Solus - Signal Spike Games

Game Jam

Space Survival

You are a Colonel turned Astronaut working on interstellar missions for NASA. During routine maintenance, a mistake leaves you drifting away from the ISS. Can you find your way back to safety before time runs out?

Windows macOS Linux

Features

Zero-G Movement

Navigating in space is tricky. Master momentum to survive.

Space Setting

Drift through the void near the ISS and Earth.

Time Pressure

Oxygen is limited. Make every movement count.

Tech Specs

Engine Unity

Mode Single-Player

Platform Windows, macOS, Linux

Theme Deeper and Deeper

Released April 27, 2021

Status Game Jam (Released 2021)

The Story

Your name is Roy Grant Buchanan IV. You are a Colonel turned Astronaut working on interstellar missions for NASA. During some routine maintenance on a Solar Panel, you decide to disconnect your safety harness so you can get just a tiny bit closer to your work. This is obviously a terrible mistake. Now- you’re drifting away, rapidly, from the International Space Station… and your home planet of Earth.

About

Solus was created for Ludum Dare 48 in April 2021. The theme was "Deeper and Deeper". In this survival game, you must navigate the perilous vacuum of space using your suit's thrusters to return to the safety of the ISS.

The controls are purposefully difficult. The challenge lies in manipulating these controls and managing your maneuvering within this complex movement environment-a deliberate contrast to the expected freedom of open space.

The project was a collaborative effort during the game jam. Work was done in tandem with Joshua Damian, who handled voice work, SFX, music, soundscape, and sound design. The result is an atmospheric experience that relies heavily on audio cues and immersion.

Assets Used: ISS & Astronaut models from Sketchfab. Solar System environment from Unity Asset Store. Sun sounds from NASA.

Psst. Keep an eye out. There might be some cheeky easter eggs for future (or past?) projects hidden in the build.

Reception

"This one is particularly well crafted. The visuals are beautiful, voice acting impactful, and the mechanics are in total servitude to the story and mood of everything. Stunning work."
- SecretJuice

"Y’all really have a talent for crafting an atmosphere and mood. I reeeeeaaaallly enjoyed this one, for sure... It’s one of my biggest irrational nightmares, and y’all captured the helplessness of that so well."
- ColeSlaughter

"This game is a beauty to look at and to listen to... This is a true storytelling masterpiece and I love it. If you don’t win for Audio, I don’t know who will… Really astonishing work!"
- AndideBob

"The audio and mood are beautifully and masterfully put together. The game also really captures the feeling of loneliness being out in space. The graphics and narration reinforce everything beautifully."
- Aditya Kumar

In Memoriam

Lt. Col. Eric "Doc" Schultz
November 20, 1973 – September 5, 2017

The guiding voice in Solus is named "Doc" in honor of Lt. Col. Eric Schultz, a test pilot and squadron commander I had the privilege of working with.

On September 5, 2017, Doc was piloting a classified mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range. During a critical flight maneuver, the aircraft settled onto the desert floor and nearly tumbled. Facing insurmountable odds, Doc managed to wrestle the aircraft back into the air just long enough to allow his backseat Weapons Systems Officer to eject and survive.

Tragically, due to a malfunction with his own ejection seat, Doc was unable to separate from the aircraft. He sacrificed everything to save his crewmate, and for his heroism, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He was a brilliant pilot, a dedicated father of five, and a good man. He was honorable, respectful, and always an amazing mentor and guide. This small nod is my personal way of keeping his name and his story in our orbit.

Read the full account.