Old Skies is a perfect example of the type of narrative-driven games (predominantly point and clicks) that has had me hooked since the days of Police Quest, Secret of Monkey Island, and Day of the Tentacle. The way a game can be as immersive and moving as a Netflix boxset, showcasing multiple character arcs, time travel, and the adage that actions have consequences. It’s a testament to Dave Gilbert’s storytelling.
Despite publishing the superb The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow, Old Skies is Wadjet Eye’s first game since Unavowed in 2018. If you’re a point and click nut, you already know the calibre of which we’re speaking of – both benchmarks of the genre. The years have been unkind if you have followed the game’s development on Twitter/X, and later Bluesky via Gilbert’s account and Ben Chandler’s artwork reveals. The wait has been ultimately worth it, though Switch users will have to wait a tad longer for its release.
Set in the near future, you play as time agent, Fia Quinn. Fia is essentially a tour guide that takes the rich through multiple timelines, reliving past experiences, observing, seeking answers, and even altering the past. Within reason. Manipulating time always has consequences, though fortunately, there is some degree of control as Fia is an agent of ChronoZen (under the Government’s umbrella) and they have strict protocols and a ranking system for what you can and can’t do in the past.
Old Skies Review
Old Skies is divided into chapters, dedicated to a client with an ‘acceptable’ reason why they want to return to the past. Sometimes, these motives are disguised as each client undergoes a vetting process to ensure they don’t ‘break’ timelines and harm the future. Specific figures are highly ranked, meaning their timelines can’t be altered. Additionally, some establishment, such as ChronoZen, are chrono-locked, which means that changes in the past don’t affect the present (future), allowing for stability for its employees.
Naturally, jumping through time in an ever-changing environment can adversely affect the agents. As a result, it’s unsurprising that there are a limited number of trusted employees. Fia is a model employee and is highly trained in understanding that the most nuanced action can influence the future, and she effectively communicates this with each client. Alas, each client has their motivations, and with each ‘jump’ comes a plethora of risks.
While each chapter in Old Skies is self-contained, the paths of characters, timelines and general events weave back and forth coherently. There isn’t ever a point where it gets confusing – even with paradoxical events, the narrative is explained well without spoon-feeding or dumbing down the threads. This is supported by Fia’s co-worker Nozzo, who serves as her guide when rationalising events or giving the odd hint on what to do next.
A Walk Down Memory Lane
Gilbert wants you to experience the story without limitations, and for this reason, Old Skies moves at an excellent pace. Throughout my 15+ hours or so of gameplay, there was only one instance where I had to pace back and forth along the fast-travel points, looking for clues, and even then, it was right under my nose. The puzzles are far less complex than GOTY Strangeland, but the story is much more accessible and less abstract – notably for the excellent, well-developed characters, and relatable events, with a reference to September the 11th 2001. I think everyone who was around at the time remembers where we were that day.
It’s one thing to compliment the storytelling, but another to say how perfectly cast Sally Beaumont was as Fia. Her delivery and enthusiasm throughout were infectious. If facing life-changing events and deep in the murky waters of uncertainty, her upbeat, magnetic tones are all I want to hear. She brought Fia alive, as did Ben Chandler’s amazing artwork (there were quite a few references to him throughout as well as Blackwell Easter eggs. I even spotted a ‘V Knight’ in a hotel guest book. Coincidence? Unfortunately, yes). Technically, Old Skies is such an advance in the world of AGS – the rotoscoping effect is as mesmerising as watching The Lord of the Rings animation for the first time.
Though Old Skies is relatively straightforward to complete, the advantage of shifting back and forth through time to see how things pan out makes it further replayable. Unlocking the achievements—most of which are awarded for completing sections perfectly—makes the game even more appealing. The hindsight of seeing it play out should allow you the time to go back and try again, but for me, even without any achievements, reliving Fia’s journey and tinkering with a few things here and there is a timeline well worth repeating.
Old Skies Review Summary
This further proves that the point and click adventure is alive and as impactful, if not more so, after those first Sierra and LucasArts titles. Wadjet Eye Games should be chrono-locked as one of the definitive creators of narrative-driven titles. Old Skies is brilliant and an essential point and click adventure.
And poof! That’s an Old Skies review.
