Picture this: you’re scrolling through Steam, dodging the usual live-service chaos and battle pass nonsense, when you stumble across a gem—18,000 glowing reviews can’t be wrong, right? That’s the legacy of Okomotive, the indie crew behind the Far series, and now they’re back with something delightfully weird: Herdling. It’s a game about guiding a pack of quirky fantasy yaks up a mountain, and yeah, it’s already got my attention as a must-watch title.
I’ve been gaming long enough to know when a team’s got soul, and Okomotive’s got it in spades. Their first hit, Far: Lone Sails back in 2018, hooked me with its quiet, post-apocalyptic vibes—steering a clunky vehicle through a desolate world, no words, just feels. That one racked up a “Very Positive” rating on Steam, and their follow-up, Far: Changing Tides, kept the emotional punches coming. So when I heard they’re trading rusty machines for fluffy yaks? I’m in—sign me up for whatever they’re cooking.
Herdling flips the script to a third-person adventure where you’re trekking up an alpine sprawl with your herd of adorable oddballs. The Steam page promises “a grand expedition” packed with eerie threats, unexpected hurdles, and a mysterious summit that’s begging to be unraveled. No surprise it’s another wordless story from Okomotive—trust, survival, and bonding with your yak squad in a crumbling world. I can already feel the chill of the mountain air and the weight of those unspoken stakes.
The industry’s a mess sometimes, isn’t it? AAA studios churning out bloated budgets, layoffs left and right, and yet another season pass no one asked for. Then you’ve got Okomotive’s marketing lead, Alice Ruppert, popping off online with, “Nah, we’re just over here making a chill linear game about mountain-climbing with funky yaks.” It’s a vibe—a rebellion against the grind in the best way possible.
Gameplay looks like a peaceful hike with a twist. Think sweeping, dreamlike landscapes that could rival Journey or Abzu, but with a herd of yaks trailing behind you. The trailer teases some tension—predatory birds swooping down, eyeing your fuzzy crew. I’ll admit, those “flee the scary thing” moments in non-violent games usually make me groan (looking at you, Rime), but Okomotive’s got a knack for spinning gold out of simple ideas. I’m betting they’ll make it work.
No release date yet, but when Herdling drops, it’s hitting PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5. I’ve already wishlisted it—partly because I trust Okomotive to deliver, and partly because I need to know what’s waiting at that summit. You ever get that itch for a game that’s just… different? Something that ditches the noise and lets you breathe? That’s what this feels like. Keep an eye out—Herdling might just be the indie escape we all need.
