Ever since The Invincible was first revealed, Starward Industries has cited three video games as inspirations for the gaming aspects: Firewatch, Alien: Isolation, and Road 96. However, the first and foremost inspiration is, of course, Stanisław Lem's work of the same name, his underlying philosophies, and his visions of the future back in the 1960s. Lem is considered an author and futurologist who predicted the invention of drones, smartphones, and the internet, and The Invincible takes players on a retro sci-fi journey based Lem's predictions and beliefs.

While The Invincible is an adaptation of Lem's novel, it had to take a few liberties to successfully translate the work into the video game space, while ensuring to honor Lem's legacy. For example, the game introduces a brand new protagonist named Yasna instead of using the novel's main character Rohan. Working with the two mediums is a tightrope walk, but the aforementioned games helped Starward Industries in the design and presentation of The Invincible. Game ZXC recently spoke with CEO Marek Markuszewski about how each of these games influenced the title.

These three titles should be recognizable to many fans, all of which received generally favorable and overall solid reviews. At first glance, though, fans may not see the biggest similarities between them. Firewatch is an adventure game where Henry, who works on a fire lookout at Shoshone National Forest, speaks with his supervisor Delilah using a walkie-talkie. The dialogue choices present influence their relationship as they seek to solve a years-old mystery.

Alien: Isolation, meanwhile, is a survival horror game where Amanda Ripley's daughter, Ellen, investigates the disappearance of her mother and combats another Xenomorph. Road 96 is an adventure RPG where a group of teenagers try to escape the dictatorship of Petria via the titular road. Yet, each game still had a distinct impact on The Invincible's gameplay, story, and more.

Of these titles, Firewatch may be the most obvious influence. Not only does Firewatch rely heavily on the dialogue and relationship between Henry and Delilah, as The Invincible does with Yasna and Novik, but it's a very mature story.

The same can be said of The Invincible and the way it tackles the philosophies of Lem, but it does go a little deeper than that. As Markusewski explained,

Firewatch serves as a significant benchmark for us due to its dynamic dialogues, the relationship with the person on the radio, and the maturity of its themes. We wanted to offer players a similar experience—an immersive journey in a beautifully designed world where they not only confront external challenges but also discover more about themselves.

Meanwhile, it's important that The Invincible conveys a sense of alienation and threat, which is where the survival horror game Alien: Isolation comes in. It was about combining the adventure of the Firewatch world with the sense of suspense found in Alien: Isolation. With Road 96, the developers looked closely at how it defined player and character profiles, seeking to emulate that in The Invincible as well.

With so many adaptations from Lem's work and inspirations from this library of games, it's clear The Invincible has a lot going for it. It'll be interesting to see how it's all received when The Invincible releases in just a few days.

The Invincible

The Invincible is a story-driven adventure game, adapted from the hard sci-fi works of Stanislaw Lem. Players will explore Regis III as Yasna, use tools to search for her missing crew, and face unforeseen threats.

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

November 6, 2023

Developer

Starward Industries

Publisher(s)

11 Bit Studios