Stanis?aw Lem's seminal sci-fi classic, The Invincible, is being adapted to video game form by Starward Industries. The game development studio, staffed by industry veterans from Techland and CD Projekt Red, is unified in its reverence for the source material and its shared determination to give players a rich narrative experience that is much more than a "walking simulator." The Invincible is scheduled to arrive on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on November 6th.

Game Rant recently spoke with many developers of Starward Industries to learn about the game's development process and how The Invincible will honor the novel of its namesake. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: For our audience, could you talk about Stanis?aw Lem’s importance in Poland?

Maciej Dobrowolski, CMO: Stanis?aw Lem is our national literary pride, although not an obvious one. The writer, futurologist, and philosopher once referred to himself as the "Casanova of Science," a self-description that held true in reality. It can be said that he foresaw many contemporary inventions, such as drones, audiobooks, smartphones, and the internet. His book "Solaris" is listed as one of the greatest achievements in the science fiction genre, alongside the works of Wells, Stapledon, and Dick. It's important to note that Lem had a distinctive and recognizable style, where often grotesque humor intertwined with profound cognitive pessimism.

Q: It’s been said before that finding Lem’s novel to adapt was “like fate.” Now that you are close to release, what’s it like looking back at the idea’s initial inception?

Marek Markuszewski, CEO: I believe it was a kind of destiny. The establishment of the studio was accompanied by determination and dreams, but it was also filled with fortunate coincidences. Now, in retrospect, I truly think it was destiny. Lem acted as a magnet for many developers who joined our studio. It was through him that we developed our original visual art style. The game itself, based on Lem's ideas, serves as a contemporary commentary on reality.

Q: How involved has Lem’s family been with the development of the game?

Markuszewski: Tomasz Lem, the son of Stanis?aw Lem, was informed about the progress of pre-production and production. He was also aware of our planned changes regarding the story, primarily in terms of presenting the narrative from the perspective of a character different from the one in the literary original written by his father.

Q: Lem’s works have proven difficult to adapt before. The 2002 film adaptation of Solaris, for example, was met with mixed reviews. Do you think the experience of The Invincible is better suited for gameplay than cinema? If so, how?

Dobrowolski: We hope that people will like what we prepared. We put a lot of effort into translating Lem's world vision into the gaming medium, building a beautiful reality in which the player can immerse themselves and feel the spirit of a Lem-inspired adventure. Lem created this breathtaking world—we merely wanted people to be able to experience it through a different medium.

Q: If you could have asked Lem anything about his novel while working on the game, what would it have been?

Wojciech Ostrycharz, art director: We would have asked if he saw any hope and empathy in humanity’s pride and determination when it comes to the conquest of the future and of other worlds. Returning from this philosophical orbit to Earth, we could probably inquire about the undefined aspects of the book. Forms, shapes, methods of operation. However, we try to look at the bright side because the lack of concrete descriptions only stimulated our creative imagination.

Q: What has it been like trying to honor Lem’s legacy in this game? Did it present any special moments or challenges?

Ostrycharz: I think Lem's spirit and his quotes are present throughout the gameplay. The game's message, its promotional slogan: "Not everything everywhere is for us," is a tribute to Lem, as well as the numerous small Lem-inspired Easter eggs in the game. We hope that we will add to his legacy and that because of our game, a whole new generation of people will pick up his books and be lost in Lem’s worlds as much as we have been.

Q: Starward Industries is made of devs who’ve previously worked at places like CD Projekt Red and Techland. How has that experience translated to The Invincible?

Markuszewski: Working on large productions primarily provides a deep awareness of how processes look and the influence of individual elements on each other. I'm not just talking about technical aspects but also about working with the concept and its role in building a coherent game world, especially in terms of narrative. It helped us become better developers and gave us an insight and know-how that proved to be invaluable.

Q: Are there any special behind-the-moment scenes with its development you could share? Any special moments for the team during the development of the game?

Markuszewski: A very important moment was when we unveiled our key art to the world, created by our Art Director Wojciech Ostrycharz. The concept turned out to be a Bullseye. This iconic image, perfectly in line with the game's title, was very well-received. The same was true when we released our teaser trailer, preceded by a mini-campaign with a countdown clock. It cost us a lot of emotions, but when the first comments appeared, we breathed a sigh of relief. The reception for what we were making was really good.

Q: Lem’s novel was originally released in 1964. We know new elements like Yasna and her crew were added to this game adaptation, but were there any specific changes you had to make to the title to better connect with a 2023 audience?

Ostrycharz: Presenting the story from a different perspective was aimed at making the narrative appealing to both readers of the book and those unfamiliar with it, encouraging people who don't know Lem to explore the original work. We also didn't want to translate Lem's character Rohan directly into the language of the game, precisely because we know how significant the character is to readers, and the gaming medium comes with its own opportunities and limitations.

An essential aspect that determined our choice of The Invincible as the source material is the profound relevance of the book's message. Both the book and the game strongly reference anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, the limits of human knowledge, and respect for nature, even if it's alien and incomprehensible. Regis III is an alien planet, but it could also be an Earthly jungle inhabited by an unknown species into which we enter with our tanks without a hint of humility.

Q: Lem coined the term “necroevolution” in The Invincible to describe the evolution of inorganic matter. How does this work within the confines of a game?

Markuszewski: It's a very important plot element in the game. We can't go into too much detail to avoid spoiling the experience for players, but I can reveal that it's the subject of significant and profound discussions that engage the player.

Q: What concepts perceived by Lem were hardest to work into a video game?

Markuszewski: The most challenging part is translating his intricate philosophy concerning the boundaries of knowledge. It's not an easy concept. However, I believe it has been intriguingly presented in the game's narrative and will serve as a thought-provoking element.

Q: Alien: Isolation, Firewatch, and Road 96 have all been cited as influences for The Invincible. How have these influences manifested in the game?

Markuszewski: ‘Firewatch’ serves as a significant benchmark for us due to its dynamic dialogues, the relationship with the person on the radio, and the maturity of its themes. We wanted to offer players a similar experience—an immersive journey in a beautifully designed world where they not only confront external challenges but also discover more about themselves. We aimed to combine the lightness and adventure of ‘Firewatch’s world with the sense of alienation and threat found in ‘Alien: Isolation’. ‘Road 96’ has also played a crucial role in defining our player profile.

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