Gathering Sky

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

music73 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Gathering Sky features beautiful artwork and an incredible soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
The game provides a relaxing and meditative experience, allowing players to unwind while guiding a flock of birds through stunning landscapes.
It offers a unique and emotional journey, evoking feelings of connection and introspection as players navigate the skies.

The gameplay is very simplistic and can feel aimless, with little direction or challenge, leading some players to feel bored.
The game is quite short, typically taking only 30-60 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
There is a lack of a clear tutorial or introduction to the mechanics, making it difficult for some players to understand how to engage with the game effectively.

music
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
36%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the orchestral score as a standout feature that enhances the immersive experience. The soundtrack is described as calming and meditative, perfectly synchronized with the gameplay and visuals, creating a harmonious atmosphere that captivates players. While some find the gameplay simplistic, the combination of stunning art and a moving musical score makes it a unique and relaxing interactive experience.
- “The music is amazing and changes to match the mood of the story, the visuals change along with the music creating a harmonious balance.”
- “The music is so rich and just beautiful to listen to, and I think that in itself is worth your time and money.”
- “The music guides you on an emotional journey that finds you growing invested in your little bird, drawn in and surrounded by the sound.”
- “This is a music video of classical music that's long and boring.”
- “If i wanted to hear semi-irritating, but supposed to be calming and soothing music with mid-low quality graphics play by itself, I can just hop onto YouTube.”
- “If you've watched the videos and questioned, 'do I just fly around and listen to music?' yes, that's all there is.”
gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
61%
8%
The gameplay is characterized as simple and relaxing, focusing more on immersion and experience rather than challenging mechanics. Players guide a flock of birds through visually stunning environments while enjoying a complementary soundtrack, but many find the mechanics frustratingly opaque and lacking in depth. Overall, it is described as more of an artistic experience than a traditional game, appealing to those seeking a tranquil and atmospheric 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.”
- “The ease with which I found myself caring for my little, ragtag flock of birds, beset by the environment, jagged rocks, and forces that would tear us apart was frankly surprising, helped in no small measure by the incredible soundtrack, which would be worth the price of admission even without the visuals or the gameplay.”
- “This is a great, addictive, and yet relaxing game with beautiful backgrounds, delightful music, and simple 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
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
19%
11%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning artwork and painterly backgrounds, creating a relaxing and immersive experience. Players appreciate the fluid animation and the harmonious integration of visuals with the evocative soundtrack, which enhances the overall atmosphere. While some note that the graphics may not be technically advanced, the unique art style and beautiful visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm and emotional impact.
- “Only played half an hour or so but really enjoyed every second of it; it was so relaxing thanks to the gorgeous artwork and soundtrack.”
- “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.”
- “A contemplative, richly artistic experience that couldn't exist in any other medium; gathering Sky's thoughtful wordless narrative, painterly graphics, moving soundtrack, and gloriously fun sense of flight make this one of the best ~40 minutes you can spend in a game.”
- “If I wanted to hear semi-irritating, but supposed to be calming and soothing music with mid-low quality graphics play by itself, I can just hop onto YouTube.”
- “Beautiful art game with orchestral music and simple, hand-drawn visuals.”
- “Individually, the art style, the music, gameplay, level design, are all good.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The game's story is minimalistic and often described as more of an emotional journey than a traditional narrative, relying heavily on environmental storytelling, music, and visuals to convey themes of migration, loss, and personal reflection. While some players find the lack of a structured plot disappointing, others appreciate the opportunity to create their own meaning through the experience, resulting in a deeply personal connection to the game. Overall, the story is seen as subtle yet impactful, enhancing the gameplay despite its brevity and predictability.
- “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.”
- “The player's view is a little narrow, however, and the game quickly exhausts its repertoire of things going on, to the point where some of its additional plot features end up feeling a little contrived.”
- “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 introspective and emotionally rich experience, particularly beneficial for those dealing with anxiety or depression. Overall, it is praised for its ability to create a breathtaking emotional journey without being overly prescriptive.
- “Wonderful little game that made me feel things.”
- “Beautiful, atmospheric game that was both relaxing and surprisingly emotional.”
- “The music guides you on an emotional journey that finds you growing invested in your little bird, drawn in and surrounded by the sound.”
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 emotional journey, making it a captivating and memorable experience despite its short length. Overall, it successfully creates a tranquil yet impactful ambiance 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 nice painted backgrounds and 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 relaxing experience and emotional engagement, the lack of significant variation in gameplay and exploration restricts how often it can be replayed. Some find value in revisiting the game for its music and atmosphere, but overall, it may not provide enough diversity to warrant frequent 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, interactive experience akin to a visualized concert rather than traditional gameplay mechanics. Users appreciate how the environment and elements synchronize with the music, enhancing the overall aesthetic and emotional impact.
- “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
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is highlighted by players' creative expressions, such as writing reviews in the style of characters from popular shows like "That '70s Show," indicating a playful and engaging comedic tone throughout the experience.
- “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.”