Beneath a Steel Sky
| Developer: Revolution | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Virgin | Sound: |
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| Year: 1994 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Adventure | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
8/10 | |
A sci-fi thriller beautifully illustrated by British comic artist Dave Gibbons (Watchmen) and developed by the creators of Lure of the Temptress. The same studio would later bring us Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars (PC, 1996), also known in French as Les Chevaliers de Baphomet.
Beneath a Steel Sky follows Robert Foster, a young man raised by a tribe that took him in after a helicopter crash. These people live in poverty on the outskirts of a dystopian, polluted world, in the shadow of a futuristic megacity resembling an enormous factory. One day, without warning, the authorities come to arrest him, slaughtering his companions in the process. During his transfer, the helicopter he’s aboard crashes (again), this time onto the roof of an industrial complex. Foster must first escape, then uncover the reasons behind his arrest.
The minimalist interface is extremely user-friendly, the storyline well-written (even in French) and laced with humour. Notably, you’re accompanied by a sarcastic robot who chimes in during dialogues. This adds a welcome contrast to the oppressive atmosphere of a grimy, dehumanised, and brutally unequal futuristic society. It’s a bleak world where all-powerful city-states fight over the planet’s dwindling natural resources.
Originally, the game came on fifteen floppy disks, requiring a hard drive installation. These days, it’s freely available in its PC version and can be found on most abandonware sites.
Fair warning: you can die in this game. Save often!
A “sequel” was released in 2020: Beyond a Steel Sky. It sees you reprise the role of Foster, ten years later.
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