I seem to have really shifted my type of video game over the last few years. The AAA space, while creating visually stunning titles, has left me feeling pretty “meh” with regards to what has been on offer as it feels very boardroom based. This is why when Skye Tales landed on my desk I jumped in headfirst. And I’m glad I did because Skye Tales was a nice little surprise that is perfect for casual gamers and those with kids new to gaming as a whole that offers hours of charming fun.
Skye Tales sees you take on the role of Skye, a magical dragon that has been left behind in the world of Brinn by the town’s scientist/inventor while he goes on vacation after becoming overworked from always helping everyone out. He left Skye, a magical dragon, behind to take over for him and help the locals complete their daily tasks and fulfil their needs. Everyone is happy to see Skye and asks for help in what I can only describe as a gentle side-scrolling puzzle adventure.
The world is broken up into three sections, each with their own tasks and people. You’ll fly across the treetops and mines of the main area helping the inhabitants prepare for a local festival. Another sees you recovering instruments for a concert in a water-filled area, and another sees you taking to the beach helping people set sail. Each section of the world opens up after you complete the preceding one, but you can come back to each and explore more.
Along the way you’ll be meeting new friends and collecting special currency, either by completing given tasks and solving puzzles hindering your progress, or by simply finding a small puzzle or special world interaction that isn’t listed on the map. In one part of the game, I was simply playing with some bubbles, popping them for fun when the game surprised me with a currency piece simply for playing with said bubbles. There are lots of these small bits that encourage exploring and playing in the world.
Now, you don’t need to earn money to beat the game, you simply need to complete the main story task in each section, but the money is used for something fun. In each section there will be a hat salesman that you can find and exchange your currency for funny hats. These will alter Skye to look like all sorts of silly things. One turns you into a dragon, another a unicorn, perhaps a detective, and even one that looks like Ninja, for whatever that’s worth. The cooler hats will unlock for purchase when you complete certain quests, another reason to explore beyond the main story.
Skye Tales is a very relaxing game that doesn’t involve any combat. You simply fly around and solve environmental puzzles by flying around and using your dash ability to break objects, your sonar to activate gem-filled items, and pulling specific items with your lasso ability. None of the puzzles will be a challenge for any but the youngest of gamers, but I did find a couple where even young kids might need help from someone older. There was a specific Angry Birds style mini-game in the big-top that had me fighting for my life in order to get the high score!
Skye Tales is simply a really pleasant experience that is designed for those younger gamers and casual fans that love video games that take things slow and hit you with cute content. It’s incredibly easy to pick-up-and-play and would make for the perfect experience for parents to play with their gaming little ones. If there was a “feel good” game tag, then Skye Tales would be a perfect fit.
It’s not going to take you more than a couple of evening to complete the entire game, and some of the puzzles do get a bit repetitive if you are going to try and finish this one in a single setting, but if you space out your time, Skye Tales is a fun and relaxing video game with a very chill vibe and lots of smiles on offer.
Skye Tales is a charming and relaxing puzzle adventure that’s fun for the whole family.
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