'Solar' - Xbox Live Indie Games Showcase

In "Solar," you play as the sun. I could go on, I could describe the rest of the game, I could talk about all kinds of things, but maybe I should just stop there. You play as the sun! The sun! The freakin' SUN, man! Dig it!

As a uniquely unmoored high-density ball of nuclear fusion, you fly around the universe smashing asteroids, gathering planets into your orbit, and having periodic face-offs with other stars competing for your satellites---just like the real sun! Along with your battles with other belligerent hunks of mass-plus-density, there’s also a slight space combat element, as planets in your orbit can, if treated properly, develop life, which develops space travel, which they put to work defending you from the life that develops on other, naughtier planets.

It’s definitely a unique concept, but one that’s supported by really solid design. The visuals are simple and pleasant, the audio is enjoyably resonant-yet-spacey, and the whole experience makes you feel marvelously god-like (god in the great-big-cosmic sense, not so much in the Kratos-is-a-badass sense). The controls feel a little loose, but that's not inappropriate for a game about solar drift, and the demanding challenge modes and numerous unlockables provide plenty of objectives to keep you from boredom.

Beating the challenges is hard, especially if you're hoping to hit the par time, but somehow, I never felt too tense while playing it. Just drifting through space, gathering planets, once in a while seeing them form life---it's like "Katamari Damarcy" from the katamari's point of view. Between the attractive galaxyscape and the lightly pumping electronic music, Solar is a marvelous combination of the difficult and the soothing.

Tags solar, xbox live indie games