NEBULA: Sole Survivor

In case you think that the solar system is too small to contain life somewhere outside Earth, especially since only four of the planets have solid surfaces, then you need to remember the many moons that orbit them. Jupiter and Saturn have more than plenty, but even Earth has a decently-sized moon that may at least hold some valuable resources, if not evidence of life from its past.

NEBULA: Sole Survivor is a top-down role-playing game oriented on action, exploration and puzzle-solving. It takes place on a colony base on Jupiter’s moon, Europa, where scientists find evidence of life in the future. While the top-down perspective may be a tad counterintuitive for some, it goes very well with the atmosphere, although the camerawork needs a bit of fixing at the moment.

The story is not overly complicated, since it’s pretty much a straightforward plot about humans trying to establish a colony on Europa and being attacked by vicious aliens. You play the role of Ivy Howlett, an aerospace engineer who finds herself alone against the entire alien infestation. Naturally, by using your wits and some powerful weapons you gain along the way, you should be able to resolve the situation on your own.

Besides shooting at things that try to eat you, it’s also possible to interact with the environment in many different ways. You can drag items around, upgrade your equipment and your weapons to increase the amount of damage you make, and even craft your own items from scraps. It may take a while until you get familiar with all the possibilities, but it’s nice to know that they are there.

As far as the technical aspect is concerned, the game uses Unreal Engine 4, so you can rest assured that it looks nice. In fact, it looks almost too nice for a top-down RPG, but there are issues as well. One of them regards linearity, because although the base in question is pretty big, you are mostly forced to take a specific path and walk on narrow corridors. The usual routine involves searching for keys to unlock the doors that take you deeper into the base.

Even if it has its quirks and mistakes, NEBULA: Sole Survivor can still be a very successful game once it is complete. Hence, as long as you do not mind a bit of linearity and a rigid targeting system, this may very well keep you busy for a while.

Note: You can support the developer by participating in the official Kickstarter campaign.