14 DAY TRIAL // Black Skylands claims to be the first game in the skypunk genre that mixes elements of open-world, sandbox, top-down shooter, and action-adventure. That in itself is no small feat, so if all these gameplay mechanics work seamlessly to offer an engaging experience, then we might have a winner here.
But you don't have to trust what developers are saying because Black Skylands is now available to test for free via Steam. Although Black Skylands will be coming out in Early Access very soon, players who want to try it out before that can do so thanks to the free playtest event that lasts until April 30.
Keep in mind that the playtest does have some bugs, but at least it will give players an idea of what to expect from Black Skylands when it launches on Steam Early Access in the coming weeks. We're not sure if there are limitations to the playtest version of the game, but we're certain that you'll be allowed to experience most of the Black Skylands' gameplay mechanics.
The main goal of the game is to build your skyship, explore the open world, fight factions of pirates and monsters, and claim your territory by foot or by flying your vessel. There's a lot of customization in Black Skylands, not just for your vessel, but for your weaponry too.
At the beginning of the game, you can choose a skyship that fits your playstyle, and when you decide to take your enemies on foot, you can enhance your weapons with different mods that fit certain scenarios.
You'll have to build, expand and protect your aerial base to be successful in Black Skylands. Even though it's a sandbox game, Black Skylands does feature a background story if you want to explore its lore, but we don't know yet how deep it goes.
If this is something that might appeal to you, simply visit the Black Skylands page on Steam and click the “Request Access” tab to join the playtest (only available until April 30).
