On seeing Herdling at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase this year, I knew it was one I wanted to experience. There was a sense of mystery to it, with a human guiding the Calicorns across various areas. More than that, I felt this would be another zen-style adventure upon seeing more about it. Developer Okomotive have certainly created such, with a powerful drive to see this journey through.

Starting out in a run-down city, the player character wakes up in an underpass. I get control here, able to run out of the underpass and to a car park. Where a Calicorn has got its head stuck in a bucket. Picking up a stick that appears, I pull the bucket from its head and find I have the power to connect with it. To tame it. And name it, which is something I found sweet. A way to get a player to connect with each Calicorn they find. Naturally, I named it Brandon.

Through the city I lead this Calicorn, using the simple controls Herdling has to do so. Simply put, when I press the button to herd them along, the Calicorn moves away from where I am positioned. It’s not long before I come across the first simple puzzles and two other Calicorn to tame and name. Again, I reached for familiar names, diving into the characters of The Alternate Adventures of Halesowen.

Out of the city, I find myself on a large expanse of field with some farms visible. This is where the charge gets introduced. Using blue flowers to power it, each Calicorn in the herd allows one charge. While no danger is present in the early parts of this roughly three-and-a-half-hour journey, should a Calicorn be injured, that is one less charge to use. Feeding a berry will fix them right up, though.

Speaking of interacting with the Calicorn, they can be petted at any time. If they get dirty, they can be cleaned. And around the world, trinkets can be found. These can be placed on the horns of one of the Calicorn. While not specifically interacting with the Calicorn, the simple photo mode of Herdling allows for some lovely shots to be taken of the herd and its guide. Yes, I could not resist it.

As for the dangers and the mystery, it seems something has chased the Calicorns away from their home. A spirit wants them to return. As a guide who can connect with the spiritual energy of these Calicorns, together we encounter paintings that open ways to continue. When sleeping at campfires, dreams show fragments of a story, revealing what happened to the Calicorns.

Bird-like creatures will attack the Calicorns once in the mountains. If the ground breaks underneath a Calicorn, I need to pull it back up. No, I didn’t stand and watch just to see what would happen. Though the autosave is frequent enough I could have tested it. On occasion, sharp objects can be found which will also injure the Calicorns. There’s no real sense of danger from everything I encountered, though I was surprised enough during one of the set pieces Herdling has to think that I’d failed it.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about Herdling is the sense of wonder that comes from these locations. Sure, an abandoned train station might not be the most interesting of places, but that soon makes way for a forest, a mountain path, and the snow-covered mountain tops. The ending sequence is also such a great one, having battled my way to the peak to then head back down it on the other side to the final stop on this journey.

Along this journey, I did encounter a few stutters and slowdowns. Not enough to affect enjoyment, but certainly noticeable. One thing I feel might come down to playing a Switch game on Switch 2 is the slight blurriness to the visuals, which otherwise look great. For audio, one thing that helps the zen-like feel is the peaceful music that plays while exploring. Which then becomes loud and sweeping upon transitioning to a new area or during one of the set pieces.

Herdling, then, is every bit as great a journey as I could have wanted. Simple puzzles and a lack of real danger make this another great zen-like experience. The easy controls to guide the herd, the interactions I can share with them, and the photo mode all make this a journey that is worth experiencing. Which is why I can easily recommend it. For anyone wanting a short adventure with not a word spoken, this is well worth checking out.

Images Taken From:
Herdling | Nintendo Switch 2