Soar into the breathtaking and perilous world of Forever Skies, a game that stands out with its unique blend of exploration, crafting, and survival in a post-apocalyptic setting. Developed and published by Far From Home, this game offers an intriguing premise: navigating a desolate Earth from the skies in an airship, where the ground is shrouded in a toxic cloud. Released in early access, the game invites players into a bleak yet beautifully rendered world, challenging them to manage resources, expand their airship, and unravel the mysteries of this devastated planet. Prepare to craft, survive, and uncover the secrets of a world reborn in the clouds!
Exploration and Survival: Crafting Your Journey
Forever Skies is much more than just a survival game; it’s a journey of discovery. The game starts with the basics of survival – gathering resources and managing hunger, thirst, and health. As players progress, they find blueprints and materials to build and upgrade their airship, which is central to the game’s experience. Navigation in this toxic world is guided by lights and markers, with different types of platforms offering various resources.
The game’s world, inspired by the air quality issues in major cities around the world, is a tapestry of desolation and beauty. The thick layer of dust that covers the Earth adds an eerie charm to the exploration. Players navigate a world where towering structures pierce the clouds, each holding different materials and blueprints essential for survival and progress.
Combat and Challenges: More Than Just Survival
Combat in Forever Skies is more about resourcefulness than brute force. Encounters with hostile creatures require strategic use of weapons and tools. The game’s survival mechanics, while less hardcore compared to games like Green Hell, still offer a significant challenge. Constant repair and maintenance of the airship and equipment add to the game’s realism and immersion.
One of the game’s unique aspects is the research and reverse-engineering of technology. Players must thoughtfully use resources to upgrade their airship without overburdening it. This adds a strategic layer to the gameplay, requiring foresight and planning.
Visuals and Atmosphere: A Toxic Beauty
The visual presentation of Forever Skies is excellent. The game’s environment, with its toxic dust clouds and ruined skyscrapers, creates a sense of lonely beauty. The attention to detail in the design of the airship and the world itself is commendable. The game’s atmosphere is bolstered by the quiet, eerie nature of the towers and the anticipation of what lies within them.
Forever Skies not only impresses with its visual splendor but also with its sound design, which plays a pivotal role in crafting the game’s immersive experience. The game’s audio brings its desolate world to life, with the howling winds and creaking of the airship adding to the loneliness of the skies. The subtle environmental sounds, like the distant rumble of thunder or the eerie silence in the toxic clouds, enhance the feeling of isolation and the unknown. This attention to audio detail complements the visual aesthetics, creating a cohesive and engaging atmosphere that is both haunting and captivating.
Technical Performance: Steady as She Flies
In terms of technical performance, Forever Skies demonstrates a stable and smooth experience, with few reports of significant bugs or glitches. The game runs well on various hardware configurations, showcasing the developer’s attention to optimization. The frame rates are consistent, and the loading times are reasonable, ensuring that players remain immersed in the game without technical distractions. However, as the game is still in early access, there may be occasional issues, and future updates are expected to further refine the performance.
Multiplayer Experience: Skies Yet to be Explored
As of the current stage of early access, Forever Skies does not offer a multiplayer experience. The game is primarily a single-player journey, focusing on the individual’s struggle to survive and explore in a post-apocalyptic world. While the idea of exploring and surviving with friends or other players is appealing, this feature has not been integrated into the game yet. The developers have mentioned the possibility of adding co-op or multiplayer elements in future updates, which could open up new dimensions of gameplay and player interaction.
Pros
- Unique setting with a blend of survival and exploration from an airship.
- Detailed and beautifully rendered post-apocalyptic world.
- Strategic gameplay involving resource management and airship upgrades.
- Engaging survival mechanics that are challenging but not overly punishing.
- Excellent sound design enhancing the game’s immersive atmosphere.
Cons
- Some repetitive elements in the gameplay loop.
- The buildings and structures can feel too similar and lack variety.
- The immunity system feels underdeveloped and needs more integration into gameplay.
- The game is still in early access, which may include bugs and incomplete features.
- Lack of a multiplayer experience, as of now.
