Herdling Review – Herd Instinct

On the surface, it’s easy enough to describe Herdling, the newest title from Okamotive, better known for the FAR series. You, a child/teen, wake up underneath a bridge in what seems like a bustling city and make your way towards a mysterious beast called a Calicorn. After removing a bucket from its head and taming it, you venture forth through the empty streets, adding other Calicorns to your herd and exiting the city into the wild. Simple and wordless, but similar to FAR, it’s often what’s unsaid that can have the greatest impact.

The dichotomy between city life and navigating the wilderness would have been enough on its own. One such moment saw my herd moving alongside a train; another involved watching a lone car making its way across a bridge overhead, almost an analogy to how the protagonist started. And yet, Herdling goes beyond that, delivering a story about bonding and caring for your herd. This is despite knowing the bare minimum about them, but it fits surprisingly well with the protagonist’s own story.

We don’t know where they came from, how they ended up as such at the start, which makes it all the more endearing when they rescue and bring other Calicorns into the herd. Each of the creature’s predicaments offers enough context to help fill in the blanks. Did this Calicorn seek shelter and end up injured by something, causing it to retreat under a train car whenever I get too close? What about this other Calicorn who was left behind on the ferry in the middle of a lake?

"Each Calicorn stands out, some in extremely subtle ways and others more overtly. While I would have liked to see more distinguished personalities and moods develop at a quicker pace, their different movements, horns, and reactions upon being petted offer enough."

Of course, as time goes on, they evolve past “This and that Calicorn,” and even the names bestowed on them. Zoe, the first Calicorn I tamed, is big but also affectionate. It would be enough for the menu to indicate as much, but at times, it feels like she’s softly nudging towards me, as if wanting affection. Then there’s Gian, whom I saved from falling down a cliff, which he stood on before hanging on for dear life a second later. His bravery is reflected in his stoicism, but in a way, it reminds me of the trauma he overcame to keep going. Shinyuu is a rascal, and I still don’t understand why, but their happy-go-lucky, mischievous nature has grown on me.

Each Calicorn stands out, some in extremely subtle ways and others more overtly. While I would have liked to see more distinguished personalities and moods develop at a quicker pace, their different movements, horns, and reactions upon being petted offer enough. It’s something that stands out as you feed, pet, nurse them back to full health and even decorate them with various knick-knacks discovered on your travels. Outside of some odd antialiasing with the fur, the Calicorns come across as cute and endearing, but still very much like herd beasts. It makes more sense in-game, I swear.

There is a deeper narrative, one of a mysterious shepherd before the protagonist seemingly journeying on the same path, as depicted in paintings that only the Calicorns can activate and in different dreams. It makes you wonder whether this entire odyssey is pre-ordained, perhaps an ordeal of sorts that the herd and their shepherd must overcome.

The world-building doesn’t really factor the city in too much, but you will see different totems and monuments, indicating past journeys and those who came before. The sheer number of rundown buildings and abandoned infrastructure, coupled with the lack of other people, is another hint that something isn’t quite right with the world, but again, it’s not the core focus.

By now, you’re probably wondering: What even is the gameplay loop of Herdling? The title, as it turns out, is another clue. As the herd’s shepherd, it’s your job to direct them from one place to another. By pressing the Right Trigger, you motion the herd to a specific point. Holding it down allows for placing a continuously moving mark that they’ll follow, but it’s not a matter of just standing at one point and hitting RT. You need to remain behind the herd, carefully repositioning yourself to move the guiding mark, thus ensuring the herd has a clear path. Eventually, you’ll gain the option to hold down RT and press it again for a boost, which makes for some pretty incredible moments when you’re let loose in wider areas.

"What feels incredibly consistent throughout, however, is Herdling’s stunning art direction. At times, it’s vibrant, as dusk illuminates the seemingly endless fields of flowers and the clouds swirl above the mountains ahead."

There are light puzzles to solve along the way, usually moving heavy objects with the assistance of the herd, jumping across small gaps and flipping switches. However, things quickly become perilous when you must move the herd slowly to ensure they don’t touch any sharp environmental objects. One sequence involves slowly guiding them around pine cone-like structures in a forest, which crumble and provoke the giant birds within.

Slow movement and even outright stopping the herd at points to get into position to set the next marker is key in these instances, and downright intense, as is the pain felt when a Calicorn hurts itself, and you have no choice but to soldier on. As linear as the progression through the game’s various environments can be, I appreciated the alternate routes. Do I attempt to take the clearer path or have the herd gun it through some pine cones, picking up the flowers that lay after and just boosting out? It’s a small choice but offers some welcome alternatives for those who fancy their chances.

Similar challenges await, and at times, it can get a little awkward to maneuver the herd in tighter spaces, especially when they suddenly double back. Maneuvering the protagonist to ensure the guiding mark remained on the most straightforward path could also be a little tricky, especially since you end up bumping into other Calicorns at times. Holding down the sprint button helps for quick repositioning, and overall, these annoyances felt few and far between.

What feels incredibly consistent throughout, however, is Herdling’s stunning art direction. At times, it’s vibrant, as dusk illuminates the seemingly endless fields of flowers and the clouds swirl above the mountains ahead. Things can turn somber quickly, especially when crossing the giant lake on the ferry, as fog noticeably creeps in. Regardless, the lighting, shadows, and texture work stand out, while the aesthetic is a fine balance between animated and realistic.

"As much as it differs from FAR, especially in its lack of survival elements or machine management, Herdling carries a certain charm that’s unique to Okamotive, and makes for an experience that’s equal parts calming and emotionally harrowing."

The only real qualm during a few moments is the performance, as the frame rate can noticeably drop. It isn’t enough to render the experience unplayable, but it can slightly blemish some moments. Thankfully, the music suffers no such issues, transitioning from quiet to a catchy upbeat tune at a moment’s notice, even if it highly depends on the moments in question.

Aside from its controls and core mechanics, Herdling isn’t the most unorthodox adventure experience. The puzzles are far from head-scratchers, and the level design, well-paced and nuanced as it can be, is pretty straightforward. Nevertheless, as part mood piece, part atmospheric mystery and part animal bonding simulator, its presentation and emotions come together in a memorable package.

It certainly won’t demand too much of your time, but it feels like the appropriate length for what’s offered. As much as it differs from FAR, especially in its lack of survival elements or machine management, Herdling carries a certain charm that’s unique to Okamotive, and makes for an experience that’s equal parts calming and emotionally harrowing.

This game was reviewed on PC.