In Airborne Kingdom, players enter a rich steampunk world where they build a flying city high in the sky – a symbol of hope, innovation, and unity above a crumbling world below. The goal is to create a self-sustaining metropolis, recover lost knowledge, and forge new alliances with the grounded kingdoms. The game deliberately avoids war and violence, instead focusing on cooperation, exploration, and story-driven quests.

Airborne Kingdom blends classic city-building mechanics with a distinctive physics system, where every new structure directly affects the city’s lift, thrust, and weight. This added layer of immersion makes careful planning essential. Resources are not generated automatically – they must be actively gathered through missions. A compact yet well-designed tech tree ensures steady progression, while a range of color and design options allows players to customize the city’s appearance. Rather than battles or traditional threats, the core challenge lies in managing limited resources, maintaining physical balance, and plotting efficient routes across a vast, randomly generated map.

In its review, PC Gamer awarded Airborne Kingdom a solid 80 out of 100. The game’s imaginative setting and creative gameplay ideas – particularly its unique balance system – were highlighted as standout features that help set it apart from other city builders. On the downside, the review pointed to shallow diplomacy and a somewhat limited economic system. Testers also noted that the game remains relatively easy over long stretches, though players seeking a more laid-back experience are unlikely to mind.

The response on other platforms is largely positive as well. On Metacritic, Airborne Kingdom holds a Metascore of 76 and a User Score of 7.4. The Steam community is even more enthusiastic: 86% of more than 2,200 user reviews recommend the game.

First-ever 75% discount on Steam

Airborne Kingdom was developed by Canadian studio The Wandering Band and released in March 2022 in partnership with indie.io. The flying city builder typically sells for around $25 on Steam but is currently discounted by 75% until January 19, dropping the price below $7. According to SteamDB, previous discounts peaked at 70%, making this the lowest price to date. The game is rated “Playable” on the Steam Deck (currently available on Amazon for $750) and should run smoothly on the go with a few minor tweaks.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

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As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart – in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I’m not sitting at my computer, I’m probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life – namely sitting for long periods – at the local swimming pool.