A Highland Song

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 250 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
A Highland Song Game Cover
A Highland Song is an incredible game with fascinating details about Scottish folklore and stunning visuals.
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"A Highland Song" is a platforming and survival game set in the Scottish Highlands. Traverse rugged landscapes, climb peaks, and explore caves while dealing with the elements to survive. Collect map fragments to discover faster routes, and learn the region's stories and secrets as you journey to the sea, all to the rhythm of traditional Celtic music. Replayability is encouraged with multiple paths and challenges.

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Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 250 reviews
music89 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning visuals and a beautiful art style that captures the essence of the Scottish Highlands.
  • The soundtrack, featuring Scottish folk music, enhances the immersive experience and complements the gameplay.
  • Exploration is rewarding, with many secrets and paths to discover, encouraging replayability.
  • The navigation can be confusing, with unclear map mechanics and difficulty in distinguishing foreground and background layers.
  • The time limit to reach the lighthouse can create unnecessary pressure, detracting from the exploration experience.
  • Some gameplay mechanics, such as climbing and rhythm sections, can feel finicky and frustrating at times.
  • music168 mentions

    The music in "A Highland Song" has been widely praised for its beautiful and immersive quality, featuring a stunning soundtrack composed by Laurence Chapman alongside traditional Scottish folk music. Players appreciate how the music enhances the exploration experience, with rhythm-based segments that add a unique gameplay element, although some found these sections to be infrequent. Overall, the combination of enchanting melodies and atmospheric sound design contributes significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.

    • “The music is phenomenal and the art style is beautiful.”
    • “The entire soundtrack consists of Scottish tunes that ooze the sensation of freedom and adventure with every note.”
    • “A highland song is everything it promises to be: a 2D platformer full of wonder, tradition, and mystery, a rhythm game of brilliant Scottish music, and a survival adventure that requires thoughtful decision-making, all rolled into one.”
    • “There is no enjoyment to be had in it, the music is, at best, mediocre, the narrative is uninteresting, and the voice actor's incessant groaning and panting, which she does while doing everything she does, is quite distracting.”
    • “My only complaints are that the musical sections feel punitive when you mess up because messing up one note means you receive no increased stamina.”
    • “On the one hand the game wants to be a chill and relaxing game with a lot of music and quiet exploration but on the other hand the game wants you to run as fast as you can to your goal.”
  • story88 mentions

    The story of "A Highland Song" is praised for its beautiful integration of Scottish folklore, stunning visuals, and engaging music, creating an atmospheric experience that unfolds dynamically as players explore. While many appreciate the depth and charm of the narrative, some find the overarching plot predictable and the gameplay mechanics frustrating, which can detract from the storytelling experience. Overall, the game offers a heartfelt journey with multiple paths and lore to discover, though it may require patience to fully appreciate its narrative richness.

    • “The story is of a girl who runs away to travel over the Scottish Highlands to the sea.”
    • “The hills are full of stories and magic, and when you recognize and interact with the narrative, you are rewarded not just with more story, but with useful items or features to help you on your way.”
    • “With heartfelt vocal performances and a beautiful story that pieces itself together over time, there is a lot to love in A Highland Song.”
    • “The difficulties of trying to work with the map system, the frustration of when you're on the clock and you waste time, and the unsatisfying tension between trying to go off the path to find some bit of new story versus the clock overhead: it just wasn't particularly fun, and a disappointment as someone who has loved the replayability in their previous games.”
    • “The game is voiced with some great talent, but in the 40 minutes that I played, I wasn't gripped enough by their story to slog through the systems that didn't click for me.”
    • “This is a cool concept in theory, but the downside is that the ending feels underwhelming, if not outright confusing, the first time you see it because you're expected to play more than once to get the full context, and it's hard for a story's conclusion to make an impact when it isn't given the proper buildup first.”
  • gameplay81 mentions

    The gameplay of "A Highland Song" is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the exploration and platforming mechanics while others find them frustrating and buggy. The game features a blend of casual platforming, rhythm sections, and light survival elements, but many reviewers noted a lack of variety and clarity in mechanics, leading to moments of confusion and monotony. Overall, while the atmosphere, visuals, and narrative are praised, the gameplay itself often falls short of expectations, leaving players divided on their experience.

    • “The gameplay is incredibly fun, making this game a must-play for anyone seeking a relaxing yet engaging gaming experience.”
    • “The gameplay is nice, a mix of platforming and looking for collectibles.”
    • “The thrill of success violins as you climb peaks while taking Moira from her home to the lighthouse is just one of the many gameplay elements that tickle a puzzler's mind in just the right way.”
    • “The gameplay seemed rather empty, boring, and monotonous to me.”
    • “However, gameplay-wise, it is a bit clunky; the rhythm parts are repetitive and the exhaustion mechanic is annoying after playing for a while.”
    • “It's very atmospheric, but the gameplay is really a complete disaster.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, beautiful locales, and immersive visuals that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of gorgeous artwork, engaging music, and effective voice acting, which together create a captivating atmosphere. While some minor graphical glitches have been noted, they do not significantly detract from the game's aesthetic appeal, making it a visually enchanting experience overall.

    • “Gorgeous artwork, voice acting, and a banger soundtrack shroud the gameplay like a fluffy blanket I wanted to curl up in for hours.”
    • “Brimming with personality, and the gorgeous artwork and soundtrack capture the scale and beauty of the Scottish highlands like no other game I’ve ever played.”
    • “Absolutely beautiful visuals, lovely voice acting and writing, and a really creative kind of platforming that switches between climbing, rhythm game, and slow-paced exploration.”
    • “Some minor graphical glitches in the reflections spoil some of the visuals.”
    • “I found an issue between Windows HDR and the game that absolutely murdered my graphics.”
    • “While I've fixed most of my graphic issues, sometimes, during rain in particular, the low contrast can strain my eyes.”
  • atmosphere22 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning visuals, evocative sound design, and rich world-building that create a cozy and serene experience. Players appreciate the blend of storytelling and exploration, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a low-key, atmospheric adventure. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, despite some criticisms of the gameplay mechanics.

    • “Still, I think this game is way more positive than negative, and if you're looking for a cozy, vacation atmosphere, this is a perfect fit.”
    • “The art style is not only gorgeous, but it also perfectly complements the serene and calming atmosphere.”
    • “Every moment is very atmospheric, and the mix of the story of the game, the folklore interwoven with it and just running and climbing through the hills is working really, really well.”
    • “The atmosphere created is the crucial element of the experience, and sound and music play a vital role.”
    • “Charming atmosphere; I'd recommend it for people who want a very low-key ambient chill-out experience.”
    • “There's the sound design that does a lot for the atmosphere and immersion, and the same goes for all the bits of stories, myths, and secrets.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, with players noting the ability to explore new paths, uncover secrets, and achieve different objectives across multiple playthroughs. While some found the map system frustrating, many appreciated the balance between replay value and content depth, making each run feel unique and rewarding. Overall, the game is designed to encourage exploration and optimization, ensuring that players can enjoy multiple runs while discovering new elements of the story and gameplay.

    • “This virtually guarantees the game is replayable, just to accomplish more of the objectives.”
    • “Exploring the Scottish Highlands feels satisfying thanks to gorgeous music/scenery and the sheer quantity of secrets to be found, and it's designed with replayability in mind so that every playthrough feels unique.”
    • “Exploring the Scottish Highlands feels satisfying thanks to gorgeous music and scenery, and the sheer quantity of secrets to be found. It's designed with replayability in mind so that every playthrough feels unique.”
    • “The most interesting I found, however, was how the game managed to strike a delicate balance between replayability and the amount of content within each playthrough, which is not an easy thing for a narrative-focused game.”
    • “Between the vast number of ways to reach the aforementioned point B, the large number of completionist goals, and the revelation that the story changes based on how (and how quickly) you reach your destination, there is a fair amount of replayability in this game for people who want to know every aspect of Moira's world as well as Moira herself.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming tale of self-discovery set in the Scottish Highlands, evoking strong feelings that resonate with players, often leading to tears. While some players experienced frustration with gameplay mechanics, the beautiful storytelling, heartfelt vocal performances, and the game's ability to convey deep emotional narratives make it a memorable and touching experience. Overall, it is celebrated as an underrated gem that combines joy and emotional depth.

    • “I cried, I won't lie.”
    • “A beautiful game about getting lost in the Scottish Highlands, a clear homage to both the place and culture, accompanied by a heartwarming tale of self-discovery. Some sections are hard, but you mustn't take your wonder through the game in any stressful manner. Ignore the timer; it's fine, you can leave that for the next Beltane. The controls for some things could be sharper, but I never felt like it took away from the experience. I would recommend a controller; this is an underrated gem of a game.”
    • “With heartfelt vocal performances and a beautiful story that pieces itself together over time, there is a lot to love in 'A Highland Song'.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Overall, players find that while the game minimizes tediousness in replays and encourages exploration, certain mechanics, particularly related to navigation and climbing, can feel frustratingly slow and cumbersome. This leads to a mixed experience where grinding can become annoying, despite the game's intention to promote a more leisurely pace.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Finding paths to progress using in-game, hand-drawn maps is tedious and unfun.”
    • “So tedious and annoying.”
    • “And because the controls, particularly the climbing, feel just a little off and slow, it becomes tedious and annoying.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game exhibits notable stability issues, with players reporting buggy climbing mechanics and minor graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, some gameplay elements can lead to confusion and frustrating dead ends, further highlighting the game's instability.

    • “Some of the climbing mechanics are buggy, and the 2.5D art also makes the platforming confusing in some places.”
    • “Some minor graphical glitches in the reflections spoil some of the visuals.”
    • “The gameplay is generally charming and fascinating, but it can lead to apparent dead ends and annoying cases of going around in circles, partly due to the buggy mechanics.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game features two distinct modes: an open exploration mode where time is not a constraint, and a speed run mode focused on optimization. Players appreciate the balance between these modes, which enhances the overall experience while enjoying the game's engaging narrative and vocal performances.

    • “After my first playthrough, I understood there were contrasting modes: open exploring where (very mild spoiler) [spoiler] time doesn't really matter [/spoiler] and a speed run/optimization goal.”
    • “After my first playthrough, I understood there were contrasting modes: open exploration where time doesn't really matter, and a speed run/optimization goal.”
    • “The optimization mechanics feel half-baked, making it frustrating to achieve the desired results.”
    • “I found the optimization aspect to be poorly implemented, leading to a lack of meaningful choices during gameplay.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is perceived as a form of unofficial advertising for VisitScotland, suggesting that the game primarily serves promotional purposes rather than providing a purely entertaining experience.

    • “My conclusion: VisitScotland now has its unofficial advertisement game.”
    • “The monetization in this game feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money at every turn, which ruins the enjoyment.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly highlighting moments like the unexpected and amusing experience of flying with an eagle, which adds a delightful surprise to gameplay.

    • “My favorite experience in this game so far was flying with the eagle, because it was a nice and funny surprise.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
2-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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