You awaken cold and alone in your makeshift home in an underpass. A car alarm sounds off in the distance. You find the vehicle on its side, knocked over by a rampaging beast. Then you notice, it’s not wild, only scared. A bucket is stuck on its head, causing it to thrash wildly. You snap a branch of the closest tree, quickly prying the bucket off. A moment of silence, then acceptance, as this gentle Calicorn accepts your friendship and a beautiful, moving, triumphant journey begins. This is Herdling and it is launching Day One into Xbox Game Pass.
Herding your Herd of Herdlings
This will not be a long review, as Herdling is neither a long nor complicated game. What it is is an emotionally beautiful experience. As our unnamed protagonist, you will slowly build a herd of Calicorns. Throughout seven chapters, you’ll guide them through dangerous terrain, clean their fur when they’re dirty, feed them when they’re injured, and continually push onwards.
With your mighty, ever-evolving stick, you will prod these beautiful, trusting creatures through varied environments. You’ll use the right trigger to hold up your stick, gently guiding these large buffalo/goat-looking hybrids around dangerous thorns, deadly cracking ice bulges, and more as you avoid predators and run wild through beautiful, verdant fields.
Stampeeeeeeede
When your herd is healthy and either well fed or roaming through colorful flowers, their coats will glisten like a rainbow. While you are already holding down the right trigger, you can quickly let it go and press it again to call for a Stampede. This will see you and your herd take off, crushing through any tall brush that would otherwise slow you down.
Alongside the stampede mechanic, you’ll find bright blue items in the environment that your character can climb or interact with. By the end of the game, I had 10 or so Calicorns in my herd, and they would help me open heavy doors, move large objects, or reach higher steps when needed.
No… I’m not crying
All of this solid, if uninspiring, gameplay is matched with an amazing soundtrack. Horns fill the air as you Stampede across lush plains. Terrifying music hits its crescendo as you sneak through the predatory hawk’s den. The last few areas of the game were as tense and emotionally fulfilling as I have experienced in a long time. There is no dialogue, no text, only hand-drawn images with the lightest of animations to join them, yet this story of guiding these majestic beasts hit me hard.
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.
Wrapping Things Up
Like I said, a short review of a short game that is absolutely brilliant. Herdling is a game I took on a whim, and I am so glad that I did. With minimal gameplay variety, it somehow creates an experience I doubt I’ll ever forget. Roger Ebert was wrong—video games are art, and Herdling is further proof of that.
Herdling
Played on
Steam
PROS
- Deeply Satisfying Emotionally
- Great OST
- Turns an ‘escort mission’ into something amazing
- Surprisingly beautiful
CONS
- Finicky Calicorn movements late game
