Beneath a Steel Sky

1994 Revolution Software Ltd Adventure, Indie

Windows 11Runs

MacNot sold

LinuxNative

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic Not rated

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 831

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today4/5

Design today3/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

89%

504 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Beneath a Steel Sky run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11Runs

Sold for Windows today, no problem on record.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxNative

Native Linux version.1

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Beneath a Steel Sky lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

Beneath a Steel Sky is a point-and-click adventure from Revolution Software set in Union City, a grim future metropolis run by a computer called LINC. Robert Foster, raised in the wasteland outside, is dragged into the city and has to work out why. With the help of Joey, a wisecracking robot companion, he talks his way past citizens and solves inventory puzzles across the city's levels.

Developer: Revolution Software Ltd
Released: 1994
Genre: Adventure, Indie
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Players still rank it as a classic of the genre for its dark humor, odd characters and dystopian story, and the free Steam release is rated Very Positive, with 89 percent of about 500 reviews positive. Recent player reviews also call some puzzles abstract guesswork, the controls clunky, and the sound dated. A 2020 analysis praises the LINCspace sections and the parallel puzzle threads in the middle of the game, but faults a long linear stretch at ground level with aimless wandering. Metacritic lists no critic score for it.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The Steam and GOG releases use the full CD version with voice acting, and nothing has been removed (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
The game supports no widescreen resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
PCGamingWiki lists no controller support (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The Steam release comes packaged with ScummVM, and PCGamingWiki lists no open issues (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

3/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Everything is done with two mouse buttons: a left click describes what is under the cursor and a right click uses it or talks to it. Players today still call movement and controls clunky, but there are no verb menus to learn. Source: adventuregamers.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The game runs only in a 4:3 frame with no widescreen option. The inventory stays hidden until the mouse touches the top edge, and the save menu sits on F5 with no on-screen hint. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The F5 menu saves and loads freely at any time, but there is no autosave at all, and sudden deaths can happen from the very first screen, so saving often matters. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com, dreamsofgerontius.com.
Hard to make progress without a guide
Many puzzles hinge on using Joey at the right spot, and players describe some solutions as abstract guesswork with little direction. The game never explains its own controls or menus. Source: steamcommunity.com, dreamsofgerontius.com.
Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
A late stretch sends Foster back to the top level of the city and then leaves him wandering until a door opens. Joey walks slowly, so waiting on him becomes a common complaint. Source: dreamsofgerontius.com, steamcommunity.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
Every location is a hand-drawn 2D scene, so there is no camera to manage. Source: adventuregamers.com, dreamsofgerontius.com.