Name of the Game: Sky: Children of the Light
Target Audience: people who enjoy games with a storytelling and exploration component
Creator: Thatgamecompany
Platforms: Windows, iOS
When playing this game, I really liked how Sky: Children of the Light focuses a lot on the world without needing any narrative or dialogue in the game. I noticed through many different parts of the game that they used different types of visuals and sound in the interactions that came with exploring in the game that I found enjoyable. Playing this game also made it feel like I was figuring out the story step by step and made me care more about the world and what was going on in the game progressively.I also liked how the characters weren’t too realistic because in discussion class when we made our own avatar, we talked about how too much realism in characters we play with makes playing the game feel weird sometimes.
In class, we often talked about the power of formal elements like space and color because of how they can be used in the storytelling component of a game. For example, I feel like I was noticing the formal element of space a lot while I was playing the game because at different points of the game, it was a calmer vibe in the location I was in while others had a more dark and mysterious vibe to it as shown in the screenshots below. In other words, I feel like this game did a really good job of incorporating environmental storytelling. 
The mechanics was also something that stood out to me as someone who doesn’t usually play games like this. I liked how there weren’t too many main interactions you could use with other players because the few that they had were meaningful and more than enough in my opinion. Interactions they had including sending emotes or holding hands with other players. However, these interactions have to be unlocked as you deepen your connection with a player which I found so interesting because that is genuinely how it is in real life. I also feel like the act of lighting someone’s candle in the game lets you see the other player more clearly which I found something to be very intimate in terms of the concept of someone revealing themselves to you. Overall, I feel like alot of these small mechanics have so much intention and can create an emotonal weight without needing language. This also fits in with the MDA framework in terms of aesthetics in discovery and fellowship, especially since this game focus on exploring different realms and making new connections. With all of this, I found this game to be very relaxing and soothing.
In terms of the ethical component related to Sky, something that I found really interesting about this game is that there is no assigned genders or race or any other attribute that deals with identity in the real world. In the game, your character is a figure of light that has no identity and the identity builds as you help others in the game. With that being said, I feel like this game is more inclusive than alot of games I’ve played in the past and aligns with how we talked about how traits are often biologically coded in games like Dungeons and Dragons in class. However, if there was anything that I would add to this game, I would definitely recommend that there are more methods and ways for players to express their identity.
Overall, I really enjoyed this game because of its subtle mechanics that made playing it relaxing and also the emotional component of the game. I feel like it made me slow down a bit and care about what I’m seeing and doing which I appreciated.
