You might be wondering why the free games section hasn't made an appearance lately. The reason is simple: the titles that appeared were not exactly attractive to speak of. However, that situation changed completely with the arrival of Sunless Skies, one of the gems of Failbetter Games, and a direct sequel to Sunless Sea. The game combines role-playing elements, roguelike, gothic horror, Victorian aesthetics, and a fabulous story that captures us from the very beginning…
Some games don't need much lore to speak of. Others deliver it all at once, but then there are those that cook their stew over low heat… and serve small portions. Sunless Skies undoubtedly belongs to that last category: You are the first officer of the Orphean, a space locomotive. Your captain, Amelia Whitlock, suffered mortal wounds during her expedition to the Blue Kingdom… the land of the dead. As virtual captain in command, your mission is to keep the Orphean in one piece, become the leader the crew needs, and, in a shorter time, reach New Winchester to earn a brief respite…
Sunless Skies: Science, magic, power, and a locomotive
The universe of Sunless Skies is truly fascinating. Outer space, The High Wilderness. Albion, the old name for Britain, now one of its regions. Queen Victoria, now Empress, controls time at her whim with the help of an artificial sun. Stars are gods, Judges who extend their will and define the laws of reality through their light. And for some unknown reason… they are dying. Many mysteries, many ways to win and lose.
The complexity of Sunless Skies will force you to return for more. An event, a character, a new condition will always be waiting. The High Wilderness is not a friendly place: safe ports are few, and Terror accumulates. Only the power of certain spectacles and visits to “places that sell lies” can reduce terror. Another option is to let it become a Nightmare… a maneuver not free of risks.
Things are much simpler in Sunless Skies when we move to the technical side. Its download barely exceeds a gigabyte, requires about three gigabytes on disk, and is not too demanding graphically, but I insist: There is nothing casual here. If you decide to enter the reality of Sunless Skies, you have several hours ahead.
(Available on the Epic Games Store until next Thursday.)
