STORY
Beneath A Steel Sky is a futuristic graphic adventure game. It was made by Revolution Software, and was released as freeware in August 2003.
You are Robert Foster, and you live in a place called The Gap. You were raised by a peaceful tribe, and you even have a robot pal called Joey, who is very loyal to you. You are very shocked when some guards from Union City arrive. They kill your tribe, kidnap you, and take you back to The City.
Arriving at the City, you manage to escape your captors. You have no idea why you were brought here, but you are determined to return home to The Gap. You are told that if you want to leave The City, then you must find a way down to Ground Level.
As you explore the area, you gradually learn about LINC - the computer that controls everything and everyone in the city. A person's status is determined by how loyal they are to LINC. D-LINCS are people that have been caught rebelling against LINC. They are treated very badly, and they are not allowed any human rights or opinions. They are restricted to the worst areas of the city. You start out just wanting to go home, but you gradually realise that you must stop LINC once and for all. You must put an end to this corruption, and make The City a better place for everyone.
GAMEPLAY
The game is downloaded as an .EXE file. Just double-click on this file to install the game to your computer.
The game is mouse-controlled, and very easy to use. Just left-click on an object to use it, or right-click to get a description of it. Just click on an area of the screen to make Robert move there. If you want to talk to a character, simply click on that character to see a list of dialogue options, and then choose what to say.
Move your cursor up to the top of the screen to see your inventory items. You can scroll left or right, as necessary. Each inventory item is shown as a small picture, so you can easily see what items you are carrying.
Pressing 'F5' brings up a menu which allows you to save and restore game, quit the game, or adjust the music volume etc.
GRAPHICS
The graphics are beautifully done, and are very impressive. At the start of the game, you really get a feeling that you are VERY high up. The characters are well animated, and the backgrounds are lovely to look at. Everything from the gritty factory areas to the luxurious gardens on the ground floor is very rich and detailed.
I especially liked the camera in the furnace room. It looks like an eye watching you. The LINC interface seemed very intimidating. I also found the pulsing veins in the subway quite scary, like they were really alive.
MUSIC AND SOUND EFFECTS
There are some nice sound effects in this game. Things like doors opening, the alarm as you step onto the transport elevator, the dog barking all add atmosphere to the game. The music is also very effective, as each area has its own music. For example, music for the factory area is quite sharp and loud. It makes you feel quite tense. Music for the ground floor is a lot more soothing, as this area is only for the privileged few. You get a nice variety as you explore different areas of the game.
CHARACTERS
There are many interesting characters in this game. Joey is your robot chum, and he has some hilarious comments. Doctor Burke is a very funny character. Gilbert Lamb is heartless, and he is an excellent 'baddie'. I especially liked Anita. She was a D-LINC with a heart of gold. There are many others that you will enjoy talking to.
SUMMARY
This is an excellent adventure game that I highly recommend. The story is very well written. The game is mouse-controlled, which makes it easy to play. The graphics are very rich and detailed. The music is effective, with each area have its own piece of music. There are many interesting characters. This game will captivate you from start to finish.
-Leventhan
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