Chris InglisIn the mid-2000s, the point-and-click adventure genre, once a dominant force in PC gaming, was beginning to feel the squeeze from the rise of more action-oriented and visually dynamic genres. Yet, amidst this shifting landscape, a beacon of classic adventure emerged with the founding of Wadjet Eye Games in 2006. Over the subsequent nineteen years, this indie studio has consistently championed thoughtful narratives and engaging puzzles. Following successes such as Blackwell Epiphany and Unavowed, Wadjet Eye Games released Old Skies last month, a time-traveling adventure that is yet another resounding success with full voice acting and excellent music.
In Old Skies, you step into the shoes of Fia Quinn, a seasoned “temporal relocation specialist” working for the ChronoZen agency. The premise is immediately engaging where wealthy clients with unfinished business in the past hire ChronoZen agency to send Fia back to specific moments in time. Her mission is to subtly nudge events, offering closure, answers, or even just a fleeting moment of connection for her clients, all without drastically altering or causing ripples in the timeline. This setup provides a fantastic framework for episodic-style storytelling, with each case offering a unique historical setting and personal dilemma.
Wadjet Eye Games are well known for their atmospheric pixel art and compelling stories and have once again delivered on both fronts. The mix of futuristic and retro visuals are rich in detail and represent each of the time periods Fia visits. From the bustling streets of 1920s New York to even further back in time to the 1870s, the environments Fia visits feel lived-in and integral to the stories being told. The character design manages to convey a surprising amount of emotion and personality.
The core gameplay revolves around classic point-and-click mechanics: exploring environments, collecting items, engaging in dialogue, and solving puzzles. However, Old Skies elevates this formula with its temporal twist. Fia’s interactions with the past are governed by strict protocols to avoid causing ripples, adding a layer of strategic thinking to your actions. You often need to observe carefully, understand the nuances of the past, and manipulate seemingly small details to achieve your client’s goals. There are times where you will get yourself and others killed, and in these moments, you will rewind time so that you can alter events, conversations and circumstance to try and adjust the tale enough to achieve the desired outcomes.
This is where Old Skies really starts to come into its own. While the initial client requests might seem straightforward, they invariably lead Fia down unexpected paths. These deviations often delve into the complexities of human relationships, the weight of history, and the ethical dilemmas of manipulating time. Like Sam Beckett’s unexpected leaps in the Quantum Leap TV series, Fia frequently finds herself entangled in the lives of the people she encounters, forcing her to make difficult choices and confront her own past.
The writing is sharp and insightful, with believable dialogue that captures the essence of each historical period. The characters, both Fia’s clients and those she encounters in the past, are well-developed and relatable. Their individual stories offer clues and add weight to the overarching narrative, which gradually unfolds as Fia completes more assignments. As you progress, there are hints at a larger mystery surrounding the ChronoZen agency and the implications of their temporal technology.
Overall, Old Skies is a highly engaging and thought-provoking point-and-click adventure game about the exploration and understanding of the past to gain insights into the present. Wadjet Eye Games continues to demonstrate their expertise and passion for the genre, delivering a rich, and emotionally engaging experience that resonates long after the game concludes.
This review utilised a key provided by Emily Morganti and Old Skies is available now on Steam and GOG.
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Justin Bozanich