Skyshine's Bedlam - revisited

It's been a while since I last played this and I wasn't sure I ever would. Not that the game was so bad, but it seemed quite incomplete and a bit frustrating.

Well, Skyshine have since updated the game again and I think they have finally starting get on the right track!

The battles feel more challenging again and each run through is a clear-cut run down to Aztec City. Previously, it felt a bit like a kick to the nads when they told you to turn around again. The good thing about this new game run is it makes a single play through a much more manageable hour or so, with a more linear structure to the game. You might say it has made the end game easier, but for a game that is supposed to have similarities and the "one sit down play through" style of FTL, this is a big improvement.

Other changes include a more clear-cut way to unlock the other dozers and the unlockable dozers having more distinct crew members, with varying characteristics depending on their faction, which is something I really like! Even when you recruit characters from other factions en route, they have their factions traits and so you end up with a mixed bag of different types of characters, all fighting together. It makes the game much more immersive. I'm also tempted to care about my characters a little more and rename them, as I know they won't have an epic struggle and almost inevitably die in the ruthless boss levels of the previous version.

There is still the problem with the travelling blurbs being repetitive and almost pointless. They really need to put a cost or a consequence for doing almost anything. Without this I just end up clicking through them, as I know them all, and wait to see what I get or whether it's an ambush. That part of the game could do with a re-vamp. But, saying that, the story and blurbs are interesting and well written - for the first 1 or 2 play throughs.

So, I think the game is worth a look at. If you have a few coins lying around it's not a ripoff, and if you ever see it on sale I'd say go for it.

And the art and music is excellent!