History VideoGame / CloseToTheSun

* ArtisticLicenseLinguistics: A fair bit of the dialogue, particularly Rose's and Ada's, sounds considerably more modern than the setting would suggest; certain terms they use, like "nutjob," "nerd," and "easy peasy" either didn't originate or become popular until the 1950s or 60s. Rose even uses the phrase "Scout's honor" a decade before the Scouts were even founded.

* [[Foreshadowing]]: At some point, you can find one of the many maps that show you where you are on the ship. Except [[spoiler: there are two green lights instead of one, with one blinking in the gardens]].

''Close to the Sun'' is a SurvivalHorror-themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Creator/StormInATeacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the UsefulNotes/EpicGamesStore. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well. The Epic Games Store exclusivity ended in May 2020 and the game was released on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and Website/GOGDotCom at that time.

''Close to the Sun'' is a SurvivalHorror-themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Storm In A Teacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the UsefulNotes/EpicGamesStore. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well. The Epic Games Store exclusivity ended in May 2020 and the game was released on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and Website/GOGDotCom at that time.

* KnifeNut: Ludwig, as the above HistoricalDomainCharacter entry shows he might have been at it since before he was on the ''Helios''.

* DieselPunk: Both in aesthetic and themes. It takes place in a retrofuturistic turn of the 20th century and portrays the aftermath of scientists attempting to exploit the concept of time itself.

** Additionally, chess seems to have been incredibly popular on board the Helios with chessboards set up all over the residential areas and posters advertising chess tournaments. One apartment even has a chess set in the bathroom.

* TheDeterminator: Rose is hell-bent on retrieving the two notebooks to fulfil her sister's LastRequest.

''Close to the Sun'' is a SurvivalHorror-themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Storm In A Teacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the Epic Games Store. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well. The Epic Games Store exclusivity ended in May 2020 and the game was released on Steam and GOG.com at that time.

''Close to the Sun'' is a SurvivalHorror themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Storm In A Teacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the Epic Games Store. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well. The Epic Games Store exclusivity ended in May 2020 and the game was released on Steam and GOG.com at that time.

The game takes place in 1897, in an alternate timeline where the famed historical figure UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla was successful in his own time and built a massive cruise liner, the ''Helios'', as a demonstration stage. You're Rose, a young journalist looking for your sister and, as you approach this enormous and glorious complex for the first time, you quickly realize that something there has GoneHorriblyWrong...

* NotQuiteDead: The chase in the theater ends with Ada and Ludwig falling through the floor into a burning room, Ada lands on a catwalk above the fire while Ludwig gets [[ManOnFire engulfed in flames]]. [[spoiler:Apparently, he is MadOfIron as he comes back in the finale, looking a bit cooked and really pissed off.]]

* ThePromise: [[spoiler:Before her death, Ada makes Rose promise to collect the notebooks that "hold the key to everything". Rose is determined to fulfill her sister's LastRequest.]]
* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:After turning out to be responsible for murdering Ada and antagonizing Rose throughout the final section of the game, being the closest the game has to a BigBad, at the very end Aubrey sacrifices himself to save Tesla from Ludwig.]]
* SarcasticConfession: In an early conversation, [[spoiler:Aubrey]] tells Rose that he is a liar. But she did not comprehend the full scope of his lies.

** One letter mentions an unusually bright and inquisitive teenager named Albert who visited the ''Helios'' previously. The actual texture (as opposed to the text on screen) on the letter gives it away, referring to the kid as "young Sir Einstein".

''Close to the Sun'' is a SurvivalHorror themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Storm In A Teacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the Epic Games Store. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well.

* EasterEgg: In one office, Rose finds a set of cyphers. Most of the alphabet has been decoded, which is enough to translate a letter found on a desk if one so desires. Doing so reveals a message from the developers: [[Oh my God! You actually did it! You are the best, enjoy the rest of Close To The Sun.]]

* AlternateHistory: The basic premise asks "[[WhatIf What if]] Nikola Tesla was able to patent his various inventions and shows them off via a massive luxury cruise liner."

* BaitAndSwitch: The horrifying terror roaming the ship responsible for the hundreds of torn up bodies lying everywhere... turns out to be some asshole with a knife. [[spoiler: Then it turns out there really ''are'' monsters roaming around killing everyone; Rose even points out one stab-happy psycho couldn't possibly have killed the ''entire'' crew.]]

* ClockRoaches: [[spoiler: Aubrey describes the creatures aboard the ship as such, comparing them to the human body's immune system; they are attracted to the exotic energy given off by the machine that caused the TimeCrash and kill any living thing covered in it.]]

* ConflictKiller: The last section of the game is basically a huge build-up to a final confrontation between Rose and [[spoiler: Aubrey]]. Then [[spoiler: Ludwig]] shows up and ends up becoming the final threat to everyone that's still alive at that point.

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: Though [[spoiler: the creatures]] are the root cause of the ship's downfall, the greatest threat to Rose on her journey are other humans; [[spoiler: Ludwig]] and [[spoiler: Aubrey]].
* IcarusAllusion: The title of the game as well as the chapter 10 title "The Fall of Icarus" point to the fact that Tesla and Ada, in their relentless pursuit of scientific progress, [[GoneHorriblyWrong went too far]] and unleashed powers he had no control over.

* IllKillYou: When [[spoiler: Aubrey]] reveals that he murdered [[spoiler: Ada]] towards the end of the game, Rose responds with cold [[TheDeterminator determination]] that no matter what it takes, she ''will'' kill him.

* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Halfway through the game, [[spoiler: Ada is killed by the creatures when the room she's trapped in is flooded with exotic energy, drawing them towards her.]] At first this just seems like a normal extension of the chaos occurring throughout the ship, but towards the end [[spoiler: Aubrey reveals that the control room he's trapped in is able to direct exotic energy to any location on the ship, and he deliberately attracted the creatures to Ada to [[DrivenByEnvy get rid of her due to his jealousy]] over her usurping his (perceived) place as Tesla's favorite pupil.]]

* NotQuiteDead: The chase in the theater ends with Ada and Ludwig falling through the floor into a burning room, Ada lands on a catwalk above the fire while Ludwig gets [[ManOnFire engulfed in flames]]. [[spoiler: Apparently, he is MadOfIron as he comes back in the finale, looking a bit cooked and really pissed off.]]

* SequelHook: [[spoiler: At the end of the game, when it looks like the ''Helios'' has been destroyed and Rose is the sole survivor, she receives a radio communication from Tesla claiming he can use Ada's research into time travel to save her.]]

* TimeCrash: One of the apparent issues on the ship involves one of Tesla's machines messing with time. When the protagonist first contacts her sister we find out that she didn't send the letter that made the protagonist look for her only to correct herself and say she hadn't written it yet. [[spoiler: this foreshadows the fact that you can ScrewDestiny regarding Roses death.]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: While he is a manipulator and a murderer, [[spoiler: Aubrey]] genuinely does want to stop the phenomena that's destroying the ship and killing the passengers. Unfortunately, because he's much less competent than he believes himself to be, the scientific method he's attempting to use is actually making the situation worse.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/closetothesun_title.jpg]]

* DeadPanSnarker: Rose will often have a dry quip ready to describe her situation.

* FatBastard: When you finally meet him, [[spoiler: Aubrey]] turns out to be quite portly and also secretly evil.

* GoodAllAlong: You have a ''very'' negative interaction with [[spoiler: Tesla]] early on that makes it appear he's the game's BigBad ala [[VideoGame/{{Bioshock}} Andrew Ryan]]. Turns out he had genuinely legitimate (albeit perhaps misplaced) reasons for impeding your progress, and he saves your life towards the end of the game and becomes your ally for the finale.

* HeroicBSOD: Rose has one after [[spoiler: watching her sister getting killed by one of the creatures]].

** A letter close to where you encounter Ludwig for the first time mentions that he's from [[spoiler: Whitechapel]] and extremely dangerous, heavily implying his true identity is [[spoiler: JackTheRipper]].

* HumansAreTheRealMonsters[=/=]{{Mundanger}}:
** After a lot of mysterious build-up, it's rather surprising that when Rose actually encounters the physical threat aboard the ship, it just turns out to be a crazy man with a knife. [[spoiler: Though later in the game she learns there really are monsters running around the ship.]]
** Though [[spoiler: the creatures]] are the root cause of the ship's downfall, the greatest threat to Rose on her journey are other humans; [[spoiler: Ludwig]] and [[spoiler: Aubrey]].

* OurGhostsAreDifferent: Much like in ''VideoGame/{{Singularity}}'', messing with time results in our protagonist seeing ghostly images of what was happening before things on the ship went wrong.

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler: After turning out to be responsible for murdering Ada and antagonizing Rose throughout the final section of the game, being the closest the game has to a BigBad, at the very end Aubrey sacrifices himself to save Tesla from Ludwig.]]

* SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler: By the end of the game, Rose and Tesla are the only survivors of the ''Helios''; and it's not entirely clear how Tesla is even still alive given that he opted to [[GoingDownWithTheShip go down with the ship]] while urging Rose to escape.]]

* SurvivalHorror: Of the "defenseless protagonist" subgenre. Like in ''VideoGame/{{SOMA}}'' or ''VideoGame/{{Outlast}}'', you have no weapons or combat ability; you either RunOrDie.
** That being said, throughout the entire game the number of encounters you have with an active physical threat can be counted on one hand; said encounters also never last more than a minute or so. Though there are also many environmental hazards such as fire and electrical shocks from damaged machinery. Overall the game is much closer to ''VideoGame/AmnesiaAMachineForPigs'' in that the focus is much more on exploration and storytelling than evading or running away from stuff.

* TreacherousQuestGiver: Given how influenced by ''VideoGame/{{Bioshock}}'' the game is, [[spoiler: it should be no surprise that your VoiceWithAnInternetConnection turns out to be EvilAllAlong towards the end.]]

The game takes place in 1897, in an alternate timeline where the famed historical figure UsefulNotes/NikolaTesla was successful in his own time and built a massive cruise liner, the ''Helios'', as a demonstration stage. You're Rose, a young journalist looking for your sister and, as you approach this enormous and glorious complex for the first time, you quickly realize that something there has gone horribly wrong...

* NotQuiteDead: The chase in the theater ends with Ada and Ludwig falling through the floor into a burning room, Ada lands on a catwalk above the fire while Ludwig gets [[ManOnFire engulfed in flames]]. [[spoiler: Apparently, he is MadOfIron as he comes back in the finale, looking a bit cooked and really pissed off.]]

* BackForTheDead: The chase in the theater ends with Ada and Ludwig falling through the floor into a burning room, Ada lands on a catwalk above the fire while Ludwig... doesn't. [[spoiler: He comes back in the finale looking a bit cooked and really pissed off.]]

* IllKillYou: When [[spoiler: Aubrey]] reveals that he murdered [[spoiler: Ada]] towards the end of the game, Rose responds with cold determination that no matter what it takes, she ''will'' kill him.

* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Halfway through the game, [[spoiler: Ada is killed by the creatures when the room she's trapped in is flooded with exotic energy, drawing them towards her.]] At first this just seems like a normal extension of the chaos occurring throughout the ship, but towards the end [[spoiler: Aubrey reveals that the control room he's trapped in is able to direct exotic energy to any location on the ship, and he deliberately attracted the creatures to Ada to get rid of her due to his jealousy over her usurping his (perceived) place as Tesla's favorite pupil.]]
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: much like in ''VideoGame/{{Singularity}}'', messing with time results in our protagonist seeing ghostly images of what was happening before things on the ship went wrong.

* SurvivalHorror: Of the "defenseless protagonist" subgenre. Like in ''VideoGame/{{SOMA}}'' or ''VideoGame/{{Outlast}}'', you have no weapons or combat ability; you either run, or you die.

'''Close to the Sun''' is a SurvivalHorror themed EnvironmentalNarrativeGame created by the Rome-based developer Storm In A Teacup, released for [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer PC]] on May 2nd, 2019, through the Epic Games Store. Versions for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/XboxOne have been announced as well.

* ArtisticLicenseLinguistics: A fair bit of the dialogue, particularly Rose's and Ada's, sounds considerably more modern than the setting would suggest; certain terms they use, like "nutjob," "nerd," and "easy peasy" either didn't originate or become popular until the 1950s or 60s.