Herdling – A Calm Surprise

Herdling starts off in a strange way. You take control of a small child – I still couldn’t figure out if it’s supposed to be a boy or a girl – who wakes up in an empty city, somewhere in a dark tunnel. Crawling out of there begins a journey that eventually leads you to a horned creature the game calls a Calicorn. You help it out, give it a little pat, and before you know it, the creature starts following you. As you progress, you encounter more of these creatures, and your herd of Calicorns steadily grows.

Even though you never see a single human anywhere in the city or beyond, there’s always a sense of life in the background – cars, trains, and other vehicles constantly moving in the distance. But the world itself isn’t really explained, and to be honest, the game doesn’t really have much of a story at all. The main idea is simple: grow your herd and guide them through different areas. At first, the whole thing felt kind of absurd and even pointless, but…

…the longer I played, the more I realised Herdling is actually a calm, almost zen-like experience. There’s no stressful combat, no endless chaos – just you, your herd, and a slow journey across mountain paths, forests, snowy plateaus, and forgotten valleys. To my own surprise, I found myself playing it longer than I expected.

The visuals and atmosphere deserve praise too. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that the game never uses a single word of dialogue. The “story,” such as it is, unfolds entirely through the world around you and the bond you build with your growing herd.

Herdling was developed by Okomotive, the studio behind FAR: Lone Sails and FAR: Changing Tides – games I hadn’t personally played before. The publisher is Panic, who have previously brought us Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game. Maybe that explains why the presentation feels so polished despite the minimalist design?

Make no mistake though – Herdling is not for everyone. If you’re looking for a deep narrative or adrenaline-pumping action, you won’t find it here. But if you want something relaxing and even meditative, Herdling might surprise you the same way it surprised me. I actually came away satisfied, and I’d even recommend it as a nice change of pace from louder, more hectic games.