After spending time in early access, Forever Skies has now launched in full on PlayStation 5, offering a unique blend of survival gameplay and sci-fi storytelling. Developed by Far From Home, the game sets itself apart from other survival titles by placing players in control of a highly customizable airship that serves as both a means of traversal and a mobile base of operations. This distinctive approach helps it stand out in a crowded genre, even if some of the rough edges from its early development days are still visible.
The game is set in a hauntingly reimagined version of Earth, devastated by ecological disaster and blanketed in toxic dust. Above the surface, players explore remnants of a collapsed civilization – scavenging resources and uncovering clues about the past while managing their ship’s systems. The narrative plays out in subtle but intriguing ways, tying into themes of scientific responsibility and environmental collapse without getting overly preachy about it. There’s also a personal dimension to the plot, with the player driven by the urgent goal of curing a mysterious illness, which adds focus to the survival mechanics.
Core gameplay revolves around scavenging, crafting, and upgrading. The loop is satisfying, especially once you begin building and customizing your airship – a system that feels both flexible and central to your progression. It’s not just a base, but a vehicle that you actively steer through decaying towers and floating debris fields, collecting resources and avoiding hazards along the way. While not as combat-heavy as some survival titles, Forever Skies leans into exploration and player-driven problem solving, which works well in creating a methodical and thoughtful pace.
One of the more innovative elements is how the game layers verticality into its level design. Players can descend below the dust layer to discover strange flora and fauna in a hostile new ecosystem, which adds a second gameplay phase that feels more dangerous and mysterious. These lower regions introduce additional crafting materials, unique threats, and narrative revelations, creating a satisfying contrast with the airborne segments. However, the game’s difficulty curve below the dust can feel uneven, especially early on in the game.
Visually, Forever Skies is striking despite its modest budget. The desolate beauty of the ruined world above the dust – with its towering structures and neon-blue anomalies – contrasts nicely with the eerie biological designs found below. Performance on PS5 is solid, with the console version matching the PC release well in both visuals and responsiveness. The interface is intuitive for controller use, and the feedback from ship movement and tool usage feels tactile and polished.
Where Forever Skies falls a little short is in content variety and some repetition in resource collection. While exploration is the highlight, the game could use more types of encounters and interactive events to break up its quieter stretches. Similarly, the story is intriguing but never fully delivers a dramatic payoff, choosing instead to maintain an understated tone throughout. Still, the combination of atmospheric worldbuilding, innovative survival mechanics, and emotional undertones makes it a standout entry in its genre – and a promising foundation for potential expansions or content updates.
Score: 7.2/10
Press Play Media 