Herdling - Release Window Trailer
- Thread starter IbizaPocholo
- Start date
- Trailer Indie
IbizaPocholo
NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
Played through chapter 2. Its very minimalist but I'm still a bit into it. Reminds me of low budget PS3 games like Tokyo Jungle or something. You're mostly walking around guiding the herd through some post apocalyptic area. Very slow. No dialogue or anything. Starting to slowly introduce some hazards and minor puzzles to move objects or doors to get through stuff.
Roberts
Member
I'm not sure I would stuck around but my youngest daughter (3 yo) had a weird emotional connection to it so continued playing and kind of got into its vibes. You can kind of tell that is made by the same guys who made Far games - same atmospheric journey thing with minor obstacles and puzzles, just from a different camera perspective this time around.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
Yeah, it's a real slow start and a bit janky. But I like anything with animals so I'm sticking with it. I was playing Prince of Persia for hours which is pretty fast paced and difficult so it was a perfect game to chill and unwind before bed. I'll probably finish it out. I like the attempt, but it'll be a 7/10 at best I'm sure.
Magic Carpet
Gold Member
Hearing it's like the 'Far' games makes me want to download it and play. I assume your talking about the Far Lone Sails games with the big vehicle?
Roberts
Member
Yes, the art style is similar, the music is similar, the idea of a journey with puzzle roadblocks from point A to Z is similar, but the third perspective view changes things, because it gives you an illusion of bigger freedom than in their previous games. It makes it a bit less focused and perhaps more boring for less patient gamers. But the DNA is the same.
Punished Miku
Gaslighter Pro: 16.7 Fireflops
Beat it. I actually ended up loving it. I'll give it an 8/10. Hardly without flaw, but a beautiful game.
I would never recommend it to anyone honestly because the overwhelming majority of people would probably hate it. Extremely minimal gameplay, vague, slow pacing. Its almost the anti-Journey. Where that makes you feel like you're constantly floating and flying around glamorous areas, this is more like a slow treck through the mud at a glacial, meditative pace. If you can handle that, you might like it.
I would never recommend it to anyone honestly because the overwhelming majority of people would probably hate it. Extremely minimal gameplay, vague, slow pacing. Its almost the anti-Journey. Where that makes you feel like you're constantly floating and flying around glamorous areas, this is more like a slow treck through the mud at a glacial, meditative pace. If you can handle that, you might like it.
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Humdinger
Gold Member
It's running an average of 77, 78 on Metacritic. A few excerpts:
Gamespot, 9/10: "For me, Herdling is a game about rediscovering one's purpose. It is not the purpose of the calicorns to be stuck rudderless in a dying cityscape, where litter and neglect team to wear them down to nothingness. Neither does it seem to be the protagonist's purpose to be there, based on the sad squalor they're found in to start the game. Together, the child and their ever-growing herd of companions--not pets--go on an often heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching, adventure back to nature. It's a journey I'll remember for a long time thanks to its depiction of animals as unique individuals who, very much like us, are chiefly seeking love and safety. It was one of my favorite experiences in video games to help them find that safety and to feel that love."
Gaming Bible, 9/10: "In having a minimalist approach to its storytelling and game mechanics, Herdling is able to bring closer attention to its overarching message about hardship and found families within nomadic, unhoused groups. It does an excellent job at balancing these themes in a digestible way, leaving you room to sit back and really take in what it's trying to say."
Xbox Era, 88: "Herdling is special. It isn't technically amazing, though it can be stupefyingly beautiful. No spoilers, like always, but the last 90 minutes of my 3 and ½ hour playthrough had my heart in my throat, and at the end, a few tears in my eyes. I did the thing, I lost no one, and it felt amazing. I was proud of not having these big dumb digital beasties die and damn it… I'm proud of that. There is so much more I could say, but go into this one with no spoilers and proper expectations. It's a vibe, an experience, and not a gameplay masterpiece.
Finger Guns, 80: "I think it's not since Stray that I've just so instantly fallen for the charm and atmosphere of a peaceful animal-centred game. Herdling may be about shepherding a small herd of fictious creatures called Calicorns across a great journey to the mountains, rather than the journey of a cat across a cyberpunk city, but the atmosphere, the detail, the heartwarming moments and the heartwrenching ones too, are all exceptionally close to that game's style."
Gaming Bolt, 8/10: "The Good: Art direction, soundtrack and presentation incredibly facilitate this journey of bonding between the shepherd and their herd. Unique mechanics are easy to pick up but interesting wrinkles keep them fresh throughout. Really makes you feel bonded with your herd through thick and thin. The Bad: The puzzles can feel incredibly easy. Campaign is fairly linear despite the different alternate routes through environments. Some performance drops in certain places. Odd antialiasing on Calicorn fur. Great: Herdling continues Okamotive's reputation for unorthodox titles that resonate in unique ways. Desolate and survival-driven, yet warm and freeing, it's an adventure unlike any other despite the occasional hiccups."
Sounds like my kind of game, I'll have to pick it up.
Gamespot, 9/10: "For me, Herdling is a game about rediscovering one's purpose. It is not the purpose of the calicorns to be stuck rudderless in a dying cityscape, where litter and neglect team to wear them down to nothingness. Neither does it seem to be the protagonist's purpose to be there, based on the sad squalor they're found in to start the game. Together, the child and their ever-growing herd of companions--not pets--go on an often heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching, adventure back to nature. It's a journey I'll remember for a long time thanks to its depiction of animals as unique individuals who, very much like us, are chiefly seeking love and safety. It was one of my favorite experiences in video games to help them find that safety and to feel that love."
Gaming Bible, 9/10: "In having a minimalist approach to its storytelling and game mechanics, Herdling is able to bring closer attention to its overarching message about hardship and found families within nomadic, unhoused groups. It does an excellent job at balancing these themes in a digestible way, leaving you room to sit back and really take in what it's trying to say."
Xbox Era, 88: "Herdling is special. It isn't technically amazing, though it can be stupefyingly beautiful. No spoilers, like always, but the last 90 minutes of my 3 and ½ hour playthrough had my heart in my throat, and at the end, a few tears in my eyes. I did the thing, I lost no one, and it felt amazing. I was proud of not having these big dumb digital beasties die and damn it… I'm proud of that. There is so much more I could say, but go into this one with no spoilers and proper expectations. It's a vibe, an experience, and not a gameplay masterpiece.
Finger Guns, 80: "I think it's not since Stray that I've just so instantly fallen for the charm and atmosphere of a peaceful animal-centred game. Herdling may be about shepherding a small herd of fictious creatures called Calicorns across a great journey to the mountains, rather than the journey of a cat across a cyberpunk city, but the atmosphere, the detail, the heartwarming moments and the heartwrenching ones too, are all exceptionally close to that game's style."
Gaming Bolt, 8/10: "The Good: Art direction, soundtrack and presentation incredibly facilitate this journey of bonding between the shepherd and their herd. Unique mechanics are easy to pick up but interesting wrinkles keep them fresh throughout. Really makes you feel bonded with your herd through thick and thin. The Bad: The puzzles can feel incredibly easy. Campaign is fairly linear despite the different alternate routes through environments. Some performance drops in certain places. Odd antialiasing on Calicorn fur. Great: Herdling continues Okamotive's reputation for unorthodox titles that resonate in unique ways. Desolate and survival-driven, yet warm and freeing, it's an adventure unlike any other despite the occasional hiccups."
Sounds like my kind of game, I'll have to pick it up.
Tobimacoss
Member
What Everwild could've been.
Roberts
Member
Finished it a few hours ago too. I pretty much agree with you but it helps that the game is 3-4 hours long. Doesn't outstay it's welcome.
I named my beasts after meat dishes as a joke but at the end of the game you really want to make sure they all survive. There is no way Lil Bratwurst or Lambchop will fall off a cliff. Not on my watch!
Magic Carpet
Gold Member
Been trying to play Herdling on PC Gamepass but the graphics are all washed out. Some of the fixes I've read about are disabling HDR in Windows.
Also the game is stuck with horrible Vsync issues that I have to enable the Nvidia global Vsync to fix, The Gamebar FPS meter says 24FPS when I do.
I think I've lost one of my calicorns to a big owl. Now I don't want to play anymore.
Also the game is stuck with horrible Vsync issues that I have to enable the Nvidia global Vsync to fix, The Gamebar FPS meter says 24FPS when I do.
I think I've lost one of my calicorns to a big owl. Now I don't want to play anymore.