Sky Break
- October 21, 2016
- Farsky Interactive
- 6h median play time
Sky Break will pale in comparison to any larger open world game, but for it's size, it packs a lot of power.
In "Sky Break" , humanity is at risk from a deadly virus and you are part of a team sent to Arcania to find a cure. The planet's drones have turned against humans, so you must hack mechas for allies and evolve their skills to survive. The storm and its elements are a constant threat, and you must also avoid or overcome them to complete your mission.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a unique art style that creates an immersive atmosphere.
- The concept of hacking mecha-wildlife to create companions adds an interesting layer to gameplay.
- The game offers a relaxing exploration experience with a charming soundtrack.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with limited crafting options and a shallow story.
- The AI for companion mechs is often buggy, leading to frustrating moments during combat.
- The game feels unfinished, with many players reporting bugs and a lack of content, making it hard to justify the price.
- gameplay92 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitiveness and lack of depth, despite some interesting mechanics like companion robots and crafting. While the graphics and world design are praised, the overall experience is often described as dull and simplistic, with limited content and a linear progression that can lead to tedium. Some players appreciate the fun elements and smooth controls, but overall, the gameplay feels underwhelming and lacking in variety.
“I liked the companion robots mechanic; lots of different ones to get, and they do help a lot in combat.”
“The gameplay is fun; the ability to hack and 'tame' wild mechas makes things even more enjoyable, and while the crafting and equipment were simple, for a game of this length, everything was just about perfect.”
“The graphics are great, the gameplay is smooth, and the controls are easy to figure out and get used to.”
“Gameplay is pretty repetitive.”
“While I love the idea behind the game, the gameplay itself is rather repetitive and stale.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay is lacking since there isn't any reason to explore the open world map because there is no content other than common enemies, chests that contain only ammo, and plants to loot.”
- story84 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as shallow and underdeveloped, with many players noting a lack of engaging characters and a linear plot that often feels tacked on. While some appreciate the intriguing backstory revealed through logbooks and the game's atmosphere, the overall narrative fails to captivate, leaving players with a sense of emptiness and repetitiveness in quests. Despite its appealing graphics and potential, the story's simplicity and lack of depth detract from the overall experience.
“The story is interesting, the gameplay is fun, the design and colors are charming.”
“I loved the fact that you are 'stranded' on a planet, alone with some nasty mechas there all want to beat you, in your mission to find a cure and leave that planet by repairing a shipwreck.”
“The attempt at a story is something we don't see too often from survival games; it's well presented in the cutscenes and intriguing in the gameplay.”
“The story is basic.”
“The entire arc of story missions only lasts about 6-8 hours, and the last 4 of that, there are no stronger enemies, meaning you are wandering through an empty, boring world from waypoint to waypoint with nothing to do.”
“There's not much in the way of story or world-building to draw the player in, the combat is odd, and the game does nothing to tell you what you're meant to be doing.”
- graphics66 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and environmental design as visually appealing and immersive. While some players note that the graphics may be simpler compared to contemporary titles, they still appreciate the unique aesthetic and smooth performance, even on lower settings. However, there are also criticisms regarding the game's graphical demands and occasional performance issues, suggesting that while the visuals are generally well-received, they may not meet everyone's expectations.
“The stunning visuals, which have a distinctive 'extra-terrestrial' look, the weather, and the sounds that perfectly blend in make me dive into this game and get lost for a while.”
“It's also worth noting that for an indie title, the environment and weather graphics are very well done and visually pleasing.”
“Amazing graphics, beautiful atmosphere, and a nice, almost self-telling story!”
“Bad graphics”
“Graphics are mediocre, but require better hardware than admitted in the store info and indeed it's excessive for the things that it shows; otherwise, it crashes quite often even when choosing medium quality.”
“Graphics are like wow maybe worse... I didn't pay attention when I clicked buy this and I thought it was early alpha testing; I went back to the store and I was shocked this is a final release.”
- music19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, effectively complementing the gameplay and environment. Reviewers highlight the beautiful orchestral soundtrack that captures the feeling of isolation and adventure, although some note minor issues like awkward pauses in looping. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience.
“I think they really nailed that 'alone in the wild' feeling in the music, world design, and general atmosphere.”
“Also, it has a lovely soundtrack that goes well with the stormy, lonely landscape.”
“The best part of this game is simply exploring a beautiful landscape, you're just running along with your robot cat buddy, maybe harvesting a few plants on your way, zapping a few hostile mechas with your laser gun, enjoying the beautiful string orchestral music, and then in the very next second, your map is blurred into pixels and now you and your cat are outrunning a tornado - now accompanied with some tense, but still beautiful, orchestral music.”
“If you want to give your hands something to do while listening to music or a podcast and buy it at a 75% discount, it's okay, I guess.”
“It's obviously still budding; some of the animation is a little clunky and clipping, the music sometimes has an awkward pause before looping again.”
“The music and graphics make this game a must buy!”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive "alone in the wild" feeling, enhanced by beautiful graphics, evocative music, and diverse environments. While many players appreciate the tension and beauty of the atmosphere, some feel that certain elements, like mechas, detract from the overall experience. Despite its shorter length, the game offers replay value and a captivating ambiance that invites exploration.
“Overall, it is a beautiful game with gorgeous art and atmosphere, wonderful music, and a nice little crafting/survival mechanic.”
“Amazing graphics, beautiful atmosphere and a nice, almost self-telling story!”
“Third: mechas ruin all atmosphere.”
“I think they really nailed that 'alone in the wild' feeling in the music, world design, and general atmosphere.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting numerous bugs, particularly with AI pathfinding and mecha behavior, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and visual improvements, many feel it is still in an early access state, plagued by glitches that detract from overall enjoyment. Overall, the consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for a full release.
“Unfortunately this game, while beautiful, is extremely buggy, and should never have been released from early access in this state.”
“I hate this; I wasted $10 on a piece of junk that doesn't even work. The main menu does, but when I click to start a new game, it freezes and doesn't load. I've been robbed for a piece of garbage. I don't recommend it and will certainly not tell anyone about this terrible game.”
“At the moment, this game is very buggy and hard to play.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered very low, with many reviewers noting a lack of side quests, minimal content upgrades, and a short story that offers little incentive to replay. While some players found a slight degree of replayability due to its atmospheric experience, the consensus is that the game is best enjoyed on sale due to its limited gameplay duration and repetitive nature.
“As with all games that give this much of an atmospheric experience, it is shorter than you'd like, but the replay value is there.”
“Some replayability too.”
“The main problem comes from the lack not of contents but rather, the lack of 'reason' to keep exploring the islands, collect resources, or currently replay value.”
“There are no side quests, and the replay value is very low.”
“I enjoyed this game, but I suggest it only be purchased while on sale due to the short story and limited replay value.”
“The combat is simple, the story is paper thin, and it has virtually no replay value.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some find it engaging and not overly tedious, appreciating the balance between resource collection and gameplay, others describe it as a repetitive and tedious experience that can detract from enjoyment, particularly due to the necessity of grinding for upgrades and crafting. The game's design encourages resource gathering, but the execution can feel monotonous at times.
“The game could be completed very fast, but upgrades and unlocks make it impossible and require a lot of grinding.”
“It is a tedious grind of collecting things and pushing a button.”
“It's gorgeous, it's thoughtful, but it is also tedious.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant performance issues, particularly with particles and multiple entities, while others praise the graphics and overall performance. Despite occasional frame drops, many players find the game enjoyable and well-optimized for their systems.
“The graphics and performance are fantastic.”
“Definitely fun and can't wait to play more of it :) very optimized (some frame lags here or there yet always in the 40fps) very fun game.”
“And triple the PC performance optimization.”
“Bad optimization, especially with particles and many entities together.”
“Definitely fun and can't wait to play more of it :) However, there are some frame lags here and there, yet it always stays around 40fps.”
“The game needs significant optimization to improve performance.”
- character development3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that while the character design evokes themes of destiny and draws inspiration from titles like Horizon: Zero Dawn, the game lacks depth in character development. Players find the game too short and easy, with minimal engagement in evolving characters or utilizing pets, leading to a desire for more substantial content in this area.
“The character design evokes themes of destiny, and the robotic fauna reminds me of Horizon: Zero Dawn.”
“Very short game that is easy to complete without using any of the character developments, such as evolving and pets.”
“It really should have more content with meaningful character development, even at the low price tag.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by unexpected funny moments and quirky design choices, such as robotic animals that resemble deer and ostriches, which add a lighthearted touch. However, some players note that the presence of bugs and clipping issues gives the game an unfinished feel, contributing to its comedic charm.
“That said, it still feels like early access, with some clipping here and there, some odd bugs, and funny moments that you wouldn't expect in a finished game.”
“Crazy robots resemble animals, which looks quite funny to me, especially the deer and ostrich mecha.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is criticized as being exploitative, with players feeling that it offers little value for the price, suggesting that they would have preferred spending their money elsewhere.
“This game is a cash grab, nothing more. I could have had a better time at the mall for $15, and I hate the mall.”
“The monetization in this game is outrageous; it feels like every feature is locked behind a paywall.”
“I can't believe how much they charge for basic content. It ruins the experience and makes it feel like a scam.”