Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,486 reviews
  • story
  • grinding
  • graphics
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles Game Cover
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles does not disappoint. It’s a highly enjoyable and polished game, displaying a thoughtful approach to adventuring, an offering plenty to maintain interest.
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In "Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles," explore the vibrant island of Gemea as young hero Novo. Collect magical creatures called Sprites to banish the murky substance known as Murk that's plaguing the land. Engage in farming, crafting, cooking, and fishing as you uncover the ancient stories of Gemea.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,486 reviews
story151 positive mentions
grinding398 negative mentions
  • Fun and easy-paced gameplay with a focus on exploration and crafting.
  • Gorgeous scenery and a large, varied open-world environment.
  • Relaxing atmosphere with no combat, making it suitable for all ages.
  • NPCs are flat and repetitive, lacking depth and personality.
  • The main story is short and feels underdeveloped, leading to a lack of engagement.
  • The crafting and farming systems are simplistic and can become tedious over time.
  • story1,033 mentions

    The story in "Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles" is generally perceived as short and simplistic, often serving as a backdrop for exploration rather than a central focus. Players appreciate the charming world and the variety of side quests, but many find the main narrative lacking depth and emotional engagement, primarily consisting of repetitive fetch quests. While the game offers a relaxing experience with cute characters and beautiful scenery, it may disappoint those seeking a more intricate storyline or character development.

    • “The story and side quests are engaging and, all in all, makes for pure escapism.”
    • “The main story is short but bittersweet and the map feels very Skyrim-esque: an open world with several guilds to join, each hub having a smaller outpost outside.”
    • “I started Yonder three years ago and it helped me learn simple mechanics so I felt comfortable in other games I'd been scared to try. Highly recommend if you're looking to sit back and simply enjoy some gathering, building, and animal bonding with satisfying audio and a cute story.”
    • “The main story feels like it's not fully fleshed out and is painfully short.”
    • “After completing a simple goal that felt like it should be the precursor to the twist of a story or turning point in the game, you are presented with a poorly written slapped-on ending.”
    • “The story is short but lacks emotional depth and care, making it feel like a series of fetch quests rather than a cohesive narrative.”
  • grinding406 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players noting that while there are farming and crafting elements, they are often simplistic and lack depth. Some find the tasks tedious and repetitive, particularly the fetch quests and resource gathering, which can detract from the overall experience. However, others appreciate the game's relaxing nature and the option to automate farming tasks, making it more about exploration and casual gameplay rather than intensive grinding.

    • “Brilliant game, chill quest completing & beautiful scenery with no grinding, genuinely couldn't ask for more from a game of this genre :)”
    • “Obtaining resources isn't too grindy, and was, in my experience, quite fun with the added interest of trading with NPCs.”
    • “Great things: lovely and atmospheric, light touches of comedy, and collecting items for crafting isn't really grinding.”
    • “It's just an empty island with very little to do, with little reward, cardboard cutout forgettable NPCs, and too many pointless farming item quests.”
    • “The farming aspect is very minimal; it's more like figuring out how to tame each animal and building a collection rather than engaging in meaningful farming.”
    • “The farming is rudimentary and lacks any sort of interactivity beyond the setup phase, after which it simply produces resources as time passes.”
  • graphics294 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful, vibrant, and charming art style, often compared to titles like "Breath of the Wild" and "My Time at Portia." Many players appreciate the cute and relaxing aesthetic, which enhances the exploration and crafting gameplay, although some have noted issues with visibility and navigation due to overly bright or hazy visuals. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a significant strength, contributing to a delightful and immersive experience.

    • “The graphics are stunning and the story-line is simple, well-written and not frustrating to follow.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, an expansive world to explore, lots of things to collect, accomplish, farm, and craft... I bought this game on a whim and was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had and how many hours I logged!”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, and there's a lot of depth.”
    • “I found the world hard and annoying to navigate, the map awkward and the graphics too hazy to see well.”
    • “They made pretty graphics and pretty much stopped there.”
    • “There's nothing of substance behind the pretty visuals the game has to offer.”
  • gameplay256 mentions

    The gameplay of "Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles" is characterized by its focus on exploration, crafting, and collecting, with a relaxing, non-combat environment that appeals to casual gamers. While many players appreciate the beautiful visuals and soothing mechanics, they also note the simplicity and repetitiveness of tasks, often likening it to a fetch quest simulator with limited depth. Overall, the game offers a charming experience for those seeking a laid-back adventure, but may disappoint players looking for more complex gameplay or a substantial storyline.

    • “The gameplay is relaxing and pleasant and offers a decent variety of side-quests and outside opportunities such as collecting collectible cats and increasing your crafting skills.”
    • “It's got an open-world feel, a lot of discovery via experimentation and exploration, different elements to interest different types of gamers, and encourages and rewards exploration and branching out from simply one aspect of gameplay to try all of them.”
    • “The cheerful world, adorable creatures, and the super casual gameplay make this game one of the best games I have ever played.”
    • “The gameplay is made up of tedious fetch quests (e.g. building bridges requires hundreds of stone and you get a maximum of four stone per node).”
    • “The mechanics are repetitive - doing the same thing over and over to progress in the game, doing the same thing just in a different area of the map.”
    • “The gameplay, meanwhile, is the most generic, brainless collectathon imaginable.”
  • music138 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and charming qualities, enhancing the overall tranquil atmosphere of exploration. Many players appreciate the fitting soundtrack that complements the beautiful visuals and whimsical environments, although some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, contributing to a soothing and enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “The music and audio effects are so good!”
    • “The soundtrack is perfect to be the backdrop of your adventure through Yonder.”
    • “The music is calming and ethereal.”
    • “The music was always the same no matter what biome or season it was, giving no particular uniqueness to any part of the world audibly.”
    • “The soundtrack could be much better; it's so repetitive.”
    • “The sound design is fantastic but dampened by a rather generic music score.”
  • atmosphere46 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its peaceful, calming qualities, featuring beautiful landscapes and soothing music that create an immersive and relaxing experience. Players appreciate the absence of combat, allowing them to explore and engage with the environment at their own pace, making it ideal for unwinding after a stressful day. Overall, the game is described as a charming escape, filled with light-hearted elements and a delightful ambiance that draws players in.

    • “I do have to mention that the world the game takes place in is absolutely beautiful, brimming with atmosphere, and a joy to explore and inhabit.”
    • “With beautiful charm and a calming, positive atmosphere, this game has helped me de-stress in the toughest of times.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing, even down to the weather controls.”
    • “I would be so much more attracted to the story but honestly there's a very small amount of atmosphere of environment and this game fails to establish an environment that this world could live in.”
    • “Frankly, I prefer the style of 'Ori and the Blind Forest', where you feel the mood and atmosphere with it.”
    • “At this present time, it feels more like a walking sim combined with a very aesthetic atmosphere.”
  • humor42 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its lighthearted moments, whimsical characters, and clever dialogue. While some found the humor to be a bit heavy-handed or not particularly funny, many enjoyed the cute easter eggs and amusing quests that added charm to the overall experience. The game strikes a balance between kid-friendly humor and more ironic, dry wit, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience.

    • “A very relaxing open-world game, with some fun moments of humor.”
    • “The scenery is amazing, the troll island made me laugh a lot!”
    • “With the gorgeous scenery, funny characters, and bright happy colors, Yonder is a great game for someone who wants to stop and smell the flowers!”
  • emotional33 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is generally perceived as lacking depth, with many players noting that while it is cute and wholesome, it fails to create meaningful connections with characters or a compelling narrative. Although the game offers a relaxing experience and a charming aesthetic, the story is often described as shallow and underdeveloped, resulting in little emotional impact. Overall, it is seen as a pleasant but ultimately forgettable adventure that may appeal to those seeking a stress-free gaming experience.

    • “Overall, a very wholesome relaxing game.”
    • “All in all, you can tell that there was a lot of love put into this wholesome game, and it's well worth the price.”
    • “It's a wholesome adventure game with no stress, to do on your own time.”
    • “This game had a boring story, little for you to explore, terrible chest rewards, and a really bad money system. I had 10k in value from potatoes alone from a single farm with 3 gardens. The sprites had feet that sometimes sucked into their body.”
    • “I was met with a boring story, boring gameplay, and overall quirks that killed the experience.”
  • replayability22 mentions

    Overall, the game has low replayability, with many players noting that once the main story and objectives are completed, there is little incentive to play again due to its linear nature and lack of varied gameplay. While some find enjoyment in pursuing different goals or achieving 100% completion, the consensus is that the game lacks depth and complexity, making repeated playthroughs feel tedious. Future updates could potentially enhance replay value, but as it stands, many players feel the game is best enjoyed as a one-time experience.

    • “Good replay value if you focus on different goals each time.”
    • “Overall, despite all the negative points, I do recommend it because even if it hasn't got massive amounts of replayability, the journey of getting 100% completion is pretty enjoyable and the world is aesthetically pleasing.”
    • “Not sure that it will have a lot of replayability, perhaps with future updates, if things like farming get a bit more depth, but for now, it's a perfectly peaceful relaxing way to spend some spare time.”
    • “The replay value is low - you know everything, there will be no variations.”
    • “My only 'complaint': replayability is nonexistent, because I would much love to be able to play this game again.. but once you know where everything is, you know where everything is.”
    • “So as much as it pains me to say it, the one thing this game lacks is replay value or any continual play function.”
  • optimization17 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised, with many users reporting smooth performance, minimal bugs, and high frame rates even on max settings. While some minor performance issues were noted, particularly in the Nintendo Switch version, the game is generally considered exceptionally well optimized for an indie title, providing an enjoyable experience without significant technical drawbacks.

    • “This game is exceptionally well optimized for an indie game.”
    • “Well optimized.”
    • “Performance 10/10.”
    • “This game is really frustrating because everything works, but nothing is optimized.”
    • “If I were to compare this to something other than Fantasy Life, it would be another indie game called Hardland (which is still in early access). Despite being built on the same Unity engine, it looks so much better and much more detailed without any sort of performance issues.”
    • “Think of it this way: they wanted a full orchestral performance, but only a handful of musicians showed up, and nary a one is trying to compensate for the missing sections.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many users noting a lack of depth and a simplistic storyline. While character design options are praised for their variety, the overall character development remains minimal, which some players feel benefits the gameplay.

    • “The character design is great; you get loads of clothes, accessories, hair designs, and so on.”
    • “There is no character development.”
    • “I expected a bit more story and character development, though.”
    • “Very (and I mean very) little character development and a small, simple story actually work to the game's advantage.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, stability in the game is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no bugs, others encounter significant issues such as graphical glitches, awkward crafting mechanics, and quest-related bugs. The game's performance can vary widely depending on specific scenarios, with some users experiencing stability on high settings while others face frustrating obstacles and item management problems.

    • “I really like the aesthetic of the game; it looks great, it sounds great, and it even runs great.”
    • “Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles runs great on ultra settings, with no sign of lag at all.”
    • “One thing that absolutely blew my mind was that I picked up this game maybe 5 minutes after release and found it completely bug-free.”
    • “Besides, the quest is buggy anyway, as I collected way more than 55 cats to complete it.”
    • “Crafting is awkward, the story is only kind of there, there isn't actually enough variety in crops or livestock to justify maintaining six farms, the models are clunky, there are tons of graphical errors and glitches all over the place, and since there is no currency system you end up getting flooded with hoards of useless items pretty quickly.”
    • “It can get buggy and glitchy when near certain rocks and obstacles.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Players appreciate the absence of microtransactions, highlighting a more enjoyable gaming experience without the pressure of in-game purchases.

    • “It's refreshing to play a game without microtransactions.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't hinder gameplay.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without pushing for additional purchases.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

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Play time

18hMedian play time
21hAverage play time
11-26hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs

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