Flock feels like the video game equivalent of throwing open the window for a breath of fresh air

I've wondered for a while how best to explain my time with Flock's demo. The whole experience was a testament to the joy of flight – much as developers Richard Hogg and co intended – and I relished being able to glide effortlessly over the world. It felt free and easy. Yes, the flying in Flock was certainly a joy.

But that is not why I found myself so in love with the whole thing. Rather, it was because in a time when the world feels so full of noise and chaos, Flock gave me a sense of calm, away from the pressures and anxieties that come with everyday life.

Allow me to explain further. In Flock, you are essentially a shepherd, but rather than just your traditional land-based sheep, you are collecting a mixed bunch of eclectic creatures for your Aunt Jane. She is a professor of zoology, you see, so by gathering up these creatures you are helping her with her research. That is not to say there aren't also sheep in the game. There are, and these little fellows can help you by eating their way through grassy meadow patches, unearthing peculiarities hidden beneath. Then, once they have eaten a certain amount, they will grow a nice woolly fleece which you can shave off to use for mittens and the like.

But the search for those unusual creatures – the Bewls and the Cosmets of this world – that is where the real magic happened. When you begin looking for these curious beings you swoop and swirl above the ground, all while keeping your eyes out for any new additions for your flock. Who was that scurrying in the long grass? What is that creature with the unusual-looking crop? Despite soaring through the air, I had to take a moment to slow down and really notice what was happening around me. I was completely in that moment. I took in the flowers that decorated the earth and I noticed the way the clouds around me teased more areas to discover. This is something, I am sad to admit, I rarely actually manage in the real world.

I won't say Flock is the answer to all of life's trials and tribulations – Oh, I wish it could be that easy. But, I will say that in a time when things can often seem overwhelming, Flock feels like the video game equivalent of opening the window wide to take a restorative breath of fresh, soul-reviving air.

This piece is part of Wishlisted, a week-long series on Eurogamer covering some of our favorite games from February 2024's Steam Next Fest. You can read all the other pieces from the series at our Wishlisted hub.