In 2020, twenty-six years after the original Beneath a Steel Sky, Revolution Software released Beyond a Steel Sky. The sequel brought Robert Foster and Joey back to Union City in a fully 3D world. But was it worth the wait?

“ We always knew we wanted to return to that world. The question was how to do it in a way that honoured the original while being its own thing.
Charles Cecil

On the decision to make Beyond a Steel Sky

A New Dimension

The most obvious change was the shift from 2D pixel art to full 3D. Dave Gibbons returned to design the world, but the translation from his distinctive linework to polygonal environments was always going to be a challenge. Union City in 3D is impressive in scale but inevitably loses some of the hand-crafted charm of the original.

The game uses a cel-shaded art style that nods to Gibbons’ comic book aesthetic. It works reasonably well, though purists will always prefer the pixel art originals. The character designs are faithful to the source material, and Union City feels recognisably like the same place, just viewed from a different angle.

🤖 Joey's Take
The 3D version of me is acceptable, I suppose. Better polygon count than my original sprite, but somehow less expressive. There’s something to be said for the economy of pixel art — every pixel had to count. In 3D, you can throw polygons at a problem and hope for the best. Not that I’m bitter about my new face or anything.

Joey Returns

The best part of the sequel is, unsurprisingly, Joey. He returns in a new body and his dialogue is as sharp as ever. The banter between Foster and Joey carries the game through its weaker moments, and there are genuine laugh-out-loud exchanges.

The game also introduces a hacking mechanic where Foster can manipulate the city’s systems to solve puzzles. It is a clever nod to the original’s themes of technological control, and it works well as a gameplay mechanic even if some of the puzzles feel a bit contrived.

The Verdict

Beyond a Steel Sky is a competent adventure game that struggles under the weight of its predecessor’s legacy. The writing is good but not great. The puzzles are clever but occasionally frustrating. The world is large but sometimes feels empty. It is the kind of sequel that makes you appreciate the original more, which is both its greatest achievement and its most damning criticism.

Was it worth the twenty-six year wait? Probably not. But was it worth playing? Absolutely. If nothing else, it gave us more Joey. And that is always worth something.

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

3/5 — Good, Not Great

Worth playing for Joey alone. The rest is bonus.