Solstice Chronicles: MIA

The blending of two different things is always a risky proposition. Get it just right and each ingredient will enhance each other. Get it wrong and risk spoiling both. That is the risk that Ironward takes with Solstice Chronicles: MIA where they blend together twin-stick shooting with tactical game play.  Will this concoction work? Let’s see if they get the mix just right.

The dark military atmosphere of Solstice Chronicles: MIA is apparent from the first title card. The detail in the opening moments firmly establishes what you ca

If MIA were cheaper, or had more interesting art design, or tried to say or do something different than other games like it, or at least leaned a bit more into some of the silliness it gestures at (the dialogue has the occasional quip that indicates something the game could have been), then we'd have a something I could recommend buying. At its current state, it's worth playing if you can get it for cheap. Go save Mars in another game.

Being a space marine is hard. It seems like you can’t get into that career path without having a guaranteed encounter with aliens or demons, or some kind of demon alien hybrid… Incidentally, that’s what you’ll be coming up against in Solstice Chronicles: MIA, a new PC twinstick shooter that’s dark and likes guns.

While I seem to have dwelled on quite a lot of negatives as I’ve written this review, Solstice Chronicles: MIA does have plenty to enjoy. Most of the gameplay is engaging, and when you’re using all its mechanics and systems as intended, it’s fun and gels well. It’s nice to look at; the lighting is very effective especially when having to use your own flashlight to see enemies around you. Exploring can be rewarding too, with upgrades or extra ammo. The story is a bit clichéd, but the interactions with Saffron can distract you from that.