The Stillness of the Wind

64%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,049 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
The Stillness of the Wind Game Cover
Only fiddly controls and minor pacing issues mar a melancholic and affecting story, simply and refreshingly told.
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In "The Stillness of the Wind" , you play as Talma, the last resident of a departed village, living a solitary life and maintaining a farm. Engage in daily routines like tending to goats, making cheese, growing vegetables, and scaring off birds. As the traveling merchant brings letters from the city, a contrasting view of life and loss emerges in this quiet, introspective game.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

64%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,049 reviews
story168 positive mentions
grinding166 negative mentions
  • Beautiful art style and atmosphere that enhances the emotional experience.
  • A poignant and introspective story that explores themes of loneliness, aging, and loss.
  • Engaging gameplay that encourages players to reflect on their daily routines and the passage of time.
  • Slow pacing and repetitive tasks can lead to boredom and frustration for some players.
  • Lack of clear instructions and mechanics can make gameplay confusing.
  • The story can feel vague and disjointed, leaving players wanting more clarity and resolution.
  • story626 mentions

    The story in "The Stillness of the Wind" is a poignant exploration of loneliness, loss, and the passage of time, primarily conveyed through letters from the protagonist's family. While the narrative evokes strong emotions and features beautiful writing, many players find it vague and confusing, often struggling to connect with the plot due to its slow pacing and abstract storytelling. Overall, the game is recommended for those who appreciate a contemplative experience, though it may not satisfy players seeking a more traditional or engaging gameplay structure.

    • “A story that truly evokes emotion, especially after investing the time we put into it.”
    • “Beautiful art style and a story that discusses our mortality and the choices we made along the way.”
    • “What starts as a beautifully simple slice of life game takes a slow spiral into a gnawing story about loss and how things fall apart.”
    • “I won't spoil the ending (or rather, endings?) but it just leaves you kind of empty, and I spent time picking up and clicking on everything I could find that would give me more story and background and I'm still not entirely sure what happened.”
    • “The story is just confusing.”
    • “Nothing you do matters and the farming element is 100% just something to do while they drip-feed you a very bleak and confusing story.”
  • gameplay218 mentions

    The gameplay of "Stillness of the Wind" is characterized by its slow pace and repetitive farming mechanics, which some players find tedious and frustrating due to glitches and unclear controls. While the minimalistic gameplay aligns with the game's introspective narrative about aging and solitude, many reviewers feel that it lacks engagement and variety, making it more of an experience to appreciate for its story rather than for its mechanics. Overall, the game prioritizes narrative over gameplay, which may not resonate with everyone, especially those seeking more dynamic interactions.

    • “It has an addictive and calm gameplay; everything felt the way it should as a relaxing type of game for the first few days, but soon things will start to change.”
    • “Most of the gameplay consists of your daily routine: milking and breeding goats, making cheese, collecting chicken eggs, growing food, and foraging for wild mushrooms found around your farm, while most of the story and lore is conveyed through the letters and books you receive from the post.”
    • “The slow pace and minimalistic mechanics contribute to this ambiance, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the game's introspective narrative.”
    • “On the other hand, the few gameplay mechanics that do exist are broken.”
    • “The gameplay loop is about as interesting as watching paint dry while blindfolded.”
    • “Stillness of the Wind bundles a beautiful art style, wonderful soundtrack, and interesting story, then soils the whole thing with tedious gameplay that never ends up being enjoyable.”
  • grinding166 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "The Stillness of the Wind" is characterized by its repetitive and slow-paced farming mechanics, which many players find tedious and lacking in meaningful engagement. While the game presents itself as a farming simulator, it ultimately serves as a backdrop for a deeper narrative, leading to mixed feelings about the gameplay experience; some appreciate the meditative quality, while others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment. Overall, players suggest that those seeking a traditional farming experience may be disappointed, as the game prioritizes storytelling over farming mechanics.

    • “It's somewhat tedious and boring which might just as well be the whole point of it and maybe there will be more to do and see later, but I lost interest before I got to that.”
    • “Nothing you do matters and the farming element is 100% just something to do while they drip-feed you a very bleak and confusing story.”
    • “The stillness of the wind bundles a beautiful art style, wonderful soundtrack and interesting story then soils the whole thing with tedious gameplay that never ends up being enjoyable.”
  • emotional150 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its ability to evoke deep feelings, with many players reporting that it made them cry and left them feeling heartbroken yet uplifted. The narrative, while initially appearing as a simple farming simulator, unfolds into a poignant exploration of themes like solitude and generational relationships, often leading to moments of existential reflection. Despite some criticisms regarding pacing and gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game offers a unique and impactful emotional experience that resonates long after playing.

    • “Beautiful, heart-wrenching, heartwarming... this game will uplift you while gutting you emotionally.”
    • “It is highly recommended because of how I felt when I reached the ending, and it made me feel some emotions I didn't want to feel, but I appreciated it anyway and made me pause and think a lot after the ending.”
    • “Perhaps the most emotional a game has ever made me feel, in a deeply introspective kind of way.”
  • graphics108 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, which creates a captivating atmosphere that enhances the emotional storytelling. Many players appreciate the soothing color palette and charming visuals, although some note that technical issues and gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite its gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The art style, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack, creates a sense of peace and tranquility that envelopes the player throughout their time in Talma's world.”
    • “This game is absolutely beautiful in both visuals and story.”
    • “The color theme is very enticing and pleasing to the eye, along with the art style where details are soft and are playfully put together.”
    • “Wouldn't recommend, there is a bug with the gathering basket and even though the artwork is rather pleasing and pretty.”
    • “The graphics are stylized which makes for a unique visual experience, but regardless of what functions you actually perform on the farm, the outcome is always the same.”
    • “Lovely atmosphere and aesthetic but just plain bad game design in many areas, and game-breaking bugs that remain unaddressed months and years after being reported.”
  • atmosphere74 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, often described as serene, mysterious, and contemplative. Players appreciate the engaging art style and soundtrack, which enhance the overall experience, although some note that gameplay mechanics can detract from the atmosphere due to bugs and lack of direction. Despite its flaws, the atmospheric storytelling and aesthetic appeal make it a worthwhile experience for fans of slow-paced, narrative-driven games.

    • “Absolutely gorgeous story and atmosphere; it was truly an experience.”
    • “One of the standout aspects of the game is its serene atmosphere.”
    • “It's slow, bleak, and futile, and yet at the same time, wonderful, atmospheric, and immersive.”
    • “Gameplay is tedious which I wouldn't mind if the story or atmosphere carried the rest of the game, but it doesn't.”
    • “Just sad that the ending is depressing, I was expecting that the atmosphere should be peaceful as it brings rest to her contented solitary life and make her entrance to the afterlife beautiful.”
    • “A few minor bugs here and there, that should be addressed, as they put a slight damper on the atmosphere and immersion.”
  • music56 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional experience. Players appreciate the ambient soundtrack, which evokes nostalgia and tranquility, complementing the charming art style. While the gameplay may be repetitive, the relaxing music and sound effects contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a comforting experience for many.

    • “The art style, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack, creates a sense of peace and tranquility that envelopes the player throughout their time in Talma's world.”
    • “What really grabs my attention is the ambient music playing in the background; it's incredibly soothing and evokes a sense of nostalgia.”
    • “Love everything from the atmosphere, the aesthetics, and the soundtrack.”
    • “The laughter and songs stop coming.”
    • “The game is quite beautiful with a charming design and soothing soundtrack but do not expect exciting gameplay.”
    • “Farming does take time and is repetitive, but the relaxing music and Talma's laugh and happy tunes show her contentment and happiness despite living alone doing the usual routine.”
  • replayability24 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally considered limited, with some players noting a few different endings and collectible items that can slightly alter the experience. However, many reviews highlight the linear nature of the story, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to replay. Overall, while there are elements that encourage a second playthrough, the game lacks substantial replay value.

    • “There's a few different endings, so some replayability.”
    • “Short game but has a small limited amount of replayability if you want to see all endings or try to find out more story tidbits.”
    • “It would increase replayability, give more content to the price tag, and more people a purpose to play what is essentially a very depressing gaming experience.”
    • “It's not a replayable game, for the story never changes.”
    • “After one playthrough, I have the impression that the game's story is pretty linear, and there isn't a lot of replayability.”
    • “I definitely recommend it, but be aware that it has no replay value.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game suffers from numerous stability issues, including small glitches like missing polygons and more significant bugs that can halt progress, requiring restarts. While the atmosphere and graphics are appreciated, the frequent glitches and clumsy controls contribute to a frustrating experience, overshadowing the game's potential. Overall, players find the stability lacking, which detracts from their enjoyment.

    • “Not to mention I had 2 glitches that prevented progress, but it took a very long time to figure that out because there isn't anything engaging to do in this game.”
    • “Cute at first but I quickly got overwhelmed with small glitches that made the snail's pace the game plays at even more frustrating.”
    • “I encountered some glitches that forced me to restart the game twice.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by nostalgic elements, such as the sounds of children playing, and clever wordplay, exemplified by witty dialogues like the merchant's pun about cheese being "dairy dairy depressing." This blend of lightheartedness and cleverness adds a charming touch to the overall experience.

    • “Funny dialogues like if you don't have many cheeses stocked, the merchant says this lack of cheese is dairy dairy depressing (very very = dairy dairy).”
    • “Funny dialogues like if you don't have many cheeses stocked, the merchant says this lack of cheese is dairy dairy depressing (very very = dairy dairy).”
  • character development2 mentions

    The game explores themes of aging and the importance of relationships, particularly through the character Talma's isolation and loss of family connections. However, the lack of substantial character development makes it challenging for players to form a meaningful emotional connection with the narrative.

    • “The main theme of the game is aging and how, at the end of the day, enjoying every day of your life until the end is as important as having people around you when death comes. However, this is represented by Talma's isolation and loss of real contact with family, and the lack of actual character development makes it difficult to care about.”
    • “The main theme of the game revolves around aging and the importance of enjoying life until the end. Unfortunately, Talma's isolation and the absence of meaningful character development hinder any emotional connection to her struggles.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

Buy The Stillness of the Wind

Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3hMain story
4hCompletionist
3-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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