From Firebrand Games, a studio that's mainly handled ports and licensed games, comes a beautiful puzzle game about exploring a universe in a state of decay, breathing new life into the stars. How odd.
I mean, considering Firebrand's most recent release was the relatively horrible Fast & Furious: Showdown, Solar Flux is not the sort of game I'd expect to see.
“We combined classic puzzle mechanics with the beauty and mysteries that lie outside our world,” says Lead Designer Clive Lawrence via official announcement. “The Firebrand team has always been obsessed with the wonders of outer space and we set out to create a compelling game that can harness that enthusiasm.”
The closest I am seeing to a space game from these guys previously is Planet 51: The Game, which really doesn't even count.
Firebrand is based in Cape Canaveral, so they're at least in the right place for it, and while this isn't technically a licensed game, it does have ties to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Space Coast Office of Tourism, so they're still in a comfort zone.
It's interesting to see what a developer surviving on licensed work and ports can do when they exercise their pent-up passion. We'll see more of that later this summer, when Solar Flux HD launches on mobile devices.