Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog

Released

Release Date: February 19, 2025

Adventure, Science Fiction, Point-and-click, Space, 2D, Visual Novel, Indie Games, Space Ships, Singleplayer

An adventure game with visual novel elements, set in a retrofuturistic style. In Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog we play as a security officer, working on the titular Gun-Dog spaceship. Our main job is to deal with an unknown assailant who's hunting down the crew. An important part of the game is also to get to know other crew members and their intentions.

7.8

OpenCritic

9.1

Steam

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Ratings

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Images: 6 

Story
Gameplay
Graphics and sound

Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is an adventure game with noticeable elements borrowed from the visual novel genre. It was developed by independent Space Colony Studios from Wales.

Story

Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog transports us to a retrofuturistic universe. In the year 214 of the planetary calendar, which is 4 years after the end of the great conflict, a fragile peace reigns in the Solar System. The character we embody is assigned to the Gun-Dog patrol ship and sent to the edge of Jupiter's Space to investigate mysterious signals coming from this area.

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Our protagonist (male or female) gets entangled in a high-stakes intrigue. As a security officer of the titular ship, they will have to ensure the safety of the crew and save them from an unknown attacker. The situation is complicated by the fact that paranoia and conspiracies are beginning to spread among the team members, which increases the risk of rebellion. How the story of the Gun-Dog crew later unfolds largely depends on our decisions.

Gameplay

The main source of inspiration for Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog were science fiction adventure games, created for the NEC PC-98 computer. Although we watch the action from the first-person perspective (FPP), the game does not allow us to move freely around the ship's deck. Instead, it offers separate screens showing the places and situations in which our character and their interlocutors find themselves.

We get to know the individual crew members better during the game. Our crew includes the charismatic Captain Bartermew, the cheerful Lieutenant Cassandra Quinn, or even the assertive Mackenzie Cathays. Each of them has a unique personality and history, as well as their own quirks, and our actions and decisions determine how our relationships with them will develop.

The fact that there are two-faced people among them is not insignificant. Hints about who we are really dealing with must be sought "between the lines". We need to carefully familiarize ourselves with the statements made by various people and look for hidden intentions in them (however, we must be careful not to fall into paranoia ourselves).

The game also allows to interact with various objects.

Graphics and sound

The graphic design of Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is maintained in a manga, pixel art style. The gameplay unfolds to the accompaniment of a chiptune soundtrack straight from the 8-bit era.

Platforms:

PC Windows February 19, 2025

PlayStation 4 February 20, 2025

Nintendo Switch February 20, 2025

PlayStation 5 February 20, 2025

Developer: Space Colony Studios

Publisher: Astrolabe Games

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Features

System Requirements

System Requirements for Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
CPU 2.0 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card Intel HD, 300 MB HDD, Windows 7.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog Video Game.

7.8

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 75% of Critics. There are 17 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Siliconera: 8 / 10 by Cody Perez

Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog is a brilliant start to what is possibly going to be a lengthy and stunning visual novel adventure series. The art style is incredible, the pacing never wastes too much time, and the cast is smartly small to give enough focus on each

Full Review

GameLuster: 10 / 10 by Inanna Carter

With stunning visuals, an engaging storyline, and characters you’ll never forget, Stories From Sol: Gun-Dog is a must for visual novel lovers—bonus points if you like retro sci-fi!

Full Review

FingerGuns: 8 / 10 by Toby Andersen

A visual novel adventure game emulating the style and serious constraints of a PC-98 title, Stories From Sol: The Gun Dog tells a compelling and suspenseful tale of ingenuity and resourcefulness in deep space. This is one for those who like their retro indies, but regardless of niche, it’s a brilliant game that deserves attention.

Full Review

91%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (837)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Engaging Story and Characters: Many players found the narrative captivating, with well-developed characters that evoke strong emotional responses. The story combines elements of mystery, sci-fi, and interpersonal drama, reminiscent of classic mecha anime.
Visual and Audio Aesthetic: The game features stunning pixel art and a soundtrack that captures the retro vibe of PC-98 games, enhancing the overall experience. The art style and animations received high praise for their quality and attention to detail.
Replayability: The game offers multiple branching paths and decisions that impact the story, encouraging players to replay it to explore different outcomes and character interactions.
Nostalgic Appeal: For fans of retro visual novels and mecha anime, the game serves as a love letter to the genre, successfully evoking nostalgia while telling a fresh story.

The main cons of the game

Short Length: Many reviews noted that the game is relatively short, typically taking around 5-12 hours to complete, which some players felt was insufficient for the depth of the story.
Pacing Issues: The pacing was criticized for being abrupt, with some players feeling that the story rushed through significant plot points without adequate buildup or character development.
Limited Impact of Choices: Some players felt that their choices did not significantly affect the story, leading to a sense of frustration when certain decisions seemed to have little consequence on the overall narrative.
Cliffhanger Ending: The game ends on a cliffhanger, which left some players feeling unsatisfied, particularly if they were unsure about the potential for a sequel.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

More Music Variety: Some players expressed a desire for a broader variety of music tracks, as the existing soundtrack felt repetitive at times.
Voice Acting: A common suggestion was the addition of voice acting for characters to enhance immersion and engagement in the narrative.
Enhanced Gameplay Mechanics: Several reviews mentioned a lack of engaging gameplay mechanics beyond reading and dialogue choices, suggesting that additional interactive elements or puzzles could improve the experience.
Character Depth and Development: While many characters were well-received, some players felt that certain characters lacked depth or were overly one-dimensional, particularly those designed to create conflict.
Better Clarity on Choices: Players expressed a wish for clearer indicators of how their choices would impact the story, as some felt that significant decisions were not adequately highlighted or explained.

Summary

Overall, "Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog" has been well-received for its art, story, and nostalgia factor, but it faces criticism regarding its brevity, pacing, and the impact of player choices.

Summary generated on: October 29, 2025

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