Sometime between 2018 and 2021, an indie developer named Łukasz Zagawa known online as Helghast_95, worked on a prototype for a story-based shooter. Unsatisfied with the results and various issues, the Poland-based developer scrapped the project. But, like most indie developers, Lukasz’s passion drove him to start over. He started fixing all the issues surrounding the project – thus the birth of Leaden Sky.
What is Leaden Sky?
Leaden Sky lays a profound emphasis on ambiance, narrative, and its distinctive visual aesthetic. This isn’t your typical side-scrolling shooter; it employs numerous concepts defined and made popular by FPS games. It includes unconstrained aiming, location-based damage, authentic recoil mechanics, fluid weapon reloading that may be aborted, swift melee assaults, and so on. Leaden Sky features unique visuals, an interactive environment, and engaging gameplay. It also has a well-written plot wrapped in an exceptional music score created by an indie composer.
It moves along more slowly than you might anticipate, so you will need to move through each level carefully. Make sure to aim your bullets carefully. Going full Scarface and spraying bullets isn’t a good idea.
The Story
Kyle Anderson, a retired special forces member, plays the story’s protagonist. The Tower, a shadowy building owned by the mysterious Mercenaries, is the target of the character’s mission. The Tower creates a potent force field that isolates the entire community from the outside world. It also causes strange environmental abnormalities and changes in animal and plant life.
As far as the narrative goes, the game draws most of it from Kyle’s journal. As per Kyle’s entries, the game is set in 2005 when a heat-based power plant in a tiny polish town has undergone some modification. With this alteration, the power plant was to be transformed into a sizable accumulator. In that way, it could absorb power from the atmosphere using its antennas. It was intended to enhance the quality of life by addressing issues with CO2 emissions and excessive coal use. Since this technology was experimental, there was no assurance that it was safe for the locals. Despite the dangers, their corrupt government approved the alteration to the power plant. For them, the pursuit of wealth is usually more important than public safety.
Just several months after the redesigned power plant began to function, everything went wrong. Electric anomalies started to show on the city’s streets, and people vanished without a trace. The energy firm in charge of this dispatched a band of Mercenaries to handle the matter immediately. Then, the government allowed them to take whatever actions they deemed necessary. Some precautions include ordering a forced evacuation and murdering anyone who disobeyed.
Kyle with his wife was fortunate enough to reside in the forest, distant from the city. But, the protagonist is still afraid that the anomalies will soon reach their area forcing them to leave everything behind.
Gameplay
Leaden Sky comes with the basic elements of a sidescroller combined with the mechanics of an FPS. Players will engage with opponents while exploring the stages and fulfilling the mission goals. Since the game draws heavily from first-person shooters, players can freely aim when using firearms. On the other hand, the damage they deal to foes relies on where they shoot them. Also, users need to manually reload the rifle, which can be interrupted if necessary. Players can also use melee attacks when they are out of ammo or when the enemy gets close to the protagonist. It is also crucial for players to carefully glance around and hide behind cover during shootouts. The main reason is that there is danger around every corner and dying in this game is an easy feat to accomplish.
Recently, the developer launched a second Leaden Sky demo, and it’s getting a ton of accolades from the gaming community. With substantially more narrative, significantly better visuals, and a better world design, the new version differs significantly from the old one. It still contains a wide range of satisfying firearms and mouse-based free-aiming combat similar to Abuse. Although the graphic violence appears to have been toned down a bit, it may escalate as you advance and acquire bigger guns in the full game.
The Brilliance of Indie Games
In comparison to “AAA” (triple-A) video games, independent video games or indie games are video games that are often developed by individuals. Mostly, it was made by relatively small production staff without the funding and technical help of a major game publisher. Due to their independence and development freedom, independent games frequently emphasize innovation and risk-taking. It also has gameplay that AAA titles usually do not permit. Developers may also experiment with the medium to create original ideas in art games. Independent games are more often distributed digitally than through traditional retail channels because it lacks publisher support.
Despite the lack of support, the independent gaming scene never fails to deliver some of the most creative, innovative, and immersive titles. Not to mention, the best-selling game of all time title is held by Minecraft, which is an indie game. The Leaden Sky may not be as flashy or breathtaking as compared to an AAA horror title. But it never fails to deliver that gloomy atmospheric visual experience that will send shivers down your spine. On top of that, its highly immersive story will surely keep you glued to your screen, wanting more. Leaden Sky finished fourth in the community’s vote for the best upcoming independent film of 2021 on IndieDB and is expected to launch in 2023. 2022 demo is currently available for download on your PC, free of charge. Simply click on this link if you want to experience the brilliance of this indie game.
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