Back when point-and-click games were part of the essentials of a good game, there were always a well defined array of genre’s and styles to pick from, from fantasy, to horror, to mystery, and so on. One of the few that may have caught someone’s eye is Beneath a Steel Sky, a somewhat stark, yet interesting tale of a man named Robert Foster, whose adventures lead him from a kidnapping, a helicopter crash, and ultimately a search for a father he never knew. The story may not be a critical acclaimed masterwork, but it does feel good to break into something that’s both simple and well put together.
The game is pretty much centered around item-based puzzles, usually relying on a small inventory system, and in some cases requires you to make dialogue choices that could affect your progress. The game isn’t a shining jewel of art design, though it does hone a very nice comic book flair. You will be followed around by a mouthy little robot whose various talents allow you to progress as well, and between the small pop-culture and science fiction references, the character adds to the game, if only to pester the main character in his journey.
The game is relatively short, so don’t expect a couple days worth of game play, even if the puzzles add to the time counter. The difficulty can curve from relatively easy and obvious to somewhat difficult, but otherwise it offers up an interesting challenge. As far as point-and-clicks go, you could do a lot worse than Beneath a Steel Sky. The entertainment value is there and as it’s abandonware at this stage, you can have the luxury of finding it on the internet with little hassle. It’s a nice little addition to your older collections if you’re bored of what you already have.
