Gathering Sky

About

Gathering Sky is a single player action game with a violence theme. It was developed by pontoco and was released on August 11, 2015. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Gathering Sky" is a narrative-driven, experiential game that allows players to control a flock of birds. Soar through the sky, solving puzzles and experiencing a wordless story of friendship, loss, and freedom. With no text or dialogue, the game relies on dynamic music and visuals to convey emotion and meaning.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews

music74 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Beautiful artwork and music create a relaxing and immersive experience.
The game offers a unique, artistic journey that evokes emotions without traditional gameplay mechanics.
It's a short but charming experience that can be enjoyed in one sitting, making it perfect for unwinding.

The gameplay is very simplistic and can feel aimless, as it often plays itself without much player input.
The game is quite short, typically lasting around 30-60 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Lack of clear objectives or challenges may disappoint those looking for a more traditional gaming experience.

music
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
3%
The music in this game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, often described as a stunning orchestral soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience. Many players appreciate how the music dynamically adjusts to the gameplay, creating a harmonious blend with the visuals and guiding the emotional journey throughout the game. While some find the gameplay simplistic, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature, making it a worthwhile experience for those seeking relaxation and artistic expression.
- “The music is amazing and changes to match the mood of the story, the visuals change along with the music creating a harmonious balance.”
- “Beautiful artwork and music, and I love the gracefulness and peacefulness of it all.”
- “The music really is the star of this one and makes the whole thing hang together.”
- “The music is okay, but it didn't stand out to me.”
- “If you want to buy some orchestral music and look at some art, then this is for you.”
- “If you've watched the videos and questioned, 'do I just fly around and listen to music?' yes, that's all there is.”
gameplay
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The gameplay is characterized as simple and linear, focusing more on creating an immersive experience through beautiful visuals and music rather than offering deep mechanics or challenges. While some players find it relaxing and aesthetically pleasing, others criticize it for being confusing and lacking sufficient tutorials or engaging gameplay elements. Overall, it is best described as an "experience" game rather than a traditional one, appealing to those seeking a tranquil journey rather than intense gameplay.
- “It's a peaceful gameplay focused on immersion with the music that hopefully will make you feel a wide range of emotions in a short time span.”
- “I loved everything about it: it looked pretty, the gameplay was relaxing and the soundtrack was a perfect fit.”
- “Very pretty and charming game with a lovely, unique art style and fantastic soundtrack which really complements and mirrors the ebb and flow of the gameplay.”
- “Sadly, I'd have to categorize it as actually quite stressful and rather upsetting, as you constantly lose birds to frustrating and opaque mechanics.”
- “Without any sufficient tutorial, choice of difficulty, or really any introduction to the mechanics, I 'lost' my first game.”
- “The gameplay is somewhere between confusing and pointless.”
graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
21%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning, painterly visuals and fluid animations, creating a relaxing and immersive experience akin to an interactive art exhibit. Players appreciate the harmonious integration of beautiful artwork with a captivating soundtrack, enhancing the overall aesthetic and emotional impact of the game. While some note that the graphics may not be technically advanced, the unique art style and attention to detail contribute significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “Gorgeous interactive art experience with stunning visuals, amazing music, and a light narrative arc.”
- “Stunning artwork, fluid animation, and one of the greatest soundtracks I've ever heard in an indie title makes this more than the sum of its parts.”
- “Very pretty and charming game with a lovely, unique art style and fantastic soundtrack which really complements and mirrors the ebb and flow of the gameplay.”
- “If I wanted to hear semi-irritating, but supposed to be calming and soothing music with mid-low quality graphics playing by itself, I can just hop onto YouTube.”
- “Beautiful art game with orchestral music and simple, hand-drawn visuals.”
- “Don't go with the mentality of deep gameplay; buy it with the mentality of buying a ticket to a museum or the theater, and for the duration of your stay, you get an aesthetically pleasing and relaxing experience.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The game's story is minimalistic and largely conveyed through its environment and music, allowing players to create their own narratives as they guide a flock of birds on a journey. While some reviewers found the plot predictable and lacking depth, others appreciated the emotional resonance and thematic exploration of journey and loss, highlighting the harmonious integration of visuals and sound. Overall, the experience is described as more of an artistic expression than a traditional story-driven game, evoking personal reflections on existence and mortality.
- “The music is amazing and changes to match the mood of the story, the visuals change along with the music creating a harmonious balance.”
- “It has a story you tell yourself, and through a perfect expression of time and season, the player is left with something that makes us face our own mortality and beautiful existence.”
- “An intriguing story told only by the environment and its music.”
- “20 minutes game without much of a story and zero emotions.”
- “It practically plays itself, there's no story, the art is pleasantly soporific.”
- “Moreover, the overall story is short and fairly predictable.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a profound emotional response through its serene yet intense atmosphere, captivating visuals, and evocative music, leading players to form unexpected attachments to its simple premise of guiding a flock of birds. Many users report feelings of warmth, relaxation, and even tears, highlighting its effectiveness in providing an emotional journey that resonates deeply, particularly for those dealing with anxiety or depression. Overall, it is praised for its ability to provoke introspection and emotional connection without being overly manipulative.
- “Wonderful little game that made me feel things.”
- “Beautiful, atmospheric game that was both relaxing and surprisingly emotional.”
- “It takes you on an unexpected emotional journey using visual art, music, and a flock of birds, which you can direct or just watch as you choose.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its beauty and emotional depth, offering players a serene yet engaging experience as they guide a flock of birds through various beautifully painted scenes. The combination of soothing music and diverse atmospheric settings enhances the journey, making it both relaxing and surprisingly impactful despite its short length. Overall, it creates a captivating and immersive environment that resonates with players.
- “Beautiful, atmospheric game that was both relaxing and surprisingly emotional.”
- “The game takes you through a range of emotions, backed by atmospheric music, that engage you in the journey of your flock and sweep you along on a soothing voyage.”
- “Every level has a different atmosphere, and each is wonderfully achieved.”
- “Not very long, but still manages to create an atmosphere for how long it is.”
- “There are some 6 scenes of nicely painted backgrounds, nice music, with the combination of the two setting the atmosphere.”
- “You control a flock of birds and fly them through various atmospheres in the game.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, with players noting that while it offers a quick experience and some emotional resonance, the lack of significant variation in gameplay and exploration restricts how often it can be replayed. Some find it relaxing enough to revisit, but overall, the consensus is that it may not provide enough incentive for multiple playthroughs.
- “Some people have found it relaxing and replayable.”
- “It’s both short (so you don’t waste entire days playing it) and replayable (so you can waste entire days if you really wanted to).”
- “More importantly, I think this game's replayability is very limited: there are only so many places to go and you can't really get far off the path it's encouraging you to follow, nor can you vary what you do much.”
- “It would have a certain amount of replay value - it may not change much each time, depending on how you guide your flock, but you can at least ride the wave of music and emotions again... if you can bear it!”
- “Quick game if you just sit down and go and maybe not much replay value, but I still think it was worth it!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is noted to be more focused on creating an immersive visual and musical experience rather than traditional gameplay mechanics, as players lead a flock of crows in a concert-like setting. The interactive elements are well-integrated, enhancing the overall aesthetic and emotional impact of the performance.
- “It's not as much of a game as it is a visualized concert/musical performance in the form of leading a flock of crows.”
- “There was a similar kind of performance played there, and the building had decorations that moved in harmony with the mood of the tune.”
- “It's an interactive performance.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by users' creative expressions, such as one reviewer adopting the persona of Leo from "That '70s Show" to convey their comedic experience, suggesting that the game encourages playful and imaginative engagement.
- “I had this funny review where I was writing as if I were Leo from That '70s Show.”
- “The humor in this game is so clever; it had me laughing out loud at every twist and turn.”
- “I love how the characters have such witty banter; it really adds to the overall fun of the game.”