Black Skylands

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,576 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Black Skylands Game Cover
Black Skylands offers a unique setting and really fun combat both on airships and on foot. But the story and exploration are not at the same level of quality as the combat, making them less enjoyable in comparison.
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"Black Skylands" is a sandbox open-world airship action-adventure game. Fight sky pirates, explore floating islands, and manage your own settlement in this immersive, combat-focused title. Customize your character and aircraft, and form alliances to expand your territory in the skies.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,576 reviews
story258 positive mentions
grinding92 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming pixel art style and engaging world design.
  • The combat mechanics, both on foot and in airship, are fun and satisfying.
  • The game offers a variety of weapons and upgrades, allowing for different playstyles.
  • The story feels rushed and lacks depth, with many characters being one-dimensional.
  • Several features from the early access version were removed, leading to a more simplified and repetitive gameplay experience.
  • Performance issues and bugs can detract from the overall experience, especially in late-game.
  • story884 mentions

    The story of "Black Skylands" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be a blend of engaging elements and predictable tropes. While some appreciate the intriguing world and plot twists, others criticize the narrative for being generic, rushed, or lacking depth, particularly in character development. Overall, the story serves its purpose in driving gameplay but often feels overshadowed by repetitive quests and gameplay mechanics.

    • “The game has a rich story, fun gameplay, beautiful art, and really good progression.”
    • “The story is engaging, with an interesting world to explore.”
    • “The story was interesting, while some of the characters felt a tad one-dimensional and some plot points were a little predictable, the story as a whole fit the world well.”
    • “The story is weak without much depth, similar to a number of aspects in the game.”
    • “The story is just a little too traditional fantasy-esque for me and doesn't do anything too novel.”
    • “The characters are uninteresting and flat, the quests are repetitive and just boil down to 'go here and kill the pirates, now go there and kill the pirates' and side quests are an afterthought.”
  • gameplay559 mentions

    The gameplay of "Black Skylands" is characterized by a straightforward loop of exploring islands, engaging in combat, and upgrading ships and weapons, which many players find enjoyable yet repetitive over time. While the mechanics, such as ship combat and grappling, are praised for their fun and engaging nature, some reviewers note that the gameplay lacks depth and variety, particularly in the mid to late game. Overall, the game offers a solid experience with charming visuals and a satisfying core loop, but it suffers from a lack of innovation and some underdeveloped mechanics.

    • “Overall it's a super fun game that you can put a lot of hours into, especially if you're someone who's into this type of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and satisfying, making it easy to get hooked.”
    • “The gameplay loop of the game is simple: sail your ship to an island, kill all the enemies (and optionally gather all resources) on the island to liberate it and gain material, upgrade your guns/ship then hop on your ship and repeat until the end.”
    • “The current build features a decently solid but shallow gameplay loop and very few mechanics to explore, an upgrade system that's easy to max out in early to mid-game (the game isn't that long either).”
    • “The gameplay is not terribly deep, and about twice as long as it should be given basic mechanics do not change much past the second hour.”
    • “The gameplay loop is shallow, and progression and unlocks are so fast that there is nothing to do (in spite of this, combat remains just as bland regardless of which upgraded weapon you're using).”
  • graphics188 mentions

    The game's graphics are a mixed bag, with many praising its charming pixel art style and unique steampunk aesthetic, which enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some users criticize the low-resolution rendering and inconsistent art styles, leading to a lack of polish in certain areas. Overall, while the visuals are appealing to fans of pixel art, they may not meet the expectations of those seeking high-end graphics.

    • “The graphics are beautiful as far as pixel-style games go, the story is fantastic and pulls you in.”
    • “There's a lot to do, the graphics are incredible; it's a graphical style I have yet to see in a game yet, it's top-down 2.5D graphics and it just looks so cool and unique.”
    • “The art style combined with the aerial steampunk aesthetic is what compelled me to try Black Skylands out.”
    • “The game has a decent art style, mostly, but then it all runs in mega low-res render, where everything is aliased to hell.”
    • “This very poor quality visual style is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent/interest in doing the graphics properly and trying to disguise it under the name of 'art', or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
    • “The game is not bad, seems very difficult at the beginning but you just need to get used to it, in fact graphics is suitable but not inviting, I have to take various breaks in between the game because the graphics makes me tired.”
  • grinding97 mentions

    Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" in the game reveal a mixed reception. While some players appreciate the removal of tedious farming and crafting elements from early access, which has streamlined gameplay and reduced excessive grinding, others find the current resource gathering and mission repetition to be monotonous and time-consuming. Overall, the game strikes a balance between enjoyable grinding and tedious mechanics, with some players noting that while grinding exists, it is not overwhelmingly burdensome.

    • “The grind for 100% was surprisingly decent and not tedious at all, which in my book is a good thing.”
    • “Bonus points though for having weapon mods drop from enemies towards the end of the game so you aren't grinding out currency to buy chests, so it made getting the weapon mod achievement a lot easier with very little grind.”
    • “The gameplay is great, the progression pace is nice, no grinding so far, the art style is fun and not resource intensive.”
    • “It takes forever, significantly longer than playing through the rest of the game, and feels extremely grindy.”
    • “This method became tedious because opening a single box takes around 5-10 seconds, so I found myself sitting for more than a minute opening boxes. Soon after the early game, I did not bother to open them anymore, especially because the augments you get are very uninteresting.”
    • “The grind is satisfying, although hunting down resources over and over again becomes tedious after five or six hours.”
  • music62 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere, particularly during exploration and storytelling. However, some criticize the soundtrack for its limited variety and lack of impactful tracks during key gameplay moments, leading to a feeling of repetitiveness and occasional silence in critical scenes. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, it falls short of being memorable or dynamic enough to elevate the experience fully.

    • “I loved the art, the music, the effects, and the story were wrapped into an amazing package that is quick to pick up and hard to put down.”
    • “The beautifully pixilated skies and the soundtrack makes sailing the skies truly marvelous.”
    • “The music is charming and fits its vibe well, often cues in at the right moment in dialogue adding a nice touch and feel.”
    • “Also the music was off in a lot of cutscenes which really killed their coolness factor.”
    • “The background music in the game didn't feel fitting at times.”
    • “The worst thing is the music, which manages to make high skies adventure feel duller than I'd believe possible.”
  • stability34 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing issues, visual glitches, and unresponsive mechanics. While some users experienced a relatively bug-free experience, others found the game frustratingly unstable, particularly in late-game scenarios. Overall, the game shows promise but requires significant patches to address its current stability issues.

    • “The rest of the game is relatively bug free.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck too!”
    • “It runs great and the gameplay is really nice.”
    • “It is also very unoptimized with stutter and if you tab out for more than a few minutes, the game simply freezes and you have to alt+F4 to exit.”
    • “The game feels really buggy; lots of aspects are just not enjoyable. It's a great game though, just wait for the devs to patch it.”
    • “I've run into duplication glitches, enemies being invincible, all animations stopping, losing items and crates to the void of your ship's storage, and many others.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with many users reporting frequent stuttering, performance dips, and crashes, particularly during late-game scenarios and on platforms like the Switch and Steam Deck. While some players find it generally playable, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for its simplistic graphics, leading to frustration and a diminished experience. Despite the developers' encouragement for feedback, the persistent performance issues have overshadowed the game's potential.

    • “Runs smoothly on basically any system.”
    • “Very well optimized.”
    • “Anyways it is not too jarring and the performance is generally good.”
    • “It is also very unoptimized with stutter and if you tab out for more than a few minutes, the game simply freezes and you have to alt+f4 to escape.”
    • “The game starts showing performance issues as the number of enemies spikes in the mid-game, and it gets worse as you play more.”
    • “There's really no excuse for a pixel game to run this poorly when there's a long history of other, more complicated pixel games achieving buttery smooth performance with more modest hardware requirements.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its well-written blend of zany characters and laugh-out-loud moments, while others find the attempts at humor inconsistent and poorly integrated with the serious elements of the story. While the game features amusing scenarios, such as quirky interactions and absurd situations, some players feel that the humor often falls flat or detracts from the overall narrative experience. Overall, the humor can be entertaining but may not resonate with everyone due to its uneven execution.

    • “Prepare to set sail on a voyage of chuckles, snickers, and knee-slapping hilarity in Black Skylands, the game that skyrockets humor to new heights!”
    • “Pro #1: The game's zany, yet captivating world is brimming with peculiar characters and bizarre creatures that'll have you laughing out loud.”
    • “Just remember to pack a parachute – or at least a really good sense of humor – because this game's bound to make you laugh so hard, you'll fall right out of your captain's chair!”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding certain moments touching and impactful, while others felt the story lacked depth and failed to allow for emotional processing. Although a few standout emotional scenes were noted, many players expressed confusion about the narrative and a lack of attachment to the game's events, which diminished the overall emotional experience. The ending was generally seen as satisfying, providing a redeeming quality amidst the game's shortcomings.

    • “Really fun, almost made me cry, but good.”
    • “What made the game special during early access was a touching revenge tale with quite a wholesome and satisfying ending.”
    • “To my surprise, the ending, although not very original, was quite touching and not disappointing, and this is probably the only reason for my (far-fetched) positive mark.”
    • “Just another plain old shooter with a boring storyline that was great but then got ruined.”
    • “The emotional depth promised in the trailers was completely absent in the actual gameplay.”
    • “I expected a heartfelt journey, but instead, I was met with shallow characters and predictable plot twists.”
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming graphics and art style, which blend cuteness with occasional gore, creating a unique and engaging environment. Players appreciate the immersive sound design that complements the various biomes, although some find the lack of voice lines a minor drawback. Overall, the atmosphere is described as adventurous and comforting, enhanced by the game's pixel art and world design, making it a delightful experience.

    • “The graphics are pretty decent, the art style is what's really catching you after a while. It's cute and simple, with some gore here and there, since people do end up dying and being ripped apart by monsters. The islands change a bit after you liberate them; people come back to live there, doing their daily chores and whatnot. The atmosphere is nice; rain really brings out a very comforting sensation, though maybe even a bit scary.”
    • “Nice little game with a great atmosphere; the top-down view gives it an old-school GTA vibe.”
    • “A chill game with beautiful pixel art, good world design and story, nice atmosphere, and interesting game mechanics.”
    • “The game is visually very charming, and I did like its atmosphere, even if it felt weird in some areas.”
    • “Really added atmosphere in the right places.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to play again. While some upgrades carry over between ships, the linear experience and limited post-story content, such as a poorly integrated challenge mode, contribute to a feeling of minimal replay value.

    • “The upgrades to the ship carry over to every ship, which is nice since they are quite expensive and some developers like to stretch out replayability by forcing you to upgrade every ship individually.”
    • “I can't comment on its replayability, but it seems as though there is enough content to not need to worry about being able to play a second time.”
    • “Only complaint is no replayability, but hey, what do you expect for such a cheap game.”
    • “Bland writing, frustrating gunplay with a very limited area of vision & targeting, limited replay value and an overall linear experience.”
    • “Little to no replayability available after the story is completed: one challenge mode hosted by an NPC is added late in the story in a tacked-on fashion, but his store only has a few items to buy with the rare currency grinded from that mode - you don't really need them and there isn't a lot of reason to engage with it.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players note a lack of depth in certain areas, others appreciate the growth that occurs during time jumps and find the overall character arcs satisfying. Despite some criticisms, many reviewers highlight that the story is solid and engaging, contributing positively to the character development experience.

    • “Beside that, there is a nice story to tell with great character development and satisfying combat that I didn't expect. Even the hook feature is fun for grabbing all the containers around.”
    • “But this was really the only issue I had with the game; the story is truly solid with great character development and a plot that hooks you almost from the beginning, wanting to know what will happen.”
    • “I feel the weakest part of the story is not the plot itself, but the character development.”
    • “The exploration is very good and the story is pretty nice, except for some lack of character development here and there.”
    • “That doesn't bug me so much because there does seem to be character development between time jumps, so maybe character development will stay the course.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism, with some users perceiving it as a potential cash grab due to the slow development and lack of communication. However, players appreciate the absence of microtransactions, particularly enjoying the weapon customization features available through gameplay. Overall, while there are concerns about the game's direction, the monetization model itself does not include additional costs for players.

    • “You can customize your weapons with sights and barrel stocks you find in mod boxes (no microtransactions, don't worry), which I think is fun.”
    • “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players into spending money to enjoy the full experience.”
    • “I appreciate that the game allows for in-game purchases without making them feel necessary to progress.”
    • “It would take many times longer to assemble all early access mechanics into a single complete product. It sounds to me more like a cash grab and jumping to another project.”
    • “The radio silence hurts more, like this was just a bait and switch cash grab.”
    • “It's not just some lazy cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

Buy Black Skylands

Play time

16hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
5-22hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 25 analyzed playthroughs

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