Playing Solas 128 feels like wandering through a labyrinthian spaceship, slowly but surely making sense of ever more baffling conundrums. Straightforward puzzles asking you to redirect a neon beam using reflective mirrors soon evolve into devious head-scratchers, utilising colour combinations, careful timing, and creative solutions that intersect with different rooms on a vast, interconnected map.
This is an undoubtedly striking experience from the moment you hit play. A thumping synth soundtrack and the encroaching haze of VHS static quickly induces a tetris-like trance, pulling you ever deeper into the mazelike machine. Everything is rendered in stark colours and simple lines, evoking a little of that arcane ASCII magic synonymous with early roguelikes.
With each puzzle solved, it feels like you’re powering up a circuit inside a grand computer. At any moment, you can zoom out and see the entire map, a complex grid of squares reaching out from a centre point. You are free to traverse completed rooms at will, and even tweak previous puzzle solutions, a mechanic which quickly becomes vital. I was fully expecting to feel disoriented and frustrated navigating Solas 128, but in a wonderful touch the crisscrossing beams of light at the centre of the game’s puzzles pulsate to the beat of the music, leading the way towards progress.
The occasional brain-busting roadblock pulled me out of this otherwise hypnotising game. There are four main branches from the centre of the map, and each path follows a similar structure. A handful of puzzles to teach you new mechanics. A smattering of brain-teasers to test your understanding. And, finally, a few absolute bastards. Sometimes, these puzzles are ingenious, satisfying challenges. Occasionally, they’re incredibly frustrating, with a few too many moving parts or under-tutorialized mechanics. When things do get confusing, an in-game hint system is on hand to provide a wordless nudge in the right direction, highlighting an area where you should place a mirror. It’s a neat idea, but honestly pretty useless on the tougher levels, not providing nearly enough information to make much of a difference. There are no text boxes or pop-ups to read through – you learn through escalating complexity and play. Mostly, this is done incredibly well, adding to the sense that you’re decoding an ancient machine, but more than a few times I found myself googling solutions and fumbling through puzzles.
A standout style and wonderfully absorbing soundscape make up for the unfortunate truth; this game makes me feel pretty dumb. Which, let’s be honest, is a me problem. At just £11.39 on steam or Itch.io, this is an absolute must for puzzle fans, especially if you’ve got the patience (or brainpower) to break through some of the more frustrating moments.
Borderline Pointless 