Stream of the Day
‘These Starless Skies’ explores twilight planet
A new sci-fi game follows a dysfunctional team of planetary scientists as they investigate a tidally locked world.
These Starless Skies, a new sci-fi point-and-click adventure, was revealed this month (3 July 2026).
The game follows a dysfunctional team of planetary scientists sent to investigate a mysterious tidally locked planet. The setting gives the story a strong science-fiction foundation: one side of the planet sits under constant sunlight, the other remains in permanent darkness, and the area between them exists in a twilight zone.
Tidally locked planets are worlds where one side faces constant light while the other remains in freezing darkness, with the boundary area potentially offering more hospitable conditions. That concept forms the basis for the environments in These Starless Skies, from a blazing desert to an icy dark side and the dusk-lit region between them.
The game’s planetary science angle received early support from Dr Eriita Jones, who contributed subject-matter expertise during the prototype stage. Jones works as a research fellow in Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences. She is a planetary and space scientist with a PhD in astrophysics and more than 10 years of postdoctoral research experience.
The game’s narrative unfolds episodically from the perspective of six crew members, with playable flashbacks set on a futuristic Earth showing how each character developed their inner conflicts. The title is designed as an existential narrative centred on different perspectives and personal demons.
Solo game developer Camille Woodthorpe, working under the name Wayward Astronaut, leads the project from Perth, Western Australia. Woodthorpe has more than 15 years of experience in immersive software development, using emerging technologies to develop 3D simulations and visualisations, digital twins for remote operations, immersive training, VR/AR, games, and robotics automation. She is the founder of Level Her Up, a volunteer-run organisation of women game developers.
Where to play These Starless Skies
These Starless Skies is available to wishlist on PC via Steam. A release date and price have not yet been announced.
* Visit the website for These Starless Skies here.
