Solar Ash
Review

Solar Ash (2021) is a running and jumping game with a strong focus on fluidity of movement and combat. You play Rei, who is trying to reclaim her homeland. You swing and float your way through a vivid, surreal landscape filled with enemies of all shapes and sizes. It's a fresh take on classic 3D platforming games like Mario Odyssey, by adding a quick and intense combat system.

Set in the same universe as Hyper Light Drifter, this time you are inside a huge black hole, the Ultravoid. You play Rei, a daring void runner desperate to save her homeworld before it is consumed. You must defeat all the evil beings that have taken up residence on your planet, and face ever stronger enemies against overwhelming odds.

"At its core, Solar Ash is a game about movement", says developer Alex Preston, and this is reflected in the speed and agility possessed by Rei. You follow trails of colour and glide across huge chasms as you traverse the vast world in search of enemies. Fights are quick, but sometimes require complex timing and manoeuvres to beat. The fights gradually increase in difficulty and scale, and offer up a challenge even to experienced players.

Its fluid movement system, ethereal visuals and unique combat system make Solar Ash a unique game in the vast expanse of platforming games.

Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Solar Ash 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 5 weeks ago.