Forward to the Sky
- January 28, 2015
- Animu Game
- 3h median play time
A fun, light platformer that won't really challenge you with excellent aesthetics
Get on SteamForward to the Sky is a 3D action-adventure game with puzzle elements. Players explore a mysterious tower, battling enemies and solving puzzles to uncover the truth about a forgotten kingdom. With beautiful graphics and a captivating story, Forward to the Sky offers an engaging experience for fans of action-adventure games.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Cute character design and vibrant graphics create an appealing aesthetic.
- The game features enjoyable puzzles that introduce new mechanics in each level.
- The light-hearted story and voice acting add charm to the overall experience.
- The game is very short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete.
- Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel repetitive and unengaging.
- Controls can be clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating platforming sections.
- story383 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story of *Forward to the Sky* is generally described as simple, predictable, and lacking depth, often compared to a children's fairy tale. Players must collect crystals to unlock segments of the narrative, which some found charming, while others criticized it as filler and unengaging. Overall, the story is seen as cute and light-hearted, appealing primarily to younger audiences, but it fails to leave a lasting impression on many players.
“The story is simple but solid and has a nice synergy in which you have to explore the levels to uncover it.”
“The story was cutesy and sweet, and the voice acting, while not amazing, was fitting for the characters, and helped bring them to life.”
“The story is light, airy, and cute.”
“The story is minimal, but also cute.”
“The story is very basic, adding nothing but a little charm to the game and the voice acting may feel a bit strange at first but I found that fits the game's style.”
“The story is not deep whatsoever, so if you can't find a statue, you're not really missing out on much.”
- gameplay244 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Forward to the Sky" is characterized by its simplicity and short duration, typically lasting around 1.5 to 3 hours. While each of the six levels introduces unique mechanics and puzzles, many players find the combat and platforming mechanics to be clunky and lacking depth, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its charming visuals and engaging story, the gameplay is often described as repetitive and not worth the price, with several reviewers recommending waiting for a discount.
“The gameplay features simple hack-and-slash mechanics, along with some challenging jumps and puzzles that require skill.”
“Each level introduces new mechanics and presents you with interesting puzzles.”
“Every level has its own theme and implements specific gameplay mechanics, which keeps the game fresh until the end.”
“Not recommended gameplay for a platformer that fails to deliver anything remotely interesting, with meh graphics and a forgettable story.”
“The final straw is the gameplay is as banal as it gets.”
“So in short I wouldn't recommend this game at all, even if you think 'it's just to kill some time' you'll be better off spending your money on another game since this one will frustrate you with its clunky, unintuitive design and gameplay.”
- graphics199 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of *Forward to the Sky* are generally described as cute and colorful, featuring an anime-inspired art style that appeals to fans of that aesthetic. However, many reviewers noted performance issues, including low frame rates and graphical glitches, which detracted from the overall experience. While the visuals are charming and reminiscent of early 2000s games, they are often criticized for being simplistic and lacking polish, leading to a mixed reception regarding their quality.
“The graphics are stunning, and the soundtrack and sound effects are satisfactory.”
“The graphics for the game were good, nice and colorful with a cute anime theme to it, the levels in the game are good, it wasn't really diverse but it's substitute that with having beautiful scenery to look at and explore.”
“The graphics are visually appealing, the music is pretty relaxing, and it's short, but sweet.”
“Performance was meh, with a shaky 30fps and constant dips in graphics.”
“Oh for this level of graphics, considering my strong hardware, the performance is complete and utter garbage.”
“The graphics are fair, if a little boxy - think late N64 or early PS2 grade.”
- music120 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its relaxing and atmospheric qualities that complement the visuals and gameplay. While some find the soundtrack charming and fitting, others criticize it for being repetitive or forgettable. Overall, the music is generally seen as a positive aspect, enhancing the game's appeal despite some technical shortcomings in mixing and variety.
“The music is sweet and fits the stages and story well, and the graphics from what I've seen look good even on lower settings.”
“The soundtrack is excellent and is the perfect background noise for one to work on their puzzle and platforming skills.”
“It's a nice, relaxing game with good music and pleasant, vibrant visuals.”
“Movement and combat feel spongy; the music is a short loop of stock audio; the story is completely forgettable.”
“Poor mixing and orchestration for the music; volume levels and sound quality are inconsistent.”
“The soundtrack is kind of forgettable.”
- optimization29 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 48 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues, including frequent frame rate drops to 30fps and stuttering, even on high-end hardware. While some players noted improvements in performance after the initial levels, the general consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, particularly for CPU usage, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. Despite its appealing graphics, the optimization shortcomings detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.
“The performance increases dramatically after that stage.”
“My only real complaints about this game are that it's a little buggy at times, and that it's slightly unoptimized, although the beautiful graphics through good presets don't look that much different in my eyes, giving a slight boost in performance with little graphic downgrade.”
“I would recommend it, it responds well and runs smoothly.”
“Oh for this level of graphics, considering my strong hardware, the performance is complete and utter garbage.”
“Terrible optimization and buggy hitboxes: for such a simple game it stutters without a pause, making the platforming a nightmare at times.”
“The stuttering and constant framerate issues make this game unplayable for me.”
- stability27 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many users reporting various glitches, bugs, and optimization issues that affect gameplay. While some players found the glitches to be minor and not game-breaking, others described the experience as clunky and frustrating, particularly in terms of controls and collision detection. Overall, the game appears to be unpolished, with a mix of enjoyable elements overshadowed by its technical imperfections.
“There were no glitches, nor were there weird hiccups.”
“It's not very buggy per se, but it has engine imperfections that lead to clunky handling of the heroine.”
“My only real complaints about this game is that it's a little buggy at times, and that it's slightly unoptimized, although the beautiful graphics through good graphic presets don't look that much different in my eyes, giving a slight boost in performance with little graphic downgrade.”
“Terrible optimization and buggy hitboxes: for such a simple game it stutters without a pause, making the platforming a nightmare at times.”
“This game feels like a janky, buggy Unity mess.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its minimal replayability, with most players noting that once levels are completed, there is little incentive to replay them. The primary motivation for replaying is to collect all in-level crystals for achievements, but this does not significantly enhance the experience. Many reviewers suggest that the game's short length and lack of additional content make it less appealing at full price, recommending it only during sales.
“Forward to the Sky is a very short (~1 hour) fairytale platformer with a very low difficulty level and moderate replayability.”
“If it's on sale, go for it, but keep in mind I 100% completed it in an hour and a half, and there's not really any replayability outside of trying to speedrun it.”
“Overall, the game is an enjoyable time, but some consideration should be put into whether it's worth the $8, considering its fairly short length and minimal replay value.”
“The only replayability is offered in collecting all in-level crystals to unlock achievements/storyboard images.”
“I don't think the game has much replay value once everything has been found - and, again, finding everything is fairly easy.”
“There is no replay value in this game.”
- atmosphere17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as charming, cute, and relaxing, with vibrant graphics and soothing music that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted, storybook-like quality, which evokes nostalgia and creates a pleasant, immersive environment. While the gameplay elements like platforming and combat are simple, they complement the delightful atmosphere, making for an enjoyable and stress-free experience.
“The puzzling sections are enjoyable, and the graphics and music create a pleasant atmosphere.”
“Finally finished it and I can tell you the atmosphere and soundtrack are absolutely awesome.”
“The atmosphere of this game is gorgeous and immersive.”
“The platforming is okay, the combat is simple, and the overall atmosphere of the game is cute, with the chibi princess protagonist and witch girl.”
“I was drawn into the carefree atmosphere of the game.”
“Forward to the Sky was a great experience, filled with cute graphics and a relaxing atmosphere.”
- emotional17 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartwarming and touching story that resonates with players, despite its brevity and simplicity. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of joy and sadness, culminating in a satisfying conclusion, while some players noted that the voice acting could be awkward at times. Overall, the narrative, though not groundbreaking, effectively enhances the gameplay experience and leaves a positive impression.
“It's short, not too difficult, and it's backed by a simple but heartwarming story.”
“Heartbreaking story but a good ending.”
“2 hours of good gameplay and a touching story, worth the money.”
“So beautiful you'll want to cry.”
- humor12 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of funny and cringe-worthy dialogues, with players finding the voice acting and script amusing yet somewhat simplistic and childlike. While some aspects, like janky controls and graphical hiccups, contribute to the humor, the overall comedic effect is described as uninspired and flat at times. Despite these critiques, many players appreciate the game's lightheartedness and find enjoyment in its quirky puzzles and humorous moments.
“The dialogues were funny and cringe.”
“Janky controls, janky animation, janky physics and collision detection, hilarious voice acting.”
“The script and voice acting are downright hilarious.”
“It's not funny bad, it's just uninspired, flat, and boring.”
“The jokes feel forced and lack any real wit or charm.”
“I expected a lot of laughs, but instead, I just rolled my eyes.”
- character development8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
While the game features charming and aesthetically pleasing character designs reminiscent of anime, many users feel that there is a lack of meaningful character development. The dialogue, particularly from the princess, is often seen as excessive and detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are praised, but the depth of character growth is notably absent.
“I love her character design, and it is a lot of fun to watch her hair and bow bob up and down as you play.”
“Pro: nice aesthetics, charming character design.”
“It has beautiful graphics and cute character design.”
“They were clearly going for that 'cutesy' anime style when it comes to the character design and voices, but it's annoying, and it's unnecessary how often we get dialogue from the princess just thinking out loud about the crystals and the witch.”
“For starters, there is no character development or anything of that nature.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking depth, with some levels feeling plain and repetitive. While there are no grinding achievements or significant challenges, the overall experience can lead to boredom, especially in later levels. The game could benefit from more engaging content to maintain player interest.
“No grinding, no secrets to find, no boss to plan several hours to defeat.”
“Some accelerator controls are fine, but it can be tedious in some parts when you go off the stage if you're not careful enough. It feels like you're being thrown into a painful, whimsical world of regret!”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The levels could also use some refining or added detail; they look really plain. I don't mind puzzles as much as the next person, but these ones are pretty tedious and get old pretty quickly. I couldn't really make it past the 4th level without getting bored and wanting to close the game, which means the game could use a little extra something to help keep the attention of a player.”
