OK now I’m sure some of you will see the game and feel a rush of nostalgia but not me I’m afraid. I’ve played my fair share of point and clicks, all the Monkey Islands, all the Indiana Jones, Loom… but I never happened upon this one. So alas I can’t really review it for how true it is to the original, however it is the first point and click iPhone game I’ve played and I want to see how this genre transfers.

The first issue when transferring a game of this genre onto the iPhone is the serious lack of ‘point’. Obviously there is no mouse and this is combatted by gently touching the screen to reveal the inter-actable objects in the room. This would be a plus side to the rework as connoisseurs of the old school point and clicks, will know the frustration at finding out that little clump of yellowish pixels you previously overlooked is in fact an essential key. The inventory is the more manageable second hurdle using a drag and drop system but however a little tricky to grasp at first with some combinations of objects taking numerous attempts as items quite literally slip through your fingers.

So the mechanics transfer ok but not long into the game does the dreaded brick wall rear its foundations. This genre has always suffered from that horrible moment when you realise you are completely and utterly stuck. You hopelessly try everything until something works that is completely divert of any logic.

“Oh I had to use the piano playing monkey on the water pump! (Monkey Island 2 anyone?)”

However frustrating, the memory of these sudden realisations and consequent relief holds dear and to manipulate the puzzles in any way would be plain blasphemy. Another welcome addition which players of the HD Monkey Island remake will recognise is the addition of the hint button. In Beneath a Steel Sky these little nods in the right direction vary between being invaluable or far too vague. The right balance is a must to improve the playability of these recent remakes without making them too easy.

My advice to the point and click fans would be to steer clear of the unknowns but definitely give your old favourites a whir if they appear on this platform. They don’t make ‘em like they used to! So no rating from me on this one, but if you liked the original then give Beneath a Steel Sky Remastered a bang.

Download the game from here