My, What A Big Bird You Have!

The Falconeer

- Kenneth Ang

With next-gen AAA games launching one after the other for the Xbox Series X/S and the PlayStation 5, it can be hard to keep track of all the great titles coming through, especially those that aren’t from big-bucks studios like The Falconeer.

Developed by Tomas Sala, the guy behind the infamous Moonpath to Elsweyr mod for Skyrim and published by Wired Productions, this gorgeous open-world aerial combat game is a real gem, and it’s easy to miss if you aren’t explicitly looking for it. Nevertheless, in case you did glance over it before by accident, grab a chair and get comfy here’s why we think it deserves a spot on our playlist for December.

At first launch, The Falconeer might not seem overly impressive or revolutionary, but in the era of modern video gaming, with tech like ray-tracing and 8K resolution, the initial impression and aesthetics are arguably the most integral part in attracting players and keeping them immersed.

Case in point, the game’s art style, which is reminiscent of Telltale’s The Walking Dead except with a fantasy twist was what really drew me in at the beginning, and suffice to say it was also one of the key things that kept me glued to my screen as I explored the game’s overworld. The audio is a real killer too - the soundtrack is filled with deep, rumbling chants and the occasional sound of bagpipes, which blends perfectly with the Norse undertones evident within the game’s local cultures.