Sky (video game)

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Sky: Children of the Light
File:Sky video game.jpg
Official poster
Developer(s)Thatgamecompany
Publisher(s)Thatgamecompany
Director(s)Jenova Chen
Artist(s)Yui Tanabe (Manager)
Jacky Ke Jiang (Director)
Writer(s)Jennie Kong
Composer(s)Vincent Diamante
EnginePhyreEngine
Platform(s)
ReleaseiOS
July 18, 2019
Android
April 7, 2020
Nintendo Switch
June 29, 2021
PlayStation
December 2022
Genre(s)Adventure, art game
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Sky: Children of the Light (Chinese: Sky光·遇; pinyin: Sky Guāng·yù) (shortened to Sky in-game) is an open world social indie adventure game developed and published by Thatgamecompany. It was first released for iOS on July 18, 2019.[1] An Android version was later released on April 7, 2020,[2] and a Nintendo Switch version was released on June 29, 2021.[3][4][5][6] A beta was available before release, and it was used by players to give feedback before a change to the main game was implemented. In August 2022, Thatgamecompany announced that the game would be coming to unspecified PlayStation platforms, and they later announced that the game would be released on PlayStation platforms in December 2022.[7][8]

Gameplay

In Sky, players explore a once-prosperous kingdom using a cape that gives them the ability to fly. The in-game world consists of seven unique realms, each with a different theme representing a stage of life and a variety of areas to explore. There is also Home, a small island which serves as the world hub and the starting place when the game is opened. Throughout the world, players encounter "spirits" that allow them to unlock items in return for in-game currency, and "children of light" that give players "winged light." When a player has collected enough winged light, their cape level goes up, which increases the cape's maximum energy and allows the player to fly farther.

The game features a heavy focus on social mechanics. Players are able to meet and befriend one another, and can unlock new abilities such as chat and sending gifts as their friendship grows. There are also many cosmetic items to collect including capes, masks, hairstyles, hats, pants, playable musical instruments, expressions, and more. These items can be obtained using in-game currency or, in some cases, purchased with real life money. Some cosmetics, such as the original beta cape, are only available to select players, in this case, those who played the beta before the official global release.

Sky has multiple in-game currencies. "Candles" are the main currency of Sky, and are exchanged with spirits and friends in return for items and abilities. Candles are obtained by collecting pieces of light (called wax in game) and forging them, or by purchasing them for real money. "Hearts" are the social currency of Sky, and are obtained when players receive gifts from other players and spirits when they give them three candles. Hearts are primarily used to purchase cosmetic items from spirits. "Ascended candles" are the rarest currency in Sky, which are rewarded to players for giving their winged light to "The fallen" at the end of the game. Ascended candles are exchanged with spirits for "wing buffs," which give players extra Winged Light after going through Eden, and to upgrade friendship and purchase various spells such as height alteration and cape recharge, etc.

Seasonal Events

Sky also features ongoing seasonal events, which feature new storylines with unique spirits and items. Seasonal events are completely free-to-play, but some of the spirits' items require a paid "Adventure Pass" to unlock. The seasons also have a unique currency called "seasonal candles," which can be used to purchase seasonal items and are converted to regular candles when the season ends. Seasonal spirits may return as "Traveling Spirits" in the future, and players can give their candles and hearts to receive seasonal items for a limited time, albeit at a higher price.

Many seasons add new areas and gameplay, with Season of Enchantment adding a spell shop, Season of Prophecy adding new challenges called "trials,"[9] Season of Dreams adding a village and new races, and making improvements to previous game areas,[10] and Season of Assembly eventually adding a feature in which players can decorate their own rooms.[11] The Season of the Little Prince was a re-telling of the classic novella, The Little Prince, in which players can interact with the book's characters, in celebration of its 75th anniversary. It is notable in being Sky's first collaborative season.[12] Season of Flight added a new seasonal area above Hidden Forest called The Wind Paths, which connects to each seasonal area that had been in the game up to that point. Season of Abyss added a swimming function, and a new area in Golden Wasteland. The newest season, Season of Performance, added a stage location in Valley of Triumph where players can customize background, lighting, effects etc. It also added a brand-new feature called "shared memories" where they can make a video-like message for other people to play and like.

Realms

Throughout the in-game world, the setting consists of seven unique realms, each with a variety of areas to explore. There is also Home, a small island which serves as the world hub and the starting place when the game is opened.

Home

Home is where any newcomers will begin the game, which becomes a common area for the rest of the gaming experience. One of the key features of Home is the ability to use doorways known as "portals" to select a stage to arrive in. The portals start out dormant, each one activating linearly. After enough progress is made, the levels becomes more open-ended, allowing access to the different realms regardless of the initial order. The only exception to this rule is the Eye of Eden, which, alongside the requirement of the other six realms being played through, can't be entered until twenty winged lights get collected. When players walk into a portal, it automatically transports them to the beginning of the corresponding area, regardless of previous progress. However, there is a small circle dubbed the Return Shrine that will send the player to roughly the same zone of the realm that the player was playing in before.

The other purpose of this commonplace is the constellation table. Any spirits that are saved in the other realms are displayed in their realm's constellation. When a spirit is selected on this feature, the game's currency, coming in the form of candles and hearts, can be spent to unlock new items that add on to the gaming experience. Such attributes include spells, leveled-up expressions, and customization options. Another feature of the Constellation Table is the Friend Constellations, for viewing other players that were added to the friend list, allowing them to give and receive gifts with each other, and making a way point to join servers to play together.

There are also miscellaneous activities available at Home to be informed upon. Left of the portals, closet spaces are available to change your pants/outfits, capes, masks, hair, and instruments. A clock/bell is added to keep track of the day's time according to the device being played on, even changing the light for relative accuracy. When new events roll around, traveling spirits appear to buy more content. Finally, a boat called the Sleepy Traveling Merchant's Boat shows up every so often in this world's waters, handing out free spells and selling exclusive items for the current event.

Social spaces

A subcategory of the Home area can be found in each realms' beginning portion as social spaces. These become mini hubs that have most of the same qualities as Home itself, such as the constellation table, return shrines (sending the player back to Home), and closet spaces. Such sectors are smaller than their inspiration, not to mention less individualistic. The main purpose of these zones is to give new players some downtime, and returning players a place to drop in. Despite the lowered significance, they provide transitions between realms, ensuring that the game runs as smoothly as it possibly can.

Seasons and events

  • The Season of Gratitude was the first season introduced to the Global Live version of the game on July 19, 2019. It ended on September 2, 2019, lasting a total of 45 days. It was mostly a repeat of the Light Awaits (Closed Beta) version of the Spring Season of Gratitude, with one additional Expression and some improvement of the previous cosmetic items.
  • The Season of Lightseekers began on September 23, 2019, and ended on November 10, 2019, lasting a total of 48 days. It was the second seasonal event in Sky since its global launch. The Season of Lightseekers succeeded the Season of Gratitude and preceded the Season of Belonging.
  • The Season of Belonging began on November 18, 2019, and ended on January 12, 2020, lasting a total of 55 days. It was the third Seasonal Event in the Live version of Sky since the Global Release. The Season of Belonging succeeded the Season of Lightseekers and preceded the Season of Rhythm. This holiday season centered around a family of six Spirits trying to find their way home to the Belonging Guide.
  • The Season of Rhythm began Friday, January 24, 2020, and ended on Sunday, April 5, 2020, lasting 72 days. It was the fourth seasonal event in Sky since the game's global release. This season brought revamped Spirits and Cosmetics, as well as some new collectibles, from the Winter 2018 season that appeared in Pre-Release versions of the game. Home was given a snowy makeover with an ice rink and Traveling Spirits were introduced to the game. The Season of Rhythm followed the Season of Belonging, and preceded the Season of Enchantment.
  • The Season of Enchantment began on Monday, April 20, 2020, and ended on the Sunday, June 21, 2020, lasting 62 days. It was the fifth Seasonal event in Sky since the game's global release, and the first Season available following Sky's launch for Android. This first-of-its-kind Season introduced a more interactive and narrative-based format for Seasonal events, as well as a new area to explore in Golden Wasteland called Forgotten Ark. It was here where all the Season's Spirits could be found, and where the Season's magical story slowly unfolded. Enchantment followed the Season of Rhythm and preceded the Season of Sanctuary.
  • The Season of Sanctuary began Monday, July 13, 2020, and ended on Monday, September 21, 2020, lasting 70 days. It was the sixth seasonal event in Sky since the game's global release. This summer-themed vacation season introduced the Sanctuary Islands to the Daylight Prairie realm, where a new set of Quests and Spirits could be found. The start of the season was also marked by Sky's One Year Anniversary celebrations. The Season of Sanctuary succeeded the Season of Enchantment and precedes the Season of Prophecy.
  • The Season of Prophecy began on Monday, October 5, 2020, and ended on Sunday, December 13, 2020, lasting 70 days. It was the seventh seasonal event in Sky since the game's global release. It also introduced a new area called Cave of Prophecies in Isle of Dawn. The Season of Prophecy succeeded the Season of Sanctuary and precedes the Season of Dreams.
  • The Season of Dreams began on January 4, 2021, and ended on March 15th 2021, lasting 70 days. It was the eighth Seasonal Event in the Live version of Sky since Global Release. The Season of Dreams succeeded the Season of Prophecy and preceded by the Season of Assembly. The Season of Dreams was set in the Valley of Triumph. It followed the journey of a young skater who dreams of performing in the Coliseum. Two new areas were introduced in this season, Village of Dreams and Hermit Valley.
  • The Season of Assembly began on April 5, 2021, and ended on June 13, 2021, lasting 70 days. It was the ninth Seasonal Event in the Live version of Sky since the Global Release, preceded by the Season of Dreams and succeeded by the Season of The Little Prince. The Season of Assembly was set in the Hidden Forest. It followed a group of children as they seek to build a treehouse together. This was the first season to take place entirely in the Hidden Forest, as well the first season to reintroduce six seasonal spirits since the Season of Sanctuary.
  • The Season of The Little Prince began on July 6, 2021, and ended on September 19th, 2021, lasting 76 days. It was the tenth Seasonal Event in the Live Version of Sky since Global Release, however being the first collaborative Seasonal Event. The Season of The Little Prince succeeded the Season of Assembly and precedes the Season of Flight. The season was set in the Vault of Knowledge. The player have to guide the royal visitor through the realms of Sky to rediscover important connections. The season introduced a new area in the Vault of Knowledge realm, called Starlight Desert.
  • The Season of Flight is the eleventh seasonal event in the live version of Sky since the global release, following Season of the Little Prince. It began on October 4, 2021, and ended on December 19th, 2021, lasting 77 days. The Season of Flight takes place in the Hidden Forest, in a new area called The Wind Paths.
  • The Season of Abyss is the twelfth seasonal event in the live version of Sky since the global release, following Season of Flight. It began on January 17, 2022, and ended on March 27th, 2022, lasting 70 days. It's the first season to introduce a Diving and Swimming mechanism, and also the first to make an underwater location for players to explore. The Season of Abyss takes place in a new area in Golden Wasteland, called Treasure Reef.
  • The Season of Performance is the thirteenth seasonal event in the live version of Sky since the global release, following Season of Abyss. It began on April 11, 2022, and ended on June 26th, 2022, lasting 77 days. The Season of Performance takes place in a new area in the Valley of Triumph, called Village Theatre.
  • The Season of Shattering is the fourteenth seasonal event in the live version of Sky since the global release, following Season of Performance. It began on July 11th, 2022 and ended on September 25th, 2022, lasting 77 days, and with it came eruptions that threaten the kingdom with Darkness. This season adopts a whole new season format which happens in every realm except Isle of Dawn and The Eye of Eden.

Music

Sky features an orchestral score composed by Vincent Diamante, with some tracks performed by FAME'S Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra.[13][14] Aurora also provides the vocals for the game's intro and outro songs.[15]

Three volumes of soundtrack albums have been released. The first volume covers more recognizable music from the base game cycle.[16] The second volume contains mostly ambient background music, and the third includes various pieces composed for Sky's Seasonal Events.[17]

Charity

In 2020, Thatgamecompany held some in-game events in support of charity. First was the "Days of Nature" event, in celebration of Earth Day, during which a unique IAP (in-app purchase) was available. Proceeds from each purchase of the IAP were used to plant one tree per purchase, in partnership with the OneTreePlanted charity. This event resulted in a total of 40,576 trees planted across the Amazonian and Australian forests damaged by wildfires.[18] In April 2021, Sky hosted its second "Days of Nature" event, using the game to promoting awareness towards plastic pollution of the ocean.[19]

In May 2020, Thatgamecompany hosted a "Days of Healing" event to help raise money for the Médecins Sans Frontières organization,[20] leading Thatgamecompany to donate $719,138 to the MSF COVID-19 Crisis Fund.[21] For the event, Thatgamecompany also joined the World Health Organization's #PlayApartTogether campaign.[20]

In June 2020, Sky held its first "Days of Rainbow" event, featuring colorful rainbow items and spells as a way to celebrate pride month. The second "Days of Rainbow" event the following year gathered funds for The Trevor Project and the Global Fund for Women, with players raising $794,420 in total.[22]

Reception

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Review aggregator Metacritic awarded the game an 82 out of 100 based on 18 reviewers, as well as awarding it the number one shared iOS game of 2019, number three most discussed iOS game of 2019, and number thirteen best iOS game of 2019.[29]

Game Informer scored the game a 8.5 out of 10 stating "Sky is a refreshingly moving and robust game on the iOS platform, and one best shared with others – especially folks who might not normally pick up a video game."[23] GameSpot scored the game a 8 out of 10, giving exceptional praise to the visuals, animations and musical scores, however admitting that "return visits to previous environments aren't nearly as captivating as your first trip."[24] IGN scored the game a 8.5 out of 10, likening the game to its predecessor as "a bigger and bolder follow-up that expands on what made Journey so great."[25] Destructoid, like many other reviewers praised how it's a game that "most everyone should experience", was however highly critical of the touch controls and the lack of control it gave of your character, going as far to suggest that "most everyone should wait for a console or PC release" to play the game.[30] Nintendo Life scored the Switch version 8 out of 10, sharing the same praise as other reviewers, though highlighting that the simplistic gameplay may not keep players engaged in the long term, and how the option to toggle the FPS from 60 to 30 is objectively worse and provides only minor improvements.[27]

Accolades

The game won Apple's iPhone game of the year for 2019.[31] On October 5, 2020, Gamasutra reported that the game had topped 50 million downloads worldwide.[32]

Year Award Category Result Ref
2019 2019 Golden Joystick Awards Mobile Game of the Year Nominated [33]
The Game Awards 2019 Best Mobile Game Nominated [34]
2020 New York Game Awards A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game Nominated [35]
Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards Game of the Year Nominated [36]
Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment Nominated
Pocket Gamer People's Choice Won
23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Portable Game of the Year Nominated [37]
NAVGTR Awards Game, Original Family Nominated [38]
Original Light Mix Score, New IP Nominated
Game Developers Choice Awards Best Mobile Game Nominated [39][40]
Audience Award Won
SXSW Gaming Awards Mobile Game of the Year Won [41]
18th Annual G.A.N.G. Awards Best Music for an Indie Game Nominated [42]
Best Sound Design in a Casual/Social Game Nominated
Best Music in a Casual Game Nominated
Best Original Song ("Constellation") Nominated
Webby Award Apps, Mobile, and Voice: Best Visual Design - Aesthetic Won [43]
Apple Design Awards Outstanding Design and Innovation Won [44]
International Mobile Gaming Awards Grand Prix Won [45]
Games for Change Awards Best Gameplay Won [46]
G4C People's Choice Award Won

Animated adaptation

On March 27, 2022, during AnimeJapan 2022, an animated project was announced.[47]

References

  1. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light Is Out Now!". thatgamecompany Official Blog. July 18, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  2. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light Out on Google Play Now!". thatgamecompany Official Blog. April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. ^ "Promising New Game Sky: Children Of The Light Prepares Its Nintendo Switch Debut With This Trailer – NintendoHill". nintendohill.com. June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light's console release starts on Nintendo Switch". thatgamecompany Official Blog. March 17, 2020.
  5. ^ "Sky: Children Of Light On Switch Is The Latest Game Delayed By COVID-19". GameSpot. August 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for Switch launches June 29". Gematsu. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  7. ^ "Sky Prepares to Come to PlayStation". August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "Sky: Children of Light for PlayStation launches in December". September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Williams, Hayley (October 6, 2020). "Sky: Children Of The Light Reveals a Challenging New Season". Gamespot. Gamespot. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  10. ^ "Explore the Secrets of Season of Dreams". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. March 9, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  11. ^ thatgamecompany (May 27, 2021). Developer Update: Shared Spaces (Video). YouTube. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of The Light Launches First Crossover Seasonal Event Featuring Le Petit Prince". Gamasutra. Informa PLC Informa UK Limited. July 7, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  13. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light". FAMES. FAMES. 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  14. ^ Diamante, Vincent [@vincentdiamante] (August 1, 2020). "The game's soundtrack comes from many different places. Ten of the Vol. 1 tracks were recorded with FAME'S Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra, but other tracks were performed and recorded by me on my computer, often with some live instruments individually recorded" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Chan, Trevor (August 3, 2020). "Soundtrack to Sky: Children of the Light available now". Gaming Audio News. Wordpress. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  16. ^ Diamante, Vincent [@vincentdiamante] (August 2, 2020). "If you've been keeping track: yes, there are a LOT of game tracks that didn't make the leap from the game to this particular volume of soundtrack. Part of it is consistency of tone and arc of listening experience, so we omitted the more 'ambient' BGM that players come across" (Tweet). Retrieved September 11, 2021 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Sky Original Game Soundtrack Volumes 2 & 3 as Sky Celebrates Second Anniversary". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 14, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  18. ^ "UPDATE on 'Days of Healing' and 'Days of Nature' Events!". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 27, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  19. ^ "Launch Update: Days of Nature". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. April 15, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Sky: Days of Healing Event". thatgamecompany. thatgamecompany, Inc. May 13, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  21. ^ "Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Update". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. April 13, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  22. ^ "Days of Rainbow 2021 Charity Update". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 5, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  23. ^ a b Miller, Matt. "Sky: Children Of The Light Review – The Next Logical Leap". Game Informer. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  24. ^ a b Barbosa, Alessandro. "Sky: Children Of The Light Review - Flying Free". GameSpot. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Jagneaux, David (July 20, 2019). "Sky: Children of the Light Review". IGN. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  26. ^ mrderiv (July 28, 2019). "Sky : Children of the Light est-il le digne successeur de Journey ?". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  27. ^ a b Reynolds, Ollie (July 3, 2021). "Review: Sky: Children of the Light - An Experience That Soars On Switch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved July 4, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Sullivan, Dann. "Sky: Children of the Light review - "Transcends the standards of the platformer genre"". Pocketgamer. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  29. ^ "Sky: Children of the Light for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  30. ^ "Review: Sky: Children of the Light". Destructoid. July 28, 2019. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
  31. ^ "Apple celebrates the best apps and games of 2019". Apple Newsroom. December 2, 2019.
  32. ^ Kerr, Chris (October 5, 2020). "Sky: Children of the Light has topped 50 million installs worldwide". Gamasutra. Retrieved October 6, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  33. ^ "Golden Joystick Awards 2019". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  34. ^ Winslow, Jeremy (November 19, 2019). "The Game Awards 2019 Nominees Full List". GameSpot. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
  35. ^ Sheehan, Gavin (January 2, 2020). "The New York Game Awards Announces 2020 Nominees". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  36. ^ "The winners of 2020". Pocket Gamer. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
  37. ^ Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020). "Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards". PC Gamer. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  38. ^ "2019 Nominees". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
  39. ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 8, 2020). "'Death Stranding' Leads Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 8, 2020.
  40. ^ Makuch, Eddie (March 18, 2020). "Untitled Goose Game Wins Another Game Of The Year Award". GameSpot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  41. ^ Watkins, Gary (March 24, 2020). "Announcing the 2020 SXSW Gaming Awards Winners". South by Southwest. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  42. ^ Wilson, Kelly (February 13, 2020). "Game Audio Network Guild Announces 18th Annual G.A.N.G. Award Nominees". The Hype Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  43. ^ "Webby Awards: Sky: Children of the Light". The Webby Awards. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  44. ^ "Apple honors eight developers with annual Apple Design Awards". Apple Newsroom. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ^ Partleton, Kayleigh (August 3, 2020). "Call of Duty: Mobile takes home two accolades at International Mobile Gaming Awards". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved July 1, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ^ "G4C Awards". Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  47. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 27, 2022). "thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light Game Gets Animation Project". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 27, 2022.

External links

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