- Emotional story, stunning visuals, and music.
- Unique experience playing as a Border Collie.
- Exploration, puzzles, and narrative-focused gameplay.
- Generally stable technical performance.
- Clunky, unpolished controls and movement.
- Short, slow-paced, and repetitive gameplay.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 96% · Negative 4%. Score: 4 / 100
Positives:
- The game features a beautiful, well-told, and emotionally impactful story, enhanced by stunning visuals and a phenomenal soundtrack. The narrative explores themes of grief, loss, love, and healing, creating a deeply immersive and unforgettable experience for the player. Many reviewers reported crying or being deeply moved by the game's story and presentation.
- Reviewers highlight the unique and heartwarming experience of playing as a Border Collie named Chesley, emphasizing the strong connection between the dog and its owner. The game effectively portrays the dog's role in bringing comfort, joy, and healing to the human character, making it especially appealing to dog lovers. Many reviewers mentioned that the game reminded them of their own dogs.
- The game incorporates Scottish culture through its setting, music, and language, creating a unique and authentic atmosphere. The inclusion of Gaelic subtitles and references to Scottish folklore were particularly appreciated by reviewers, enhancing the game's immersive quality and cultural representation. The music is heavily inspired by traditional Celtic music.
- The act of restoring color to the world is a central mechanic that enhances both the gameplay and the storytelling. Reviewers found the gradual reveal of vibrant colors visually appealing and emotionally rewarding, contributing to a sense of progression and healing within the game's atmosphere. The beautiful environments further enhance the experience.
- Reviewers enjoyed exploring the game's world, discovering its secrets, and becoming engrossed in the adventure. The game provides an open-air feel, allowing players to kayak around lochs and waterways to explore islands. There is a lot to explore within each area/island.
Negatives:
- Players report clunky and unpolished controls, impacting movement, platforming, and canoeing. Specific issues include unresponsive dog movement, awkward animations, camera problems, and collision detection glitches. These control issues contribute to frustration and can even cause motion sickness in some players.
- Reviewers found the game to be short, slow-paced, and sometimes repetitive. The puzzles are simple, and the open areas lack engaging content, leading to a feeling that the game devolves into a walking simulator. Some chapters and tasks feel drawn out, and the story lacks surprises.
- The game lacks clear direction and a map, leading to disorientation and difficulty in navigation. Players get lost easily, especially when searching for collectibles or retracing steps. This lack of guidance can be frustrating and demotivating.
- Players have encountered various bugs and glitches, including game crashes, softlocks, and progression stoppers. These technical issues can disrupt the gameplay experience and force players to reload or restart sections. Some events or gates may also fail to trigger correctly.
- Some reviewers feel the game is overpriced for the amount of content it offers. The short playtime may not justify the cost for some players, especially considering the game's other shortcomings.
Gameplay:
- The core gameplay loop involves exploration, light puzzle-solving, and platforming, often described as a 'walking simulator'. Players control both the dog and its owner, traversing Scottish islands and interacting with the environment to progress the narrative. The game emphasizes the journey and story over complex challenges.
- Gameplay includes herding animals like sheep, coos, and chickens. Players can control either the border collie or its owner, with herding being a core activity. This mechanic adds a unique element to the puzzle-solving and exploration.
- The game incorporates Gaelic culture and language, adding to the setting and atmosphere. The soundtrack is reminiscent of other Scottish-themed games. This cultural integration enhances the player's immersion.
- The order of visiting islands for side stories is mostly non-linear, though some may be locked until sufficient progress is made. New mechanics are introduced after the initial islands, providing some surprises. The main story islands must be visited in a specific order.
- The game features wisps to collect, some of which are hidden and challenging to find. Mini-events involve chasing spirits, similar to collecting Koroks in Breath of the Wild. These collectibles add an extra layer of exploration.
Performance:
- The game's technical performance is generally stable, with many players reporting smooth gameplay and optimization on various hardware configurations, including the Steam Deck and lower-end PCs. However, some players have encountered minor bugs, collision glitches, and occasional crashes, though these issues appear infrequent and may be user-specific.
- Some players have reported getting stuck in the environment while attempting to take shortcuts to collectibles. This can disrupt the flow of exploration and create frustration.
Recommendations:
- The game is overwhelmingly praised and highly recommended by reviewers. Many consider it a must-play, a masterpiece, and a top favorite, often giving it perfect scores. Reviewers highlight the game's overall quality and express strong positive feelings.
- Reviewers appreciate the game's strong narrative and storytelling. Many recommend it to fans of story-driven games, praising its characters and themes. Some reviewers consider the storytelling superior to similar titles.
- The game is particularly recommended for players who enjoy dogs, nature, Scottish culture, and relaxing experiences. Reviewers suggest it's ideal for animal lovers and those seeking a gentle, thoughtful game.
- Some reviewers caution that the game's themes of loss and melancholic atmosphere may not be suitable for everyone, especially those dealing with grief or mental instability. One reviewer reported motion sickness issues.
- The game can be completed in a single evening, but reviewers suggest pacing the experience to fully appreciate the content. Some reviewers express a desire for a longer game in the same universe.
Miscellaneous:
- The game is described as an interactive experience that explores a range of emotions through symbolism. It is more akin to an art piece than a traditional game.
- These points indicate a high degree of personal connection and potentially biased perspectives. Some reviewers have personal connections to the game's development or subject matter, while others express intentions or actions driven by emotional responses to the game's themes or characters. These points are not constructive feedback.
- The game's narrative is presented in a slow-paced, fragmented manner, which may contribute to the low completion rate reported by players. Only a small percentage of players have finished the story at the time of review.
- The game utilizes a desaturated, greyish color palette, with specific colors used to guide the player's attention. The art style is simple but effective, ensuring that the focus remains on the story.
