this preview we will tell you about Black Skylands, an action adventure in which you have to save the skies aboard your flying vessel
Black Skylands is an open world action adventure set in a steampunk world where humans live in the sky . The title is currently in development by Hungry Couch Games and will be released in early access by tinyBuild very soon . We had the opportunity to preview Black Skylands and in this article we will share our first impressions of the game with you.
Storm clouds
First we want to start our preview by briefly talking about the history of Black Skylands. In the game, you take on the role of Eva , a little girl who lives aboard the Fathership , a large flying ship where a thriving community lives. The protagonist’s father is an Earner , that is, a man charged with exploring the sky and discovering its secrets , and because of this work he has been away from home for a whole year.
After this long absence, however, the father will suddenly return to the ship taking with him a monstrous creature . This being is part of the Swarm , a race of monsters who live inside a great storm, and despite the sedatives it will immediately prove very aggressive. Due to the danger of this creature, chaos will break out on the ship and in the turmoil Kain , the leader of the hunters, will end up losing an arm and his trusty falcon . This tragic situation will cause a rupture between the factions of the world of Black Skylands, which will end up barely tolerating each other.
After this there will be a 7-year timeskip and you will have the chance to see what a pitiful state the sky is in now. All factions are in constant battle with each other and as if that were not enough the dangerous creatures of the Swarm are becoming an ever greater threat . In this tragic situation it will be up to Eve to leave with her own flying vessel on a long mission to try to save the skies from ruin.
The plot of Black Skylands is immediately very interesting and manages to involve in a moment thanks to its well-characterized characters . As you progress through the game, the main story will also take a really intriguing turn that will surely entice you to go on and discover it.
Clashes between Heaven and Earth – Black Skylands Preview
Black Skylands features very classic controls that allow you to run, roll to dodge bullets, attack closely and of course shoot. However, the game also has a very fun element that contributes to making both the combat and exploration sequences more frenetic: the grappling hook . Thanks to this tool you can cling to almost any surface , in order to overcome chasms and quickly reach distant places. The grapple can also be used to drag objects and even lighter enemies towards you.
The firefights are very fast and fun , and to survive the most hectic situations you will have to make the most of your equipment . In battle, you can quickly switch between up to three different weapons , but you can take many more with you. Each weapon is better suited to face certain situations, for example the sniper rifle is useful for thinning out enemy lines before throwing yourself into battle, while the shotgun is perfect for eliminating the most annoying enemies in an instant. In the game, however, there are many different equipment , so you are free to use the ones that best suit your style.
In addition to ground combat, naval combat is also central in Black Skylands . The skies are full of threats of all kinds and as a result you must always be ready to protect your vessel. At the beginning of the adventure you will have a slow ship armed with only two cannons , but later you can build new ones and even upgrade them . Here too you will be free to choose the vehicle you prefer, if you love mobility you can aim for small and manageable vessels , but alternatively you can also opt for large ships with very capacious holds and impregnable armor .
At first, the air clashes may seem a bit chaotic due to all the elements to be taken into consideration, such as fuel, ammunition or overheating of the guns , but after a while you will get carried away. In fact, after a few battles, you will immediately learn to shoot down enemy bullets in mid-air , neutralize their cannons and above all to defend yourself from the most dangerous attacks.
Crossing the Skies – Black Skylands Preview
Black Skylands is an open world game and as a result, as soon as you are able to fly a ship, you can freely explore the world . Unfortunately, however, the various floating islands of the sky are full of dangers and not all of them will be tackled right away . To be able to effectively deal with the most powerful enemies you will have to increase your strength level with new equipment and upgrades.
Improving your PG, however, will not be easy at all, since to do so you will have to dedicate yourself to the management side of the game . On board the Fathership you will have the possibility to use the objects collected around to build different buildings . Some of these structures will allow you to obtain materials or create new ones by combining those you already have , while others will be used to create new equipment, ships or upgrades .
There are also buildings that can apply a large number of upgrades to you and your ship based on your population . In fact, wandering the skies you will have the opportunity to visit a large number of islands occupied by pirates that you can free and make yours . This way citizens can help you by becoming a very useful resource for upgrades .
Be careful though, because at any moment the pirates may decide to attack your islands again to try to recapture them . In these cases you will have to immediately get on your ship and run to rescue the people since, in case you fail to stop the enemies in time, you will have to reconquer the island again and moreover you could lose some upgrades.
Quality Pixel Art – Black Skylands Preview
Black Skylands is a title that boasts a truly quality artistic sector . The pixel art used for every single element of the title is very simple, but also extremely effective. The ships, the settings, the enemies and above all the backgrounds are made with a truly exceptional care that manages to make the game world seem truly alive. In addition, even the portraits of the various NPCs you will meet are really beautiful and help to make the characters look much more alive .
From a technical point of view , however, there is not much to say about Black Skylands. The title is really very light and consequently you will not experience any performance drop even on mid-range PCs . Furthermore, during our test we only encountered very few bugs that did not negatively affect our experience .
Conclusions
Now the point of our preview has finally arrived where we take stock of Black Skylands. The title at present is really a lot of fun and this bodes well for its early access period. The story is interesting, the fights are fun, and the exploration is rewarding. At the moment the only thing we have doubts about is the gameplay loop , given that in the long run, having to constantly search for materials to upgrade and access even more difficult areas could risk boring . However, if Hungry Couch Games continues to support the game during early access by adding a good number of new content, then we are confident thatBlack Skylands will be able to become a little gem of the indie landscape .
Black Skylands will be available in early access on Steam starting July 9, 2021 . If you are interested in staying up to date with all the news on the world of video games and much more, then continue to follow us here on tuttoteK . Furthermore, in case you want to buy some games at an advantageous price, we suggest you take a look at the many offers on Instant Gaming .
