Stanisław Lem, a literary hero and futurologist from Poland, wroteThe Invinciblein 1964, and now nearly 60 years later, it is being translated into a video game by Starward Industries.The Invincibletells a story that parallels the events of the novel, while introducing its own gamification, flair, and characters. Of course, this is a big task made all the bigger thanks to the complex philosophical andhard science-based writings of Lem.
The Invincible, as a novel, has often being cited as a story about life domains and their place in the universe. While much of humanity may see itself as the peak of evolution, this novel (and thusthis upcoming adventure game) is about the value of humanity and its intuitive invention juxtaposes and contrasts with this idea of evolution. It’s quite profound and sometimes hard to follow, but all of this comes from a man who predicted drones, smartphones, and the internet. How Starward Industries’The Invinciblecommunicates all of this and more in video game format remains to be seen, but during a recent Game Rant, writer Olga Piech told us how the title embraces the irony associated with its name.
There are two key phrases associated withThe Invincible’s marketing: “Not Everything Everywhere is For Us” and “per aspera ad astra.” The two, on the surface, are contradictory. The latter is a Latin phrase from 2000 years ago, one which means “through hardship to the stars.” The general idea is that obstacles and hardships are essential to the ambitions of growth of any individual or society, and it can perhaps be associated with the constant expansion and exploration of humanity. For many, space represents the final frontier, withElon Musk’s SpaceXeven seeking to colonize Mars.
Meanwhile, the former phrase is an admittance that not everything everywhere belongs to humanity, nor should it be something that humanity seeks. Lem had a bit of a nihilistic purview of evolution and did not believe humanity was the apex of evolution; indeed, he believed to some extent that our ambitions would lead to our downfall. AndThe Invinciblegame embraces this irony, just as the novel did. The title can be associated with how many people believe they are invincible, in association with “per aspera ad astra,” but according to Piech, “This sentence should be interpreted in the context of the game with irony and a certain bitterness. People seem to believe that they are invincible, that they will overcome everything, and it will bring them glory.”
Instead, this self-ambition and confidence is oftentimes unfounded: a challenge thatThe Invincible’s protagonist Yasnawill have to face. However, that doesn’t mean that Lem believed this nihilistic “ambition = downfall” approach wholeheartedly, but that what makes humanity special isn’t this constant expansion or ambition. It’s our potential awareness of our place in the universe that makes our place in the evolutionary chain unique, unlike various machines and so forth. As Piech explained it,
In The Invincible, Lem believes differently, that it’s the awareness of our place in the universe, on par with other beings, that makes us human and gives us a kind of ‘advantage.'
How Yasna deals with this awareness, with the ambition of her mission, and the scope of The Invincible’s narrative remains to be seen, but what’s clear is that the developers at Starward Industries live and breathe Lem’s works. Marek Markuszewski,Starward IndustriesCEO, referred to the company work onThe Invincibleas “destiny,” and it seems at least they are aware of their role in the development of this title, what it could mean to Poland, and to all fans of Stanisław Lem.
The Invincible
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You are a highly qualified, sharp-witted astrobiologist named Yasna. Being entangled in a space race, you and your crew end up on the unexplored planet Regis III. The scientific journey quickly turns into a search mission for lost crewmates. Follow its trail, but be fully aware that every decision you make can bring you closer to danger.On her journey, Yasna will face decisions that will shape the outcome of the story. Help her make difficult choices and witness one of 11 possible endings to the deeply philosophical story.Discover fragments of what’s lost and report to your Astrogator. Let his voice aid you during hard times when humanity’s greatest threat emerges. The latter will force you to rethink mankind’s ambitions and biases. Go on - make decisions, follow the mystery… but remember not to underestimate the brutal simplicity and brilliance of evolution.
