Sunless Skies
Jan 31, 2019 8 years ago
SAIL THE STARS. BETRAY YOUR QUEEN. MURDER A SUN. Set a course for the heavens in your steam locomotive! Lose yourself in a changing universe where even time can be bought. A Victorian Gothic adventure for PC, Mac and Linux. It is the dawn of the 20th century, and the British Empire has taken to the stars! As the captain of a spacefaring locomotive you’ll behold wonders and battle cosmic abominations in the heavens. The stars are alive. They are the Judgements: vast intelligences that govern all things. But they are dying. One by one, something is snuffing them out, leaving their thrones empty. Unfettered by trivial things like gravity, the Empire’s ambition is savage. They have built a new Sun. The Empress reigns from the Throne of Hours, which gives her control over time. Your Captain and crew must carve out a life between the stars. Will you support her majesty and the establishment, or the working class rebels who yearn for freedom from the Workworlds? Learn who you are, in the dark. Die, and leave the world the way you want it for your successor…
What it’s like
Sunless Skies transforms the cosmos into a haunting, Victorian Gothic void where you pilot a steam locomotive through the heavens. The experience is defined by exquisite, anxiety-inducing storytelling and a pervasive sense of dread. You navigate a dying universe governed by sentient stars, making critical choices that shape your Captain’s identity and the fate of the Empress’s regime. The structure blends survival management with deep role-playing; every decision carries weight, and failure is not an end but a narrative device for your successor. While combat exists, it is secondary to exploration and narrative discovery. The craft shines in its atmospheric world-building, where time can be bought and cosmic horrors lurk in the dark. It is a slow-burn mystery of ambition and romance, rewarding players who appreciate rich prose, moral ambiguity, and a unique aesthetic over traditional action mechanics.
Strong in Atmosphere / MoodExploration / WorldStory / NarrativeWriting / DialogueAudio / MusicCharactersGameplay / MechanicsPolish / PerformanceProgression / ReplayabilitySystems Depth / Build VarietyVisuals / Art
Keep in mind The game demands patience for its text-heavy narrative and deliberate pacing, which may alienate players seeking fast-paced action or clear-cut objectives. Its high difficulty and permadeath mechanics can feel punishing to those who prefer forgiving progression systems.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from pcgamer.com, connectionswordle.com, metacritic.com, steamcommunity.com, tomsguide.com, rpgamer.com.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Worldwide | Full release | Jan 31, 20198 years ago |
| Mac | Worldwide | Full release | Jan 31, 20198 years ago |
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Jan 31, 20198 years ago |
