We were not meant to explore every corner of the universe: Your name is Yasna. You are an astrobiologist waking up on a hostile planet by the name of Regis III, with no memory of how you ended up there. The Invincible (watch trailer, runtime: 1:16) lets you explore the landscapes of this uninhabited planet — decidedly barren, but more dangerous than it seems.

It takes place in an alternative, atompunk universe. Based on a 1964 novel of the same name, what was meant to be a scientific journey quickly becomes a mission for survival. Every decision you make impacts the storyline, so make sure where you place your next step. You start by walking around, but pretty soon you’ll wish you were running.

Critics are lukewarm on the game, but players have praised its unraveling, twisting and winding narrative. The story is its strong suit, but the gameplay is nothing new — that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps flashy gadgets and complicated combos would’ve taken attention away from the plot: And trust us, you want every bit of your attention on it.

A few things to consider: A retrofuturistic universe means more often than not that the technology available in the game is outdated at best and primitive at worst. If you’re betting on your tools to save the day, we’ve got bad news. You’ll need to keep your wits about you playing this game, as you task yourself with finding the missing crew of your spaceship.

While the game is more affordable than most, its short runtime and lack of replay value may deter some players from purchasing it. But if you love sci-fi literature, existential philosophy, and high stakes missions, The Invincible will keep you entertained.

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 8 hours

? Price: USD 29.99

? Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series X, Playstation, and Steam and Epic Games for PC.

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