Stasis: The Dark Side of Science

A few years ago, I reviewed a free-to-play sci-fi horror game called Cayne. It was an isometric (top-down view) point-and-click game that I've played a few times, and it's set in the same world as the game we're discussing today.

Today we're discussing Stasis!

A Sci-Fi Title along the Lines of ALIEN

South African developer, The Brotherhood, Stasis was partly crowdfunded, raising $132,523 by 2013. Of course, by that point, the game had already spent three years in development.

Stasis drew inspiration from games like Dead Space and films like Event Horizon and Alien for its aesthetics and storyline.

The game was released for PC in 2015, Linux in 2017, and PlayStation (both 4 and 5) in 2025. Stasis met a positive reception, including a score of 79 out of 100 on Metacritic.

Destructoid and IGN Africa gave the game 8.5 and 9 out of 10, respectively.

"The Brotherhood's debut game is as brilliant as it is profoundly disturbing." - IGN Africa

Yes, you read that previous review correctly. Stasis was The Brotherhood's first project.

The Story

You play as John Maracheck. John was going on vacation with his wife Ellen and their daughter Rebecca. Part of that trip involves going into stasis (cryogenic sleep). When John wakes up, he's on a ship called the Groomlake, a research vessel for...unethical and illegal experimentation.

Guided by a woman named Te'ah Hensley, John navigates the ship in search of his wife and child. He also uncovers some of the cruel experiments authorized by Cayne Corporation - the owner of the Groomlake.

What did I Like about Stasis?

Stasis was an...interesting experience, but what did I actually like about the game? Let's start off slowly.

• Mark Morgan and Daniel Sadowski's musical score is wonderful. It's dark, brooding, and perfectly paced.
• The storyline is well-paced and excellently written.
• Visually, while the isometric perspective may take some getting used to, the game looks great, it's just gorgeous!
• Environments are designed to challenge players without being overwhelming.
• The voice acting is really good as well.
• The spinal surgery mini-game was well-made and made me oh, so very uncomfortable. How uncomfortable? Well, I had to take a break after playing that section, which, considering how dark and brutal some of the games I play are, is really saying something.

Was there Anything I Didn't Like?

So, we've covered what I liked about the game, but was there anything I didn't like? Were there any stumbling points? Well, yeah, there are a few things.

• I liked the voice acting, but the only South African accent is a touch exaggerated.
• The ending of the game feels a bit...rushed and abrupt. It's satisfying enough, but it just feels off. The final twist is well done, and the ambiguity of the ending is nice, but it almost seems like the devs were rushing to meet a deadline.
• Puzzles. Puzzle-solving is crucial to progression; this is something that was true in Cayne as well. Unfortunately, much like in Cayne, some of the puzzle solutions are ridiculously obscure.
• Some actions require speed, which can be a bit awkward at times. It's also not always clear what you can or can't do in specific instances. This meant I had to use a walkthrough a few times just to get through a section...not exactly a good thing.

Final Verdict: Is Stasis Worth your Time?

Absolutely, yes. Stasis is definitely flawed, but for a debut project, this is pretty damn impressive! Between the great soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and disturbing storyline, I'd say this little horror gem is more than worth your time!

It's a great game for sci-fi fans everywhere, and I recommend giving it a try if you're in the mood for some truly disturbing horror!