In 2020, fledgling game studio Starward Industries announced its first title, The Invincible. Made up of a number of former members of CD Projekt Red, all eyes were immediately on the mysterious new sci-fi title. Screenshots were released with the exciting announcement and a teaser trailer appeared at the end of 2021, but gamers had to wait until this year’s Summer Game Fest to see more, as a gameplay trailer was finally revealed. Far from the only sci-fi game shown during the event, the Starward title proved to be one of the most gorgeous on display and also promised to be the perfect game for those wanting plenty of story-driven content as they explore the vast reaches of space.

Check out the official gameplay reveal below.

The Invincible is not an entirely original story–rather, it is a video game adaptation of the 1964 Polish novel by sci-fi writer Stanisław Lem. While the book isn’t often mentioned in modern discussions of science fiction, it was notably one of the first novels to explore the ideas of microrobots and artificial swarm intelligence, making it far ahead of its time. The game isn’t a dedicated retelling of the novel; instead, players will take control of Yasna, a female protagonist who doesn’t exist in the original book.

Many gaming outlets have had their chance to play the title for a brief time, and according to reports, it seems that much of The Invincible will focus on pure exploration. Players will have a number of tools, including scanners and maps, and the developers have previously discussed the game’s branching narrative. Player choices will have an impact on how the story plays out, though it’s unclear just how big this impact will be.

Although it boasts a slower pace than some may have expected when the game was first teased, The Invincible wants players to take the time to seek out new characters and scenery as they unravel the mystery before them. Yasna is searching for a missing convoy of explorers on a planet called Regis III. The first-person title expertly drenches the player in tension and anticipation–if aliens are to appear, what will they look like? Will they be microscopic, or massive? Will they be friendly, or will you need to find a way to fight back?

Those looking for epic space battles and gruesome gore might be disappointed, but anyone who wants to see the full power of Unreal Engine 5 won’t want to miss this game when it eventually releases. It’s a far cry from what many of these developers worked on at CD Projekt Red, but sometimes, different is good.

The Invincible is currently slated for a 2023 release and will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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