Sky: Children of the Light Review

A Game Full of Light

Sky: Children of the Light is not just a game; it’s a peaceful experience. Devised by thatgamecompany inc, a studio that claims to focus on “creating timeless interactive entertainment that inspires human connection worldwide,” the game aligns a lot with the statement.

You play as a small flying character who brings light to a dark and quiet world. Right from the start, the game welcomes the players with a soft and magical sensation. Sky pulls you in with its dreamy music and glowing skies. There is no need to rush, and you can take your time and enjoy the view.

Calm and Relaxing Gameplay

This game is perfect for relaxing and exploring without requiring too much active attention. There’s no fighting or chasing. You explore open areas, fly across clouds, and light candles. The game lets you move at your own pace. There are no loud sounds or fast actions. It feels more like a gentle journey than a challenge, meant for players who just want to enjoy a peaceful moment.

I like the art style too, mainly because it’s abstract enough to be considered original, yet it retains roots to various aspects of characterization. For example: all the players, caped and flying off, have a distinct hairstyle or blocky anatomy. I also liked that there weren’t any overly sexualized NPCs or player characters.

 Unique and Beautiful Worlds

Each part of the game has its own look and feel. Some places look like old temples or quiet villages. Others feel like dreams or stories from another world. The art is soft and simple, but still very beautiful and helps you forget the real world for a while.

You can just get lost in the game, and its inner universe is lively and enchanting. I can’t quite put my finger on the reason, but I was reminded of Jumanji (1995).  Each level depicts certain geographical similarities to various countries or cultures. For example: Japanese pagodas and torii gates, Buddhist monasteries and many more.

Your Flame is Your Heart

As players explore Sky, they will encounter entities called lost spirits. These ethereal beings are the semitransparent remnants of beings who once shone brightly in the world of Sky, and play an import role in the game’s narrative. These spirits carry the history, hope, and sometimes the forgotten memories of the world. Players can interact with them to discover the lore and mysteries written with the game’s world.

Finding them also offers a gameplay benefit. Your character has a small flame which you warm and lets you fly. When you help lost spirits, your flame grows stronger. You can also share your flame with others to light their way. This idea of sharing light makes the game feel kind and warm. This consists of a significant message: it’s not about winning. It’s about helping and caring.

Work Together, if You Want

Sky gives players plenty of opportunities to interact with each other. You can chat with them too, but it’s not mandatory and more often than not all the players I interacted with have helped me progress forward within the levels. It was really touching because in an otherwise expected toxic online gaming sphere, interactions like in Sky have nothing to do with one-upping the other players. It’s mainly about exploring the path you are on and sometimes helping other players with their quests along the way. You might hold hands or light a candle together. It’s simple, but it means something.

Music and Sound That Feels Like Magic

The sound in this game is beautiful. The music changes with your journey. The soundscape within the game elevates the gameplay and ensures full engagement. It’s really enriching. I especially loved the loud belles, almost appealing enough that for a second I was ready to close my eyes and start meditating, like a Pavlovian meditator.

Easy to Play on Mobile

Even though this is a mobile game, the controls feel smooth. Flying is fun and simple, you just tap and hold to move. Sometimes it takes a moment to get used to flying, but it soon feels natural and so you don’t need fast fingers or expert skills. The pace of the narrative is fast enough that the player gets to explore and appreciate the level they are at.

Light on Your Phone, Heavy in Your Heart

Sky looks amazing and runs well. However, what stays with you is not the graphics. It’s the feeling. After playing, you may feel calm, happy, or even a little emotional (or at least I did). The game touches your heart in quiet ways. It is not loud, fast, or flashy. It’s soft, kind, and full of meaning. Likewise, it’s perfect for people who want a quiet game. It helps you relax. It makes you feel hopeful. And it reminds you that even in darkness, you can find light.

They are the children of light mainly because the game opens a portal that fosters a child like innocence and wonder about things (within the game). Similarly, the ‘light’ aspect of the title plays into the gameplay in an interesting way. There is both a luminous aspect within the game, as far as the ‘light’ is concerned. It’s visually stunning and engaging.

But the gameplay is also light. As in, it’s a very relaxed gaming experience. There is an overall quest, sure, but the game, I feel, was designed while keeping in mind the message that “The journey is far more important and exciting than the destination.”