Forever Skies Review: Subnautica's Floaty Cousin with Commitment Issues

Ah, Forever Skies, the game that answers the age-old question: "What if Subnautica had a baby with a blimp?" Well, we're about to take a wild ride through the skies of a post-apocalyptic Earth that's more toxic than your ex's Twitter feed.

Balloon Physics 101: Your New Home Sweet Home

First things first: you get a fucking airship. Not just any airship, mind you, but a customizable, high-tech floating tetris block that serves as your home, lab, and probably your therapist as you navigate this dust-covered hellscape. It's like playing house, except your house can fly and might kill you if you sneeze too hard near the hull.

Building and upgrading your sky-dwelling is surprisingly addictive. It's Minecraft meets The Hindenburg, and somehow, it works. You'll find yourself staying up until 3 AM, muttering, "Just one more solar panel," like a crack addict who's discovered renewable energy.

Science: Because Punching Trees is So Last Apocalypse

Gone are the days of crafting pickaxes from twigs and prayers. In Forever Skies, you're a scientist, baby! That means you get to play with fancy machines, analyze weird shit you find, and reverse engineer technology that probably should've stayed lost.

The research system is actually pretty cool, adding a layer of depth that goes beyond "hit rock, get metal." It's like playing Bill Nye the Post-Apocalyptic Guy, minus the bow tie and with 100% more existential dread.

Scavenging: Dumpster Diving at 10,000 Feet

Exploration in Forever Skies is a mix of exhilarating and frustrating. On one hand, floating through the ruins of civilization is hauntingly beautiful. On the other hand, you'll see the same five building types more often than ads in a free mobile game.

The resource gathering is satisfying, though. It's like a twisted version of grocery shopping where everything's free, but also everything might kill you. Fun!

Below the Dust: Where the Wild Things Are (and They Want to Eat You)

Eventually, you'll descend below the dust layer, and holy shit, it's like Mother Nature took some LSD and went to town. The fauna and flora down there make Australia look like a petting zoo.

Combat's been added recently, and it's about as graceful as a drunk giraffe on roller skates. But hey, at least you can fight back now when the mutant praying mantis decides you look tasty.

Performance: A Slideshow Presentation of Your Demise

Let's talk optimization, or rather, the lack thereof. At times, this game runs smoother than butter on a hot skillet. Other times, it's choppier than the North Atlantic during hurricane season. Your FPS will drop faster than your airship when you forget to refuel, especially if you've built the Titanic of the skies.

The Story: Lost in the Dust

The narrative is there, lurking in the background like that weird smell in your fridge you can't quite place. It's intriguing, sure, but also as vague as a politician's promise. You're here to save your family from a mysterious illness, but most of the time you'll be too busy trying not to die of thirst to care about the plot.

Conclusion: A Diamond in the Rough (Very Rough) Skies

Forever Skies is like that street food that looks questionable but tastes amazing. It's janky, it's unfinished, but damn if it isn't addictive. The airship base is a stroke of genius, the exploration can be genuinely awe-inspiring, and the crafting system is deep enough to keep you hooked.

Yes, it needs optimization. Yes, it could use more variety. And yes, sometimes you'll want to yeet your PC out the window in frustration. But for an Early Access title, it's got more potential than a YouTuber with a controversy.

If you've got the patience to weather some turbulence and you're itching for a unique survival experience, Forever Skies might just be your ticket to the apocalypse. Just don't blame me when you lose sleep trying to perfect your flying death trap of a home.

Score: 7.9/10

We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way. Our therapy bills for fear of heights, on the other hand...