Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition Hits Consoles And PC Next Year

Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition, the enhanced version of the gothic space exploration title from Failbetter Games, is on its way to consoles next year. The Sovereign Edition expands on the core game, adding new stories, an overhauled character progression system, new Facets, and the ability to exceed the level cap for skills in the late-game.

The new Stories explore scenarios in which your crew is starving, allowing you to eat a variety of what narrative director Chris Gardiner calls "unwise, unpleasant or tragic things. By that point, your mascot probably looks quite tasty." 

The additional Facets allow you to further customize your captain's backstory. "Perhaps you lost your soul (and found it again), or attended a seance. Perhaps you have a hobby, or are close to rats, Devils, spies or Rubbery Men. Experienced captains will be able to continue to raise their stats even after reaching the level cap, extending the late game experience."

As you would expect for any port, Failbetter has made significant changes to better support the console versions of the game. These changes are intended to deliver a smoother and more intuitive experience when playing using a controller. 

"There'll also be new opportunities for traders to exploit, and a new exotic engine to acquire, which skilled players in particular may find rewarding. It's a big, exciting update which we like to imagine will be the jewel in Sunless Skies' crown."

Sunless Skies has received high marks since its release in January 2019. "Sunless Skies has me hooked on dying among the stars," wrote Polygon's Cass Marshall. "Much like the best kinds of horror, Sunless Skies has burrowed into the back of my brain and planted a little seed. When I'm not playing Sunless Skies, I find myself musing about what will happen the next time I jump on."

Sunless Skies: Sovereign Edition launches for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch during the first half of 2020. It will release for PC at the same time, arriving as a free update for any PC players who already own the base game.