Sky: Children of the Light

In this gorgeous open world game, players set out on a quest to help spirits find their way to the afterlife. Sky: Children of the Light puts you in control of a child moving through the seven realms of a forgotten kingdom, lighting candles in forgotten temples, and exploring the world around you.

This game is rich in exploration and beautiful in its own way. It is so expansive, you may even find yourself forgetting you are playing a mobile game as you soar through the clouds or explore a hidden pocket of this world. It’s hard to believe a game of this caliber is by an indie developer.

Very Similar to Journey

Many of the games done by thatgamecompany have similar vibes to them. Sky: Children of the Light indeed looks so similar to Journey it could have been a sequel to it. Sky has really improved its game however because while Journey was in a harsh desert landscape with mostly similar terrain, Sky: Children of the Light features a great deal of different terrain. Most impressively, the sky which you can fly through as needed, is beautifully made and a world to explore on its own. Together, it’s a wonderful exploration area with lots of room to roam around in.

Peaceful Interactions

One of the most interesting features of the game is how you interact with other players. There is no way to chat with others, and you can’t even see their names. Instead, you assign your own nickname to the characters you meet in the world.

While you can add people to your friends list, interacting with strangers can be very appealing. You are given a small list of positive interactions you can choose from, such as holding out a candle as a greeting, dancing, and leading people by their hand.

The interactions have been designed in such a way to be very peaceful and engaging. There’s no pressure to think of something witty to say, and no concern about getting trolled. This truly makes communication in the game simple but relaxing.

Simple Stories

The stories of the spirits you send to the spirit world are also not explicitly written out for you. Instead, you have to guess at what their past might have been by looking at how they behave. Some spirits are doubled over with their grief, clearly uncomfortable with being trapped in the world of Sky. Relieving them can feel powerful when you see them released from their pain.

Most of these stories can be found and completed solo, but there are a few puzzles that do require the presence of other people. Most of these puzzles are simple, like holding two candles together at the same time.

Pros:

• Relaxing gameplay
• Extensive exploration

Cons:

• None