Its been nearly twenty fives years since we first saw Beneath A Steel Sky, Revolution Software’s point and click Cyberpunk adventure. Since then we’ve seen the many sequels to their other popular title, Broken Sword – five in fact – but recently they announced the game Beyond A Steel Sky, a follow up to Beneath A Steel Sky. Only this time it’s not a point and click and is in fact an action adventure puzzler all set in third person. This time around Beyond brings the original setting; Union City, into 3D… And to do this they have adopted a comic book style to the game, with the help of famous comic book artist Dave Gibbons (The Watchmen, DC, Marvel, 2000AD) they’ve created a world style very similar to what Gearbox has achieved with the Borderlands series, but Beyond isn’t as harsh with its use of dark lines and instead has unique style of its own.

Beyond A Steel Sky has a unique comic book style

I was lucky enough to talk to the co-founder of Revolution Software and creator of both Beyond and Beneath A Steel Sky; Charles Cecil, at my recent visit to EGX 2019 where the game was being showcased in a fifteen minute playable demo. Unfortunately he didn’t have time for a full interview, but he did explain what the game was about:

“You are Robert Foster. A child has been abducted in a brutal attack. You have vowed to bring him home, but the trail has led you from your community of desert wasteland dwellers, to Union City, one of the last remaining mega-cities in a world ravaged by shattering wars, and political meltdown.”

“Beyond a Steel Sky is a dramatic, funny, cyberpunk thriller with puzzles and a fast-paced narrative set in a game world that responds to – and is changed by – the player’s actions.”

Union City is where most of the action takes place

After having a chance to go hands on with the game, I know exactly what he means with the last part. The conversational trees in this game are brilliant! They draw you into the narrative with their many options, and are delivered by humorous and genuine feeling NPC’s, that don’t have you mashing the space bar to skip. And your choices really do change the narrative. The character designs are well thought out and seem rounded and suited to their surroundings. And I managed to attain all this from just fifteen minutes of hands on time. The game draws you into the amazing looking world so much that I became so engrossed I actually had to be told when my time was up.

Conversations with NPC’s are vital and not a chore like other games

There’s still no official release date on Beyond A Steel Sky, but is currently available to add to your Steam wish list, with it also releasing on Apple Arcade and console at a later date.

Check out their developer diaries currently available on Steam for more news and info: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1146310/Beyond_a_Steel_Sky/

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