Sky (video game)

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 has been available since before release, and it is currently used by players to give feedback before a season or a change to the main game is implemented.

Sky: Children of the Light
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
  • WW: 18 July 2019
Android
  • WW: 7 April 2020
Nintendo Switch
  • WW: June 29, 2021
Genre(s)Adventure, art game
Mode(s)Multiplayer

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 being represented as 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, increasing the cape's maximum energy and allowing 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, are 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 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 3 candles. Hearts are primarily used to purchase cosmetic items from spirits. "Ascended candles" are the rarest currency in Sky, 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, and to upgrade friendship and purchase various spells.

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 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,"[7] Season of Dreams adding a village, new races, and making improvements to previous game areas,[8] and Season of Assembly eventually adding a feature in which players can decorate their own rooms.,[9] the Season of the Little Prince, a re-telling of the classic children's book 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.[10] 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 new location in Valley of Triumph which has a customisable stage, where players can customise background, lighting, effects etc. It also added a brand new feature called "shared memories".

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 1 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 11th, 2022 and will end on June 26th, 2022, lasting 77 days. The Season of Performance takes place in a new area in Valley of Triumph, called Village Theatre.

Music

Sky features an orchestral score composed by Vincent Diamante, with some tracks performed by FAME'S Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra.[11][12] Aurora also provides the vocals for the game's intro and outro songs.[13]

Three volumes of soundtrack albums have been released. The first volume covers more recognizable music from the base game cycle.[14] The second volume contains mostly ambient background music, and the third includes various pieces composed for Sky's Seasonal Events.[15]

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 was 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.[16] In April 2021, Sky hosted its second "Days of Nature" event, using the game to promoting awareness towards plastic pollution of the ocean.[17]

In May 2020, Thatgamecompany hosted a "Days of Healing" event to help raise money for the Médecins Sans Frontières organization,[18] leading Thatgamecompany to donate $719,138 to the MSF COVID-19 Crisis Fund.[19] For the event, Thatgamecompany also joined the World Health Organization's #PlayApartTogether campaign.[18]

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.[20]

Reception

Metacritic awarded the game an 82 out of 100 based on 18 reviewers, as well as awarding it the number 1 shared iOS game of 2019, number 3 most discussed iOS game of 2019, and number 13 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]

YearAwardCategoryResultRef
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. Williams, Hayley (October 6, 2020). "Sky: Children Of The Light Reveals a Challenging New Season". Gamespot. Gamespot. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  8. "Explore the Secrets of Season of Dreams". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. March 9, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  9. thatgamecompany (May 27, 2021). Developer Update: Shared Spaces (Video). YouTube. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  10. "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.
  11. "Sky: Children of the Light". FAMES. FAMES. 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  12. 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.
  13. Chan, Trevor (August 3, 2020). "Soundtrack to Sky: Children of the Light available now". Gaming Audio News. Wordpress. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  14. 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.
  15. "Sky Original Game Soundtrack Volumes 2 & 3 as Sky Celebrates Second Anniversary". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 14, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  16. "UPDATE on 'Days of Healing' and 'Days of Nature' Events!". Sky. thatgamecompany, Inc. July 27, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
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  24. Barbosa, Alessandro. "Sky: Children Of The Light Review - Flying Free". GameSpot. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
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  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.
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  35. Sheehan, Gavin (January 2, 2020). "The New York Game Awards Announces 2020 Nominees". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
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  40. Makuch, Eddie (March 18, 2020). "Untitled Goose Game Wins Another Game Of The Year Award". GameSpot. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
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  47. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 27, 2022). "thatgamecompany's Sky: Children of the Light Game Gets Animation Project". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
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