Feather Reviews
Feather is easy to pick up and play and will appeal to those who are looking to unwind without the stresses of combat or having to adhere to a set of rules. While there are no goals to speak of, this also means you can hop in or out for a quick flight around the islands without the worry of having to save your progress.
Feather sets out to create the most relaxing and calming experience you can have in a game. With its varied yet mellow and uplifting soundtrack, its basic yet brightly colored visuals, and the great detail that goes into the rustling of the birds feathers, it can be quite a joy to soar through the air and practice trench runs through the cave tunnels. However, in designing a game to relax it’s also made with no stakes and no threats, so much of the serenity you experience after the initial elation of flight is from not feeling like there is an imminent threat at all.
If you want a mindless game that will give you an opportunity to just get lost in thought as you move the thumbsticks of your Joy-Con around without much care, then Feather is pretty decent. But something this low on content gets stale pretty quickly, despite its beauty.
While I like the intent that Feather brings to the table, its ideas are implemented in a subpar fashion. This is a proof of concept, whose asking price doesn't reflect its current modest state. I can't recommend it unless a sizable update arrives to unlock its potential.
A serene and pleasant attempt at a relaxation experience that's let down by Switch performance issues and a steep cost of entry
It would be nice if the game offered some guidance or a simple mission structure to give you more purpose, but as Feather is right now, it’s enjoyable if you go in knowing it’s a short, relaxing, simplistic experience.
I enjoyed my short time with Feather but there isn’t enough here really to make me want to go back to it. Flying around, seeing the sights, and listening to the different music was relaxing but that’s all I can really say about it. It’s priced pretty fairly though so if you’re looking to spend a little while just soaring around as a bird this might be for you.
Feather provides a relaxing experience that captures the spirit of classics like Flower and Journey. Though it does not offer much replayability, what is here is done well.
Feather is a beautiful, soulful experience, which is sadly too limited for its own good.
Feather is the gaming equivalent of an ASMR video. Some folks will dig it while others will wonder why it even exists.
Probably the quickest and most pleasant platinum trophy on the Playstation 4, Feather gives you the chance to soar like a bird. It’s a shame that it is held back by an empty world, a lack of interesting things to do beyond flight, and control glitches.
Feather is a short and sweet game that is enjoyable if not purely for its mellowness. The art, music, and visual variety heighten the experience to make it even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t provide a lot of replayability, bringing its value into question.
If you’re looking for a place to wind down and relax, Feather is for you. Although the game itself is quite short, you can easily lose hours within the experience as you fly around and explore both locations either alone or with random people from all other platforms. The beautiful low-poly aesthetics are vibrant and colourful, offering you a surreal adventure which is akin to games such as Journey. How much entertainment you get out of the game depends on what you’re looking for, trophy hunters may finish it quickly whereas casual gamers wanting a place to escape to will get much more out of it.
Feather is alright when it comes to its presentation, but I’m still trying to understand what the hell is its purpose. I’ve been flying around, looking at some cute low-poly sights, and wondering if there was some objective to complete, if I should flying through all rings and amass some collectibles. It’s just pointless. I’m not saying the game is bad due to its nonviolent and relaxing approach, on the contrary. But please, give us something to do in it.
Feather is something special. It shows me how good games with a sole focus on exploration can work. How many freedom they can give you. You can just sit down and relax. Or enjoy speeding through the air.
Review in German | Read full review
Feather could have easily been a great relaxation game to unwind with, if it had an even remote sense of content to mess around with. But with nothing of significance to find, abysmal framerate drops (despite this game being out for months, this was never fixed in handheld mode for some baffling reason) and a boring world that you can pretty much see everything of in mere minutes, this bird sim is a really sad example of a great idea with bad execution, both in performance and scope.
Become a bird and fly freely around a series of mysterious islands exploring the many caves, valleys, and mountain ranges available. Feather is excellent at creating a peaceful, soothing atmosphere that allows players to kick back and relax after a difficult day with its pretty visuals and calming soundtrack.
Overall, Feather’s a tale of two audiences. Those looking for a deep experience with a complex story akin to Journey will likely find its short runtime disappointing. However, if Feather’s serene gameplay loop appeals to you, the intuitive mechanics and beautiful soundtrack mean it’s hard to not recommend.
There are a handful of things to really like, but when it comes down to it, there's an unjustifiable price tag hovering over a game whose content is as light as a feather.