Look, I’ve played a lot of games where you ride horses, dragons, and at least one surprisingly nimble green dinosaur named Yoshi. But a whale? Now I've seen everything...
If you’ve ever dreamed of riding a sky-whale while fending off a robotic armada of invaders, Skies Above by Hungry Dingo will make your oddly specific wish come true. This pixel art roguelike/platformer/shooter combines fast-paced action, a heartfelt eco-message, and more upgrades than an Apple iPhone. But does it soar majestically or just flounder in the clouds? Well, read on and find out.
[h2]Leviathans, Loops, and Lots of Leaping[/h2]
I’ll be honest—my first few runs looked less like heroic eco-warrioring and more like guy who forgot how gravity works. You play as a rebel eco-warrior, hitching a ride on the back of a leviathan, think Moby ♥♥♥♥, to protect it from humanity’s latest bad idea: weaponized flying robots.
Each run is a frantic loop of jumping, dashing, and grappling from one enemy orb to the next, all while trying not to overshoot and plummet off the whale. The controls can be a tad finicky, and you’ll likely spend your first few runs perfecting the art of not missing your ride. Here's a tip: aim for the whale, not the clouds as clouds are terrible at catching you.
When your Leviathan inevitably takes too much damage, you’re sent back to base camp. Honestly, it’s kind of like failing a driving test, but with more explosions. Here, you can spend your hard-earned currency on upgrades; health, speed, greed (naturally), and a growing tree of unlockables, including a fishing mini-game.
New abilities, robot buddies, and cosmetic rewards keep the progression addictive and satisfying. I’ll admit that I’m a sucker for any game that lets me put a monocle on an animal.
[h2]Pix and Roll[/h2]
On the graphical side is where the game flexes its proverbial muscle. If you told me I’d care this much about the emotional well-being of a pixelated sky mammal, I would’ve laughed. Now? I’m emotionally invested.
The pixel style is a visual treat, with vibrant colors and lovingly animated leviathans that make you genuinely care about your sky-whale bestie. The soundtrack is equally impressive, oscillating between adrenaline-pumping rock during battles and serene melodies back at camp.
The rogue-like structure means each run is a little different, with new enemy types, random perks from fishing (sometimes it’s just seaweed—so it goes), and strategic choices about where to invest your resources. I found myself making questionable decisions just to see what would happen. Sometimes it paid off. Sometimes…not so much.
[h2]Quirks and Quibbles[/h2]
Okay, confession time: I fell off my whale at least three times because of what I’m calling “enthusiastic grappling.” Not everything is smooth sailing. Some players noted occasional glitches, like disappearing characters in the base camp, though these were rare.
The controls, particularly the jumping and grappling, can feel imprecise until you get the hang of them. And while the fishing mechanic is a cute touch, it’s more garnish than main course. Also, I wasn't able to re-bind the keys to my liking, so I'm hoping that the developers add this option in a future patch.
[h2]Whale of a Time or Just Blowing Hot Air?[/h2]
If you’d told me my favorite part of 2025 gaming would involve playing as an eco-friendly activist and riding my very own watery mammal, I’d have asked what you were smoking. But Skies Above is a charming, fast-paced roguelike that manages to blend arcade action, progression hooks, and environmental storytelling into a surprisingly heartfelt package.
Its pixel art and soundtrack are top-tier, and the upgrade loop will keep you returning for “just one more run.” If you can forgive the occasional control hiccup and minor bugs, you’ll have a whale of a time, and possibly develop an emotional dependency on giant flying creatures.
--- Joel
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