Time travel has always been one of the trickiest ideas to get right in games. It’s a staple of science fiction, but few titles truly embrace its messiness—the paradoxes, the unintended consequences, the way even small changes can spiral into something unrecognizable. Old Skies, the latest adventure from Dave Gilbert and Wadjet Eye Games, doesn’t shy away from that complexity. Instead, it leans into it, crafting a narrative-driven experience that feels both refreshingly modern and deeply rooted in classic storytelling traditions.
Set in the year 2062, Old Skies imagines a world where time travel is no longer theoretical. It’s regulated, commercialized, and quietly disastrous for human behavior. Players step into the role of Fia Quinn, a field agent for ChronoZen, a corporate time-travel agency whose mission is to preserve the integrity of history—while profiting from it. ChronoZen’s wealthy clients pay handsomely to revisit pivotal moments in their lives or nudge history in carefully controlled ways. Every trip is governed by psychological evaluations and a complex “timeline ranking” system that determines how much a person’s past can be altered without destabilizing reality.
The game’s structure gives Fia a unique advantage: no matter how drastically the timeline shifts, she—and her fellow agents—retain their memories. For players, this means that knowledge carries over between altered timelines, turning every failure and discovery into a meaningful step forward rather than a setback.
Fia is never alone in the field. Her handler, Frank “Nozzo” Nozzarelli, provides constant commentary from headquarters, blending sharp guidance with dry humor. Meanwhile, her mentor Duffy offers experience and restraint, grounding the more chaotic elements of the job. The chemistry between characters is a standout feature, brought to life by strong voice performances from Sally Beaumont as Fia and Edwyn Tiong as Nozzo. Their banter adds warmth and humanity, keeping the game’s high-concept premise firmly anchored in believable relationships.
The narrative unfolds across self-contained chapters, each centered on a different client and a different period in New York’s history. One moment you’re navigating the near future, the next you’re dropped into the grit and uncertainty of the 19th century. Each era is meticulously realized, from changing street sounds to evolving graffiti and signage. While the puzzles remain rooted in traditional point-and-click mechanics, Old Skies introduces a smart twist: instead of collecting physical items, you gather information. A searchable database allows players to comb through historical records, but only if they’ve pieced together accurate names and details from dialogue and environmental clues. It ensures that every conversation matters.
One of the game’s most distinctive choices is how it handles failure. Death is not a punishment or a game-over screen—it’s part of the learning process. Fia can and will die multiple times, often in the middle of solving a puzzle. Thanks to ChronoZen’s technology and Nozzo’s quick thinking, each death triggers a rewind, allowing players to apply what they’ve learned. These moments are often accompanied by wry commentary, reinforcing the idea that progress comes from persistence rather than perfection.
Dialogue is where Old Skies truly shines. Conversations are sharp, layered, and emotionally charged, whether you’re trading barbs with a bitter ex-boxer or navigating the tensions within a fractured family. The writing treats every interaction with care, and the voice acting adds depth even to minor characters, making the world feel lived-in and sincere.
Visually, the game marks a departure from Wadjet Eye’s signature pixel-art style. Instead, it features richly hand-painted backgrounds that bring each era to life, from sleek, neon-lit future interiors to the cluttered warmth of modern apartments. Rotoscoped character animations lend a smooth, expressive quality rarely seen in the genre. The soundtrack complements this attention to detail, shifting effortlessly between futuristic electronic tones and period-appropriate jazz and ambience.
Ultimately, Old Skies is more than a tribute to classic adventure games—it’s an evolution of the form. It explores the weight of choice, the fragility of time, and the human desire to rewrite the past, all through precise writing and thoughtful design. For fans of time-travel stories, narrative-driven games, or richly developed characters, this journey through history is hard to forget—and by the time the credits roll, you may find yourself wishing real life came with a rewind button.