Podcast Summary: The Besties – "Herdling is Beautiful, But is it Fun?"

Date: August 29, 2025
Hosts: Justin McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Chris Plante, Russ Frushtick

Episode Overview

This episode centers on a deep review of Herdling, the latest atmospheric indie game from Okamotive, famous for their FAR series. The Besties crew discusses whether Herdling’s beauty and unique herding gameplay is matched by actual fun, contrasting it with another recent title, Sword of the Sea. The conversation also ventures into the culture of indie experiential games, the joys and pains of hardware modularity, community mailbag feedback, and their excitement for Hollow Knight: Silksong and other games.

Main Discussion: Is Herdling Fun or Just Beautiful?

Quick Premise and Developer Background ([03:16]–[04:40])

• Herdling is described as “a video game about herding these mythical, fantastical creatures—think giant, hairy, Muppet-like yaks—in a pseudo-dystopic, yet beautiful, world.” ([03:22])
• Okamotive, the Swiss studio behind Herdling, previously made FAR: Lone Sails, a game with similar design sensibilities, focused on the emotional journey through atmospheric, semi-wordless environments.

"It feels like if the Muppet organization was responsible for Neverending Story 8, maybe this would be a creature that would show up in it." – Russ Frushtick ([03:37])

Parallels with FAR: Lone Sails and Sword of the Sea ([04:00]–[08:48])

• Both Herdling and FAR rely on atmospheric, minimal-dialogue experiences, but Herdling is more about the tactile act of shepherding a growing number of “Calicorns.”
• The hosts compare Herdling to Sword of the Sea:
  • Sword of the Sea = roller coaster, focused on flow and speed.
  • Herdling = “having to walk across a balance beam,” emphasizing slow, careful progression.

"The progression is the total opposite... If Sword of the Sea is a roller coaster, [Herdling] is like a dark ride, to use the Disney parlance." – Chris Plante ([06:06])

Core Gameplay Mechanics and Dynamics ([06:31]–[09:50])

• You gather and herd increasingly large packs of Calicorns through hazards—like spiky obstacles or sharp turns—by staying behind them, using a staff to guide, slow, or speed them up.
• The game focuses more on the logistics and challenge of herding than on speed or fluidity. Some find the concept clever, but the pace and repetition start to grate.

"It's very forgiving... I was genuinely worried it was gonna be like that horrible mini game from Twilight Princess... but it's not that annoying, except for the brambles and that world's worst owl." – Griffin McElroy ([08:57])

The Fun Factor – Host Critiques ([09:54]–[12:54])

• Justin McElroy: Finds the core gameplay excruciatingly boring, with almost "no concession made for [the] player." He hoped for evolving mechanics but felt stuck in a never-ending tutorial.

  "No pleasure was found here. It's incredibly boring... I thought it was a tutorial, like a training thing. And then the mechanics would get out of the way... But it never does that." – Justin McElroy ([09:54])

• Russ Frushtick: Initially charmed by controlling the herd, hoped the core idea would evolve, but “they didn’t know what else to do beyond this is what you’re doing.”

  "It doesn't feel...that they knew where to go after coming up with the idea... beyond the art design of the world, which does look beautiful... they didn't know what else to do." – Russ Frushtick ([11:58])

• Griffin McElroy: Appreciated the personality in the herd (naming system, little quirks) but overall, the gameplay plateaus quickly.

  "I felt the exact same way. I would find a new thing, a new mechanic, a new type of puzzle... And I don't know, I don't really think it does." – Griffin McElroy ([13:52])

• Chris Plante: Notes that the frequency of adding new herd members undermines emotional connection, a contrast to ICO or Shadow of the Colossus.

  "You’re getting a new one every like 15 minutes... By the two or three hour mark, I have eight or nine or ten of these or whatever." – Chris Plante ([13:52])

Mechanics, Frustrations, and the “Stampede” Ability ([16:18]–[19:57])

• “Stampede mode” temporarily introduces speed, but is both mechanically and thematically limited.
• Frustrations include unclear level design, repetitive environments, and lack of engaging evolution in interaction.

"The game part is at a snail's pace and it is dull." – Justin McElroy ([17:18])

"If it’s not about the story... aesthetically taking it in is really nice... but you’re experiencing it at a speed where those charms wear off... and what you’re really left with is the experience." – Justin McElroy ([19:57])

Notable Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Kojima Anecdote: Justin recounts a one-off, language-barrier-breaking moment with Hideo Kojima at E3, where Kojima’s only words to him were the Terminator theme ("dun, dun, dun, dun, dun"). ([00:00]–[02:03])

  • "He broke the language barrier with the sting from Terminator. It kicked ass." ([00:00])

• "I felt like we were in a sort of tutorial sequence... but it never does that." – Justin McElroy ([10:28])

• "You know, I just want to chill with my road hogs and trot them out." – Griffin McElroy ([09:27])

• "Bro, the battery in old cartridges is one that... they just stop working." – Justin McElroy, on the need for DIY skills in gaming hardware ([27:55])

Side Topics & Tangents

Modular Hardware and the Joy of Upgrades ([22:58]–[32:47])

• Justin shares a detailed story of upgrading his Prusa MK4 3D printer with a modular kit, praising the open-source DIY ethos and customer care.
  • "The best fucking gummy bear I ever ate is when I finally got that fucking LCD in place..." ([27:05])
• Discussion extends to the lack of similar upgrade pathways in gaming consoles, the retro handheld boom, and how companies like Prusa foster a healthier, more collaborative upgrade culture than the big console manufacturers.

Mailbag: Mario Sunshine, LEGO Games, and Chibi Robo ([33:13]–[40:13])

On Super Mario Sunshine ([33:16]–[36:09])

• Some fans defend its position as their favorite Mario, to which the hosts respond with a mix of empathy and jest.
• Justin plugs Super Mario Sunburn, a mod making Sunshine more like Mario 64:

  "You can do multiple missions at once and collect shines out of order... Sunburn is really neat." ([35:30])

On LEGO Games ([36:17]–[37:53])

• Light banter about whether the hosts have played recent LEGO games and whether their criticism is justified.
• Russ shouts out Skywalker Saga as a good recent entry.

Chibi Robo Shout-Out ([38:03]–[40:04])

• Listener nostalgia and recommendations for Chibi Robo games on GameCube and DS, with links promised for translation patches and newsletters.

Honorable Mentions & What’s Next ([40:34]–[54:29])

Hollow Knight: Silksong Hype ([40:34]–[43:43])

• Everyone’s excited for the September 4th release; anticipating inevitable backlash and discourse.
• Griffin recommends a long YouTube video summarizing the Hollow Knight plot.

Other Recommendations

• Book: A Drop of Corruption (sequel to The Tainted Cup) by Robert Jackson Bennett, praised as “fantasy murder mystery with magic plants and Kaiju.” ([44:06]–[45:14])
• Show: American Ninja Warrior’s new tournament structure – “a thrilling season... reduced the age limit, so now you’ve got 14-year-olds versus veterans.” ([45:13]–[47:18])
• Hardware/Emulation: The joys of pairing retro handhelds to specific libraries or platforms for a more “alive” nostalgic experience. ([49:25]–[52:14])

Episode’s Clear Takeaways

• Herdling is visually impressive with moments of atmospheric beauty and innovation in shepherding mechanics, but the fun and emotional engagement just don’t sustain. The consensus is that it’s an idea-rich experience that stalls in execution, especially in comparison to other recent atmospheric games like Sword of the Sea.
• The hosts’ exploration of experiential indie titles highlights both the genre’s strengths and the pitfalls of underdeveloped core mechanics.
• There’s nostalgia but also critical insight into evolving hardware, the culture of modding, and old/new game experiences.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] – Kojima and Terminator story
• [03:16] – Introduction to Herdling
• [06:14] – Comparing pacing: Sword of the Sea vs. Herdling
• [09:54] – Is Herdling boring?
• [13:52] – Comparing herd mechanics to classic games
• [17:18] – Stampede ability; dull gameplay discussion
• [22:58] – Modular 3D printers and open hardware talk
• [33:16] – Listener mail: Mario Sunshine
• [36:17] – Listener mail: LEGO games
• [38:03] – Listener mail: Chibi Robo
• [40:34] – Hollow Knight: Silksong excitement
• [44:06] – Book and show recommendations
• [52:18] – Recap and next week’s what’s coming

Tone & Language

The show remains lively, self-deprecating, and irreverent, packed with pop-culture jokes (“Ms. Hollow Knight,” “Babe” minigame references), and generous ribbing among longtime friends. They’re earnest about what they love (and don’t love), maintaining the approachable, insider-y tone their audience expects.

Closing

The Besties wrap by acknowledging Patreon supporters and teasing next week’s episode: reviews of Metal Gear Solid 3 Delta and the new Kirby DLC, with a promise to discuss Silksong once it’s released to the public.

“Shouldn't the world's best friends pick the world's best games?”

For newsletter links and bonus content (“over 50 episodes of bonus content!”), listeners are directed to thebesties’ Patreon.

BOTTOM LINE:
Herdling is a beautiful, conceptually interesting indie, but fails to maintain engagement—providing another strong case study in how atmospheric, expressive games can fall flat without gameplay evolution and sustained player agency. The Besties' playful group dynamic, industry insights, and side digressions continue to make for expert, entertaining commentary.