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"The Red Solstice" is a tactical, survival-focused game set in a sci-fi universe. Players explore an alien planet as a member of a marine squad, fighting off hordes of hostile creatures. The game features real-time with pause gameplay, allowing for strategic decisions during intense combat situations. Co-op multiplayer is supported for up to 8 players, promoting teamwork and communication.

The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
The Red Solstice screenshot
+16

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,349 reviews
story55 positive mentions
stability28 negative mentions

  • The game offers a unique blend of tactical gameplay and RPG elements, making it engaging for players who enjoy strategy.
  • The cooperative multiplayer mode is highly praised, providing a fun and challenging experience when played with friends.
  • The variety of classes and customization options allows for diverse gameplay styles and strategies.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and poor AI behavior.
  • The steep learning curve can be frustrating for new players, especially in multiplayer where teamwork is essential.
  • The player base is small, making it difficult to find multiplayer matches, which limits the overall experience.
  • story
    427 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally considered basic and uninspired, often described as a typical sci-fi narrative involving a squad of marines battling hordes of enemies on a Mars colony. While some players find the environmental storytelling and character interactions engaging, many criticize the plot for being predictable and lacking depth, with several missions feeling like extended tutorials rather than a cohesive narrative. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, leading to mixed feelings about its effectiveness in enhancing the gaming experience.

    • “The story is interesting, though.”
    • “Come for the over-the-top fights and spamming rocket launchers, stay for the surprisingly compelling story in a rich, lore-filled world.”
    • “The story line and lore is complex and deep, which can assist with the player’s ability to immerse themselves in the game.”
    • “After failing twice on mission 5, I stopped caring, because the bland gameplay and scenery, a lackluster, practically non-existent story (at least in the first 5 missions) and the awful controls did nothing to hold my interest.”
    • “The story is not interesting, because the introduction video failed to start a convincing storytelling.”
    • “The single player story is so damn boring that the game would have been better off without it.”
  • gameplay
    226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "The Red Solstice" is a mix of tactical isometric mechanics and real-time action, offering both single-player and co-op modes that can be engaging but often suffers from repetitiveness and a steep learning curve. While some players appreciate the depth and customization available, others find the controls clunky and the gameplay loop stale, leading to frustration. Overall, the game provides a challenging experience with potential for fun, especially in multiplayer, but is marred by issues such as poor UI and mechanics that can detract from the enjoyment.

    • “With intense tactical gameplay and the ability to team up with up to 8 players in co-op, the game keeps you on your toes as you fight to survive against deadly creatures and hostile locals.”
    • “Deep gameplay combined with teamwork make for an unparalleled experience.”
    • “The gameplay is great, it was a ton of fun, but I don't know if I'm in the wrong timezone or something, but I haven't even been able to play due to the extremely small playerbase.”
    • “I played through the entire campaign and started 'survival', but didn't finish because the gameplay gets stale.”
    • “After failing twice on mission 5, I stopped caring, because the bland gameplay and scenery, a lackluster, practically non-existent story (at least in the first 5 missions) and the awful controls did nothing to hold my interest.”
    • “The gameplay itself is alright, nothing special.”
  • graphics
    107 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the high-quality visuals and detailed environments, while others report significant issues, particularly with AMD graphics cards, leading to unplayable experiences. Many users note that while the graphics can be decent or stylized, they also exhibit glitches and outdated elements that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's graphical performance varies widely depending on hardware compatibility, with some players enjoying the visuals and others expressing frustration over technical problems.

    • “The graphics in the game are of high quality, and the details of the environment are worked out very well.”
    • “This game is suitable for those who want to experience a real challenge on Mars and enjoy high-quality graphics and gameplay.”
    • “The graphics and sound are fine.”
    • “The game works on old hardware; however, a lot of gamers with newer graphics cards (2018 onwards) get lumped with a black screen with no fix from the devs.”
    • “I was really looking forward to this game, and when I started it up, I see that none of the textures load except for the background dust storm; everything is blacked out except for a 'dust storm' blowing away in the background underneath all the blacked out graphics.”
    • “Poor graphics optimization made the game nearly unplayable, with frame rates regularly reaching intolerable lows.”
  • music
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as a standout feature that enhances immersion and fits the game's atmosphere, while others find it forgettable or lacking in definition. Many agree that the soundtrack is well-crafted and complements the gameplay, though some express frustration with its inconsistency and the overall sound design. Overall, the music is seen as a significant, if not universally acclaimed, aspect of the game experience.

    • “The soundtrack is possibly the best part of the game; it's well made and fits the game.”
    • “The music is amazing and does a spectacular job of immersing you in the action.”
    • “Hard, tense, with an atmospheric soundtrack, this one is equally good in single player and multiplayer.”
    • “The music falls into the background; there's no talking or any witty lines to keep you occupied, the guns are complete background noise, and the enemies have no atmosphere or build-up.”
    • “All other music is so without definition or instruments it'd be better off just not existing, because then you wouldn't be wasting file size on it.”
    • “Music that plays during the game only really picks up noticeably if you're heading for evac, if you even get there.”
  • stability
    31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and frustrating controls that detract from the overall experience. While some players acknowledge the potential of the game and appreciate the developers' responsiveness to feedback, many express significant frustration due to frequent crashes and desynchronization issues. Overall, the game is considered quite buggy, especially in its current early access state, leading to mixed feelings among users.

    • “The most complete, bug-free, and smooth early access and Steam Greenlit game I have played :) and the only one I am still playing.”
    • “In time, the game should hopefully be bug-free and play like a dream; we can hope at least.”
    • “This game offers a stable experience that sets it apart from others in early access.”
    • “Extremely frustrating and counterintuitive squad controls, which are also buggy.”
    • “The game left me with a large amount of frustration, not just because it was buggy and incomplete but because there is an amazing game behind all that grit.”
    • “In the current state, the game is quite buggy, crashes often (once every couple of games), desync causes many issues.”
  • replayability
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability due to its randomized missions, diverse character classes, and challenging difficulty levels, which encourage players to engage repeatedly. Many users highlight the meaningful co-op experience and the addictive nature of the gameplay, making it enjoyable to revisit even after multiple playthroughs. Overall, the combination of dynamic elements and cooperative gameplay ensures that players find significant value in replaying the game.

    • “If you want meaningful co-op where every player matters, replayability, and a challenge, then this game is recommended.”
    • “The game has big replayability, randomized missions, locations, monster spawns, bosses, everything to make every single dollar spent on it worth it.”
    • “However, the replayability comes from this random element, as well as trying to beat the game's current most difficult map, military sector on Aetriden difficulty, which has currently only been beaten once!”
    • “The game has big replayability, with randomized missions, locations, monster spawns, bosses, and everything to make every single dollar spent on it worth it.”
    • “While each individual map is static in its layout, the missions can spawn in various places on the map, keeping the replayability and challenge high.”
  • atmosphere
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its tension and immersion, effectively making players feel like survivors in a hostile environment filled with alien creatures. While the visuals and sound design contribute to a captivating and dark ambiance, some players note issues with the interface and a lack of engaging dialogue. Overall, the game offers a strong atmospheric experience, particularly in cooperative modes, though the storytelling may not be as compelling.

    • “The atmosphere is perfect for a team-based strategy game.”
    • “Hard, tense, with an atmospheric soundtrack, this one is equally good in single player and multiplayer.”
    • “The game creates a threatening and tense atmosphere that makes players feel like real survivors in the world of alien creatures.”
    • “Immersive game right from the start, with a tense atmosphere and a lot of potential, but terrible interface to manage it.”
    • “The music falls into the background, there's no talking or any witty lines to keep you occupied, the guns are complete background noise, and the enemies have no atmosphere or build up.”
  • grinding
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some find the initial gameplay fast-paced and engaging, many criticize it for becoming tedious and overly grindy, particularly in single-player modes where endless waves of enemies can feel monotonous. The need for extensive grinding to progress and unlock content is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “It's already gotten tedious.”
    • “Endless waves of enemies is tedious and combat in tactical mode or not are not satisfying.”
    • “Considering the number of classes there are and there are like 10 ranks in each suit, that is a lot of grinding.”
  • optimization
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting severe frame rate issues, stuttering, and long load times, particularly on non-SSD drives. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite these technical shortcomings, the overall consensus indicates that the game feels poorly optimized and resembles an unfinished product, necessitating significant improvements from the developers.

    • “The game is good and decently optimized.”
    • “Though there are a couple performance issues (namely clicks and keypresses not always registering when there is a full roster of players), the game is the only one I've seen lately that delivers such an in-depth and tactical approach to multiplayer class-based combat.”
    • “There are some sound design problems and technical oversights with few optimization issues, but overall offers an enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “Poorly optimized, FPS stutter all over the place, unplayable.”
    • “Poor graphics optimization made the game nearly unplayable, with frame rates regularly reaching intolerable lows.”
    • “So to summarize, there are a lot of things to do for the developers because it currently plays like a very badly optimized alpha version of the game.”
  • humor
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of intentional comedic writing and unintentional hilarity stemming from bugs, reminiscent of titles like "Goat Simulator." Players appreciate the absurdity of certain situations and dialogues, finding them both entertaining and bizarre, though some feel the humor can be overshadowed by frustration with technical issues. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of humor that resonates well with its indie charm.

    • “Enjoy the awesome indie writing, by which I mean hilarious, hamfisted dialog, and a bizarre obsession with Tyler Hunt.”
    • “Very funny game... for this price very positive...”
    • “Still has some 'goat simulator' quality bugs that make playing the game hilarious.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy for the game has drawn criticism due to intrusive ads for its sequel, which disrupts gameplay and access to essential information. While players are generally accepting of microtransactions for customization, the overall management of advertisements and community engagement has been deemed poorly handled.

    • “Microtransactions for customization are something I could easily accept.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel intrusive.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without affecting gameplay.”
    • “Also, with the upcoming sequel to this game, it's plagued by ads for the new game.”
    • “You can't even read the 'how to play' section because when you click on 'next', the advertisement/store page for their new game opens.”
    • “Microtransactions on customization is something I could easily accept.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with players finding the story boring and the voice acting terrible, leading to a lack of engagement. Sidequests are described as tedious and uninteresting, contributing to an overall feeling of disappointment in the game's emotional impact.

    • “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt a genuine connection to the characters and their struggles.”
    • “Every choice I made had a profound impact on the narrative, making me reflect on my own values and emotions.”
    • “The game beautifully captures the essence of love and loss, creating moments that resonate long after the credits roll.”
    • “Boring story, terrible controls, and awful voice acting.”
    • “For those who enjoyed the single-player mission from StarCraft with only the grunts, but with bad voice acting and a boring story, this is for you!”

Buy The Red Solstice

26h Median play time
118h Average play time
6-200h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 15 analyzed playthroughs

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