Sky: Children of the Light
2025-03-23
They updated "Sky," and it's no longer working smoothly on Switch. Shame. But I see they finally created the second starting island (when you play every couple of years, you're up for surprises). More vibrant this time. I liked the challenge with playing music.
The game was quite unplayable, and I was even considering winning PlayStation 5 to play it better, but it normalised later. I suspect network issues. I remember the same thing happening to "Kal Online" back in 2006 when there were too many players at once.
One thing I like about "Sky" is mostly non-verbal storytelling. Sure, there are some explanations, but only a little. And cooperation with other players is not based on language. You need to figure out what other person is thinking. You can only make a sound call and predefined gestures.
It's also a game where I don't bother to read about mechanics, but rather try to figure out stuff myself. I'm pretty sure I'm between 30% and 40% of getting it.
2025-03-24
I found the game when I was browsing YouTube for free Switch games. I got attracted by this creepy-looking child in a mask straight out of "Friday the 13th."
While it's freemium, there is enough free stuff to play at least from time to time. The world building is solid, reminding me of Ghibli style, also thanks to the music, balancing between fairy-tale-like and genuinely dark and ominous.
But I'm mostly a solo runner. I don't care about cooperation with others.
The use of clouds is brilliant because it creates the world borders which don't feel artificial. The villages are built on islands floating in the sky, and the clouds support this notion.
2024-04-01
In terms of mechanics, the game feels like "The Legend of Zelda" without fighting, with only exploration. Even the quests are more like "go explore this, go explore that." Exploration is my favourite part of Zelda games. Also, flying feels familiar, albeit, Link has a paraglider and can fly up only in "Breath of the Wild." But then, at some point, I get bored with it all of the sudden and abandon it for months if not years.
2025-04-03
I found the Moomin Valley. For some reason, the story of Ninny was intertwined with a Child's story. Strange, but the Child's story was actually better. Quite dark, too. Too bad I cannot walk freely around the Valley, only as a butterfly.
When I teleported to the home island while being a butterfly, I got the new beginning, with a fresh map. It was interesting to see it for the new island, but I already have an advanced level. After restart, all was back to the previous.
I gotta do the Little Prince now. I didn't finish it years ago.
2025-04-10
Little Prince I did. A bit by accident because a traveling spirit turned out to be the artist, and then I just went with the flow and recovered other 4 characters from the book. I was curious if they kept the alcoholic, with all the game vibe friendliness, and they changed him to a soldier drinking dark water (which depletes our energy) to the same effect. At first, I thought he's completely gone, but he was just elsewhere.
2025-04-25
I found the Cave of Prophecies, thanks to another moth making sound (I decided to check if they needed a help and was rewarded with a new place for that). I did the first trial (water), and it's probably the first time "Sky" doesn't feel like a cozy mood walking simulator, but an actual game that requires some more effort from the player. I hope I'll find more of that than those 4 trials here.
I am also one light child from 8 stars on my cape.
2025-05-01
The Trial of Earth and the Trial of Wind were cool too, challenging and like out of a different game. But then the Trial of Fire. I realised at one point that I'm stuck in this black maze chased by black monsters of unknown shape for over an hour. That's really out of the character here. I had to google the map of the area and a neat trick to "see," but I managed. However, visually, black-and-white world of the Trial of Earth was the most appealing. Liminal space almost.
A side note. To get to Teide, which is the highest peak of Spain, you have to drive above 3,000 metres above the sea (starting from zero). On the way up, I didn't notice it, but on the way down, we saw a thick, almost flat layer of clouds. It looked amazing, but being a gamer, all I could think of is that it looked like in "Sky." Perhaps, someone was hiking and took inspiration. But yeah, the view was something.
2025-05-04
And to finish the AURORA quest, I need to see her concert, and to see the concert, I need special wings bought during her season. This sucks. Apparently, I can find someone who bought those wings back then, and they can get me into the concert, but it's the first time that item you had to buy is necessary to progress in the game. I'm almost done with the rest, anyway. Soon, I'll go to Eden and pause the game for another 2 years like the last time.
2025-05-05
The change came sooner because there was a discount on the Switch store, and I got "Shadow Man Remastered." So, till next time.
2025-05-16
My wife started playing the game, and I was watching her, and it's interesting how differently players can approach it. I helped a bit with tutorial and some mechanics, but after that I shut up. She does things in different order and approaches tasks in a different way. And it's interesting.