Sons of Sol is a slick open world space combat game that combines the arcade combat and physics of Asteroids with the rich lore, tactics and depth of a Wing Commander game.
In Sons of Sol you are placed in charge of your family’s private military company and must manage resources, grow your squadron, upgrade equipment and complete a variety of different contracts (such as Raid, Escort, Base assault/defense, Capture and Eliminate missions). It also promises X-Com-esque base management and permadeath, with the game carrying on even after a failed mission (though you may be able to rescue captured pilots from imprisonment).
The current build of Sons of Sol doesn’t feature any of the management elements, but it does give you a taster of the combat and some of the (currently non-interactive) Wing Commander-esque interior base scenes. The space combat is best played with a control pad and features around 10 minutes of gameplay, with you getting to grips with the controls of your ship, then fighting alongside two wingmen (who you can issue orders to) to defend a space station from a pirate attack.
Even in its current early form the combat in Sons of Sol is great fun. The physics of your ship feel excellent, with just enough inertia to make your ship feel weighty but still allowing for plenty of agility that will keep you alive in battle. Also, your wingmen pull their weight and blast enemies for you, rather than being hapless Slippy Toad-style nuisances.
The core gameplay is already great fun, and If the devs manage to keep their promise of implementing the base management and Wing Commander-esque elements then Sons of Sol could offer a perfect fusion of arcade space combat and strategic depth. An evolution of 2D space combat.
Check Out a Gameplay Video Here
Download The Alpha Demo Build Here (or Via Direct Download Here)