It’s never a bad time to pick up Sky blueWidely considered one of the best platform games of all time and one of the best games of the 2010s, this title made a splash in the gaming world when it was released in 2018. Sky blue has always been a popular game, whether because of its tough but fair difficulty level, its transsexual protagonist, or its approach to topics like mental illness, but regardless of what exactly draws you in, it’s hard to deny Sky blue‘s magnetism. I suggest you let yourself be attracted to it too.
At the moment, Sky blue is on sale on Steam for about $5, and yes, it is perfect for your Steam Deck. It is also available in Game Pass and PlayStation Plus catalog, depending on your levelif you prefer, but I really don’t think I can stress enough what a bargain this is for only five dollars. Many people who play Sky blue call it a life-changing or life-affirming event, it’s cathartic to reach the end of this game and be able to witness Madeline’s hardships and help her get through them. You can have this experience for the price of a breakfast sandwich near me. Don’t skip a breakfast sandwich, maybe get this game And get a snack.
Sky blue is set on the titular mountain and follows Madeline, a young woman who has come to reach Celeste’s summit. Madeline wants to climb the mountain to challenge herself and overcome her fear, which often manifests itself in panic attacks and the recurring appearance of another person, Badeline, who causes chaos throughout the game.
While Madeline is helping people climb the mountain, like social media influencer Theo and derelict resort owner Mr. Oshiro, Badeline (almost like that doubtful voice in the back of your head) appears to throw Madeline down. In one instance, Badeline actually hurls Madeline down the mountain, and while the game seems to portray it as a metaphor, it looks pretty real to me. How did she survive that?
The meaning of the game is similar to Dark Soulswhere both turn life’s metaphorical hurdles into literal demons to slay and mountains to climb. You will fail a lotbut by conquering the challenges before her, Madeline hopes to prove to herself that the voice in the back of her head that scolds her isn’t always right. But to do that, she must first do the hardest thing she’s ever attempted: climb that mountain.
Sky blue is a beautiful and grueling 2D platformer with some of the wildest movement techniques I’ve ever seen. Early on, Madeline gains a sprinting ability that helps her navigate the mountain’s treacherous obstacles and environments, including a haunted resort and an ancient temple. This sprinting is the only main mechanic that Madeline actually unlocks, and the rest are temporary power-ups that mostly appear as extensions of the themes and aesthetics of the stage they’re in.
Some appear as bubbles that launch Madeline through the air and refresh her sprinting ability, while others look like a golden feather that turns her into a ball of light that you must tightly control to get around jagged crystal walls that form a maze-like structure. Other times you simply have to battle the wind, and in the game’s most exciting moments, Madeline faces Badeline herself.
If it sounds epic, that’s because it is! For a game that comes in bite-sized chunks, Sky blue offers a whole host of challenges, including B-side (and C-side!) levels that are even more difficult than the main content and use techniques that are all but hidden from players, such as the Hyper Dash. An epilogue, added years later, acts as the ultimate gauntlet from the developers of Extremely good games and it’s as tough and heartfelt as you’d expect.
However, Sky blue has also attracted a considerable following over the years, and they are a super committed, incredibly warm and very queer bunch for whom Sky blue –and the revelation that Madeline was trans all along – is a pretty significant thing. The community that has been Sky blue has performed the game at charity events such as Summer Games done quicklyand have even developed and maintained their own mods that sometimes compete with the main game’s content. You can only get these mods if you buy them on PC, so if that sounds like something you like, you might as well get it there!
Basically, get Sky blue on offer is a one-way ticket to one of the most devoted and genuine communities in gaming, while also taking part in one of the most challenging and satisfying platform games ever made. At the current incredibly low price, I see no reason why you shouldn’t grab it.
