Darker Skies: Remastered for PC

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Darker Skies: Remastered for PC is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Steel Arts Software Ltd. and was released on August 16, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Remastered exclusively for PCDarker Skies comes fully remastered to PC. Incorporating new graphical features and gameplay enhancements for the definitive way to play Darker Skies over the console versions.The remaster brings new features: Re-balanced upgrade systems, enemy AI and completely overhauled movement and gameplay mechanics make for a far more refined experience. Realtime Global Illumi…

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Play Modes

Single-Player

Darker Skies: Remastered for PC screenshot

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64%

Audience ScoreBased on 11 reviews

story3 negative mentions

The game features a compelling atmosphere and immersive world design, effectively conveying a sense of isolation and decay in a post-apocalyptic setting.
Exploration is a strong element, with players encouraged to scavenge for resources and piece together the narrative through environmental storytelling.
The remastered version enhances the graphics with improved lighting and environmental details, making the landscapes visually striking and cohesive.

Combat mechanics feel rough and unpolished, with stiff gunplay and limited responsiveness that can frustrate players.
Technical issues such as stuttering, low FPS, and poor optimization detract from the overall experience, even on high-end hardware.
The narrative is minimal and lacks depth, which may leave players wanting more character development and a coherent story.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The gameplay in "Darker Skies: Remastered" emphasizes survival mechanics, crafting, and resource management, creating a long-term purpose tied to the narrative. However, players note technical issues, clunky controls, and simplistic mechanics that detract from the experience, making it feel more like a prototype than a polished title. While the game offers a moody atmosphere and exploration, it lacks depth and refinement, leading to frustration for those seeking a more engaging survival experience.
- “The survival mechanics extend beyond combat into crafting and resource management.”
- “This creates a sense of long-term purpose that ties moment-to-moment gameplay to the broader narrative goal.”
- “For fans of post-apocalyptic settings and survival-focused gameplay, it stands as an intriguing and thoughtful indie title that leaves a lasting impression through mood rather than spectacle.”
- “The gameplay, unfortunately, is where Darker Skies Remastered stumbles the most.”
- “Mechanically, Darker Skies Remastered is overly simplistic.”
- “With limited gameplay elements and a lack of depth, it feels more like a proof of concept or prototype rather than a fully-fledged game.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The game's story emphasizes themes of isolation and survival in a post-human world, offering a minimalistic narrative that prioritizes atmosphere and exploration over character development and traditional storytelling. While some players may appreciate its evocative tone, others might find the sparse narrative lacking in structure. Overall, "Darker Skies: Remastered for PC" presents a distinctive survival experience that focuses on mood rather than cinematic polish.
- “This objective gives the game a clear narrative throughline, but the storytelling is intentionally understated.”
- “Rather than focusing on large-scale resistance or heroic warfare, the game frames its story around isolation, desperation, and the slow grind of survival in a world that no longer belongs to humans.”
- “The narrative, while evocative, remains minimal, and those seeking strong character development or a more structured story may find it too sparse.”
- “Taken as a whole, Darker Skies: Remastered for PC is a moody and distinctive survival experience that prioritizes atmosphere, exploration, and tension over mechanical polish or cinematic storytelling.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, low frame rates, and poor rendering, even on high-end hardware like the RTX 4090 and 7900 XTX. Users also note a lack of essential settings, such as sensitivity adjustments and support for ultrawide displays, further detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game's performance is considered a major drawback, overshadowing its potential.
- “Stuttering, low fps, and poor optimization mar the experience, even on high-end hardware, such as the 7900 XTX.”
- “This is a low-budget, janky third-person shooter with terrible optimization.”
- “Weird field of view with no option to increase it for ultrawide displays, no native support for UWA monitors either; performance on an RTX 4090 is lacking. To get acceptable performance, you have to use render scale 75, and that was at standard 1440p on ultra preset.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The atmosphere in "Darker Skies: Remastered for PC" is characterized by a deliberate pacing that enhances tension, complemented by effective audio design featuring ambient sounds and subdued music. While it prioritizes mood and exploration over action and polish, some players may find the slower pace challenging. Overall, the game offers a distinctive survival experience that immerses players in its moody environment.
- “The audio design complements this atmosphere well, using ambient sounds and subdued music to heighten tension rather than dominate the experience.”
- “I fully explored every nook and cranny during my seven hours of playtime, taking it slow, soaking in the environment and atmosphere.”
- “This deliberate pacing reinforces the atmosphere but may feel slow to players expecting a more action-oriented experience.”
- “Despite its strengths in atmosphere and thematic cohesion, Darker Skies: Remastered for PC is not without notable flaws.”
- “Taken as a whole, Darker Skies: Remastered for PC is a moody and distinctive survival experience that prioritizes atmosphere, exploration, and tension over mechanical polish or cinematic storytelling.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their quality and immersive design, particularly in the remastered PC edition, which introduces new features and enhancements. However, some players report significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end hardware.
- “It was scary, immersive with ultra audio design and the graphics are actually really solid.”
- “Darker skies remastered, the PC edition of this post-war of the worlds survival horror game, boasts new graphical features and gameplay enhancements for what should be the definitive experience.”
- “Graphically, the game is a bit of a paradox.”
- “I experienced constant major stutter and frame rate drops down into the 30s using an RTX 3080 and i9 processor no matter what I changed in the graphic options.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music and audio design effectively enhance the game's atmosphere by utilizing ambient sounds and subtle melodies that build tension without overpowering the overall experience.
- “The audio design complements this atmosphere well, using ambient sounds and subdued music to heighten tension rather than dominate the experience.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short period of play.”
- “While the sound effects are decent, the overall soundtrack feels uninspired and fails to enhance the gameplay.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is perceived as minimal and sparse, which may disappoint players looking for a more structured narrative and deeper character arcs.
- “The narrative, while evocative, remains minimal, and those seeking strong character development or a more structured story may find it too sparse.”
- “Character arcs feel rushed and lack depth, leaving players wanting more from their journeys.”
- “The interactions between characters are often shallow, making it difficult to form a connection with them.”