- Publisher: Panic Inc.
- Release Date: Aug 21, 2025
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Edge MagazineSep 4, 2025Suddenly, your herd is let off the leash. As you witness a train rattling along a nearby track, it's hard to resist the urge to race it. [Issue#415, p.100]
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Aug 21, 2025Herdling is a captivating, albeit flawed experience that never has any low points, but never hits any genuine highs either.
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Sep 1, 2025The 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.
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Aug 21, 2025Charming adventure that's a little too similar to Journey and somewhat lacking in depth - but unique in how it has you herding fantastical beasts on a wordless trip into the mountains.
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Aug 21, 2025Herdling 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.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Aug 21, 2025Just because Herdling is enthralling and quiet, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t dangerous. As you continue to trek on through the different locations, you soon realize that for as much as the world has changed, so much of it has remained the same.
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Aug 21, 2025The invisible orchestra is another kind of herd that mirrors the one you drive before you – sometimes devolving to individual performers when your beasts are scattered, only to gather itself furiously when the Calicorns are in full flight. It’s a lovely audible modelling of a disorderly group of beings in motion. It’s also an audible expression of your power over those beings and the limits of their simulated autonomy.
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Sep 8, 2025Herdling is a slow game about herding fuzzy animals through a vibrant natural world. That may not sound particularly exciting, but I found it to be a perfect game to unwind with after a stressful day.