialogues that are just obvious fillers.”
Critic Reviews
The Invincible Review
The Invincible has a wondrous story to tell and dazzling graphics to match, but it's held back from greatness by gameplay that struggles to ever break away from the genre structure of old. Mostly walking and talking, it never feels anything more than serviceable. Still, there's an interesting narrative to experience, and with your own decisions changing events, The Invincible should still be played by sci-fi fanatics.
70%The Invincible Review
The Invincible is an apt, narrative-focused piece of science fiction. Avoid entrenched gameplay expectations as this "walking sim" aims to extend a curious, eerie hand, offering players a tense journey of alien discovery meant to be slowly absorbed.
83%The Invincible Review
The Invincible offers up plenty of sci-fi intrigue, but even as a fan of walking simulators, the gameplay just falls too short of the mark. I still enjoyed my time on Regis III, but there were definitely ways to improve the experience.
69%