Lofty city-builder Airborne Kingdom takes flight today
Goin' up to the city in the sky.
They might make a mess of tramlines and festivals, but at least I don't have to trust Edinburgh City Council with keeping the town from falling out of the sky. Spare a thought, then, for the citizens of Airborne Kingdom's skyward metropolis, who have you to thank for keeping their livelihoods safe above the clouds. The Wandering Band's lofty city-builder took flight today, a floating management sim that dares you not to create a town-shaped hole in the ground below.
A bit like playing the mayor of Bioshock Infinite's soaring city, really. Just without all the time travel and, err, racism. I hope.
Like any city builder, Airborne Kingdom has the usual problems to untangle. Build housing, manage supply chains, streamline infrastructure, that sort of thing. But unlike your Sim Cities, Airborne Kingdom also has you considering things like lift, balance, and fuel supply, very important considerations for city planners aiming to spit in the face of gravity.
Of course, the other benefit of refusing to lay down roots is the ability to sail your city wherever you fancy. While this isn't Mortal Engines and you're not hunting down smaller towns, you're still roaming an open wilderness - barfing rotary planes onto the plains below to gather materials, explore abandoned temples, and assist your more land-loving urban neighbours.
The stratospheric city-builder is one of a number of many indies to sign exclusivity deals with Epic, mind, and one of a handful to speak to contributor Rick Land about the decision-making process behind that seemingly-controversial move. For Wandering Band, the early backlash was a small price to pay for "making the best decisions for our studio and our game".
Airborne Kingdom is out now on the Epic Games Store with a 20% Holiday sale discount at £15.99/$19.99.