Sunless Skies Reviews
The comparison to Joss Whedon’s short-lived television series is apt, with similarities extending beyond the music to the genre-bending space adventure and focus on stories that explore humanity in straits. Imperialism, the value of time, the tenuous nature of reality, and the mysteries of the cosmos are just some of the themes that emerge in the strange world of Sunless Skies, contributing to a tapestry of a richness almost unparalleled in the world of video games. The overall pace of the game is staid, but its brilliant simplicity is to be commended, and, come year’s end, it could prove enough to make Sunless Skies a strong Game of the Year contender.
Sunless Skies is a fun romp with enough plot variety to keep you entertained. While the writing lacks the sharpness of previous installments, this is a good series introduction for beginners.
At times serene and at times unnerving, Sunless Skies epitomizes an atmospheric narrative-driven exploration into strange and unknown locales, only marred by the tedium that grows as the novelty eventually wears off after a few hours.
All the verbal artistry of Sunless Sea scattered across a gorgeous steampunk cosmos that's a little easier to navigate and thrive in.
Sunless Skies delivers in ways you don't even expect it to. The atmosphere is incredible, and the stories almost addictive. The world is beautiful and the danger is tantalizing. It might be deadly, but it's well worth the trip.
The world the game shares with its predecessors is detailed and bizarre in equal measure.
Sunless Skies is a wild, mysterious RPG that blends together a plethora of traits from multiple genres. The result is something unique, engaging, and incredibly fun.
The sharpest writing around, wrapped inside a surprising adventure that's tough but rarely unfair. Failbetter's finest hour.
This imaginative and darkly humorous sci-fi survival game has you fearfully chart a vast, hostile universe
Above everything else, Sunless Skies is a unique experience. It may be similar to its predecessor, Sunless Seas, but it is wholly a game of its own. It feels remarkably smooth to control and it reads like a more adult Pratchett novel albeit roided up to beefcake levels of literary strength.
Looking past its flaws, if you're a fan of narrative storytelling, steampunk and weird wobbly Lovecraftian things – this game is worth your cash.
A wonderfully refined sequel that takes everything that was great about the original and expands and improves upon it, making for a much more accessible experience for everyone.
When I’m not playing Sunless Skies, I find myself musing about what will happen the next time I jump on.
If you're a fan of Sunless Sea, Lovecraftian Horror, or Firefly, you'll probably love this game. If you don't like reading, dying in-game, or making new characters, you might enjoy it less.
Failbetter continues to revolutionise the RPG - not by burning it all down, but by slipping pages of prose into every crevice it can.Jeremy Peel
The follow-up to Sunless Seas is an adventure that conjures up a journey of endless wonder, where seemingly anything is possible.
A fascinating, immersive trek. Sunless Skies excels at world-building and begs to be experienced by anyone who enjoys a dark story
Overall Sunless Skies is another well-written story from Failbetter Games. The story and setting carry the game, but the combat mechanics can take some getting used to and may feel limiting. If you like your stories thick in the dark and strange ways of things like H.P. Lovecraft than this could very well be your cup of maddening tea. And you do like tea, don't you? Of course you do, the Queen wouldn't allow it to be otherwise and She is watching, always watching...
Sunless Skies is a game with such an intense and complex story that it might have been better applied in a book. The game as a whole would be mediocre at best, if not for that part. Its gameplay is slow and hard; its art direction is good, but has no identity of its own; its soundtrack is just average. Playing it can be worth it, however, if you have the patience to follow an amazing story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Whether it's the joy of reaching port, the excitement of engaging with a marauder, or the wonderment of the creatively-written fantasy, Sunless Skies filled my head with adventure and took me on a tour of marvels and monstrosities such as I'm glad to have encountered. It still has me itching to return to the High Wilderness for another go.