Finally got around to checking out the teaser for Sky, thatgamecompany’s latest effort, aimed at the mobile market:
I’m excited. I really am. Flower and Journey are two of my all-time favorite interactive experiences. I am intrigued at the idea of a high-quality thatgamecompany experience on a mobile platform that will allow my family to play together. I’m happy to see the team working on a gesture-based touch screen control scheme that even my five-year-old can use. This game promises to revive the collaborative family fun that we largely lost with the passing of the Nintendo Wii.
Yet, I’m feeling hesitant to get all that excited. The trailer feels way too derivative for a thatgamecompany experience. The company’s three Playstation 3 classics – flOw, Flower, and Journey – were visually striking experiences. Fly feels too much like AER: Memories of Old or The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword to really stand out.
And then there’s the little issue of Abzu, a stunning effort involving two thatgamecompany alums that made me wonder if the best talent had all exited the little shop of dreams.
I will definitely purchase Sky. I think my daughter will adore it. But the era of thatgamecompany leading the way in the indie scene may have passed us by.
Gamer Dad 