Okomotive's Herdling charging towards 2025 release

• Announcements by Jack Allin
• Published:

Scenic 3D alpine expedition from the creators of FAR: Lone Sails coming to PC and Playdate

Often the most memorable games are not so much about the destination as the journey, and that is certainly true of Herdling, the upcoming 3D wilderness adventure by Okomotive, the creators of FAR: Lone Sails and its sequel Changing Tides. 

There is little in the way of a plot driving the action in this game, whose story will emerge organically as you progress. Players control a young shepherd of sorts, whose responsibility is to move and protect a "motley herd" of Calicorns to the summit of a mountain. Calicorns are hairy bison-like creatures, but with more majestic antlers. They're loveable and affectionate creatures when treated kindly, and yet like any animal they are prone to going astray, especially when "eerie dangers and surprising obstacles" present themselves, as will inevitably happen as you guide them through their "grand alpine expedition" to the top. What is the mystery that awaits there? That's the wrong question, as the real joy here is in the experience of getting there!

While the developer's acclaimed FAR game were side-scrolling affairs, Herdling is the Swiss studio's first fully 3D game, though it too is set in a hauntingly beautiful but "fallen world." In an "emotional, wordless tale of trust, survival, and companionship," players can freely explore a variety of gorgeous environments, including "stunning mountainscapes, fog-wreathed forests, snowy plateaus, and forgotten valleys." Well, "freely" so long as you keep your herd safe and on the move, that is. You'll need to "hone your herding skills" if you're to "navigate a wide range of challenges, threats, and light environmental puzzles" along the way. Succeed in your task, though, and on occasional you'll be rewarded with the "rush of the mountain air alongside your herd in exhilarating stampede sequences."  

There is no firm target release date just yet, but Herdling will be published by Panic (Firewatch, Untitled Goose Game) and launched on Steam sometime in 2025, as well as the Playdate handheld device. To follow the game's progress while you wait, be sure to check out the official website for ongoing updates.