During the Steam Next Fest, among the many promising titles, Herdling immediately caught attention thanks to his enchanting aesthetic and the emotional premise.
The new project of the Okomotive studio – already known to do: Lone Sails – merges breathtaking settings with gameplay mechanics that recall iconic titles such as Journey and The Last Guardian (which you find on Amazon).
The demo, currently available on Steam here, opens unexpectedly: the protagonist sleeps under a ride, a raw start that contrasts with the sunny fields and enchanted creatures that meet shortly after.
In fact, the player comes across a Calicorn, one of the adorable beasts that make up the protagonist. After rescuing it, a journey begins through urban suburbs, flowering fields and forests, guiding these animals towards their mysterious destination.
The interaction system with the Calicorn is very reminiscent of that of The Last Guardian, but with a less punitive artificial intelligence: the animals respond well to the commands, help to overcome obstacles and can even be pampered or cleaned when they get dirty.
It is possible to set up a gathering point towards which they will go spontaneously, and in certain areas the group can be launched in a sort of coordinated “prints”, which accelerates the rhythm and activates engaging visual and musical effects.
Each Calicorn can be nominated and has its own mood that is reflected in the color of its coat. However, the journey is not without dangers: from dense vegetation to decadent human structures, passing through rusty tracks and abandoned forests, the player will have to balance the impulse of running towards the goal with the need to protect his herd.
Herdling will arrive on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S by the end of 2025 and seems to perfectly embody that emotional sensitivity that is rarely found in modern games, where the attention to detail goes hand in hand with empathy.
If the title will maintain this delicacy even in the complete game, it could prove to be one of the most poetic surprises of 2025.
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