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Herdling
Released On: Aug 21, 2025
77
6.5
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 15 Critic Reviews
77
67% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
33% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 15 Critic Reviews
77
67% Positive
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
33% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Aug 21, 2025
In having a minimalist approach to its storytelling and game mechanics, Herdling is able to bring closer attention to its overarching message about hardship and found families within nomadic, unhoused groups. It does an excellent job at balancing these themes in a digestible way, leaving you room to sit back and really take in what it’s trying to say. That it also manages to be an interesting survival game is just the cherry on top.
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 35 User Ratings
6.5
46% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
34% Mixed
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
20% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 35 User Ratings
6.5
46% Positive
16 Ratings
16 Ratings
34% Mixed
12 Ratings
12 Ratings
20% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Aug 26, 2025
Herdling is a great experience for any players who enjoyed the two Far titles created by Okomotive. When the Calicorns stampede across a lush meadow, plowing through flowers, with the mountains close, as the music enhances immersion, the game manages to create some unique and emotional moments. Guiding the herd around through puzzles is also pretty fun. But I never cared about the Calicorns, even as I made sure that they were healthy, and the title’s limited narrative means it’s hard to engage with its mechanics. Herdling has a solid core idea and creates impressive moments, but struggles to make the moment-to-moment gameplay engaging.
Aug 22, 2025
Herdling continues Okamotive's reputation for unorthodox titles that resonate in unique ways. Desolate and survival-driven, yet warm and freeing, it's an adventure unlike any other despite the occasional hiccups.
Aug 26, 2025
In the herd that follows my hand, I find the calm beauty of endless fields stretched before us.
Sep 1, 2025
The idea of guiding a herd of supernatural creatures to their place of life was fascinating on paper. If the studio does a good job of building its universe and making these critters endearing, the conventional gameplay offered in the name of a calm and contemplative atmosphere makes the game in the end a little boring, and it would have gained much more by making us experience more situations of danger for our beasts, which we will stroll on autopilot for a large part of the time.
Aug 21, 2025
Herdling delights when its setting and music come together to convey calm and freedom in a unique journey of herding creatures, but these strengths do not sustain the experience. The gameplay is shallow and lacking in variety, with simplistic obstacles and puzzles that hinder rather than add value. The focus is on atmosphere and emotions, yet the lack of significant narrative elements and the weak connection with the Calicorns make it hard to engage. In the end, the game offers beautiful landscapes and memorable moments, but without the depth needed to make the journey truly unforgettable.
Summary Herdling is a brand new adventure from Okomotive, creators of the atmospheric and acclaimed FAR games, and Panic, publishers of Firewatch. Head out on a grand alpine expedition with a herd of loveable beasts, as you ascend a mountain path, encounter eerie dangers and surprising obstacles, and forge your way to the mystery at the summi...
Platforms:
- PC
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X
- Nintendo Switch
Initial Release Date: Aug 21, 2025
Developer:
Publisher: Panic Inc.
Genres:
