Beyond a Steel Sky is finally available on Apple Arcade for iOS devices. For those who may be unfamiliar, Beyond a Steel Sky is a sequel to the original cyberpunk science fiction adventure Beneath a Steel Sky released in 1994. The original game was developed through a collaboration between game developer and co-founder of Revolution Software, Charles Cecil, and the renowned comic book artist, Dave Gibbons, who drew Watchmen. After +25 years, the two co-creators of the original game present the sequel on Apple Arcade with new character modeling, graphics, audio, and more.
As for the plot of the game, users will still play as the protagonist Robert Foster. Foster lives in a world that is destroyed and ravaged by shattering wars and political meltdown, who vows to bring back an abducted child. Users will be part of the search and rescue adventure, with a sentient robot Joey, within Union City – one of the last mega-cities in the world. At the same time, users will unravel the deep dark secrets of Union City related to contemporary themes, such as social control, AI, and total surveillance.
“What Foster finds is that [Union City] is a utopia — he left Joey in charge, and Joey’s responsibility was to make the people happy,” Cecil said of the sequel. “On the surface, it is a utopia. But, of course, in utopias, there’s always a dark underbelly.” Cecil mentioned how “the original game’s story also is reflective of the culture of the early ’90s. Revolution Software drew inspiration from everything from the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, along with Terry Gilliam’s 1985 dystopian sci-fi film Brazil.” Therefore, through these references, users can enjoy a game that is both immersive and relatable to today’s history.
If you are interested in learning more about this game, you can check out the App Store. If you would like to get access to hundreds of Apple Arcade games (including Beyond Steel Sky), you will need to register for $4.99 per month.