Posted January 25, 2010
Beneath a Steel Sky caught my eye because it was created by Revolution, the developers for the popular Broken Sword franchise. It was intriguing to me because as an Australian we rarely see video games actually set in our country. There are various references to Australian culture including aboriginals, fosters beer, animals, Hobart and the game's setting, Union City which is Sydney. I instantly connected Beneath a Steel Sky with the Sydney Harbour Bridge, one of the finest steel structures in existence and an obvious inspiration for the game.
The cultural impact isn't profound enough to deter people from this game, it's merely a pleasant inclusion without any harsh stereotypes, I seriously laughed at the Foster's beer reference although now we drink VB and Four X. You are introduced to Robert Foster, an orphan who was adopted by the Aborigines after being involved in a copter crash at a young age. Now far older and full of wisdom and witty remarks, Foster is swept away by a team of storm-troopers back to the city where he was born. Souless steel towers littered with pipes are all that greet him, everything has changed for the worse.
It's a fascinating setting. Society has been completely reformed with the poorest living near at the top level and the richest residing the bottom. A clear gap is defined early on and we learn everything is governed by a mysterious council and a computer known only as LINC. If you've ever read 1984 or Brave New World you'll understand Big Brother has clearly assumed total control. The dystopian world is enigmatic and fun to explore with excellent artwork for every scene. Don't cocern yourself with any "darker" shades though because the accompanying humor overrides that time and again. Some characters even move between areas to make it feel more alive.
As an adventure game it's generally what you'd expect. Talking to people for information and clues on what to do next, using one item on another. One of the differences is that you can die and there are many ways to fail, including a rather unexpected and hilarious disintegration. Puzzles range from too simple to obscure and complex. Getting into the security building using a grappling hook took me a while to figure out since the game expands as you gain access to more levels. Overall it's a little short and can be finished in about four hours, I thought there was less dialogue from characters than other games however it is voice acted and well at that.
Speaking of sound I'm concerned about bugs that could possibly be censorship. Sometimes lines of dialogue aren't uttered at all. Then we come to the music and I just didn't like it because it pierces your ears and is only a short loop. That's about the only gripe I have with the game though, otherwise it features a solid story which is appealing to any cyberpunk fanatic.
Fun, free and thrilling!
The cultural impact isn't profound enough to deter people from this game, it's merely a pleasant inclusion without any harsh stereotypes, I seriously laughed at the Foster's beer reference although now we drink VB and Four X. You are introduced to Robert Foster, an orphan who was adopted by the Aborigines after being involved in a copter crash at a young age. Now far older and full of wisdom and witty remarks, Foster is swept away by a team of storm-troopers back to the city where he was born. Souless steel towers littered with pipes are all that greet him, everything has changed for the worse.
It's a fascinating setting. Society has been completely reformed with the poorest living near at the top level and the richest residing the bottom. A clear gap is defined early on and we learn everything is governed by a mysterious council and a computer known only as LINC. If you've ever read 1984 or Brave New World you'll understand Big Brother has clearly assumed total control. The dystopian world is enigmatic and fun to explore with excellent artwork for every scene. Don't cocern yourself with any "darker" shades though because the accompanying humor overrides that time and again. Some characters even move between areas to make it feel more alive.
As an adventure game it's generally what you'd expect. Talking to people for information and clues on what to do next, using one item on another. One of the differences is that you can die and there are many ways to fail, including a rather unexpected and hilarious disintegration. Puzzles range from too simple to obscure and complex. Getting into the security building using a grappling hook took me a while to figure out since the game expands as you gain access to more levels. Overall it's a little short and can be finished in about four hours, I thought there was less dialogue from characters than other games however it is voice acted and well at that.
Speaking of sound I'm concerned about bugs that could possibly be censorship. Sometimes lines of dialogue aren't uttered at all. Then we come to the music and I just didn't like it because it pierces your ears and is only a short loop. That's about the only gripe I have with the game though, otherwise it features a solid story which is appealing to any cyberpunk fanatic.
Fun, free and thrilling!