Back in March, British developer Coatsink released Skytail seemingly out of nowhere and with little fanfare. Which was quite unusual considering the studios’ previous title was Men in Black: Most Wanted. As it turns out, there’s a good reason for this, as 131XR finds Skytail for Meta Quest to be a rather dull offering in its review.
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Take to the Skies
Skytail revolves around a flying creature of the same name, which you ride, flying around sunset-kissed skies, shooting enemies and then landing to look after. Beautifully designed and with lots of individual components like ability upgrades and feeding Skytail, the game has all the hallmarks of a title that should work well, even if it is for a younger audience.
It even evokes games like Panzer Dragoon, with its on-rails action elements, killing swarms of enemies. However, while the individual elements tend to make sense, Skytail fails as a whole.
Skytail Review
With little narrative to speak of, the game revolves around you and your dragon-like creature. Sitting atop its back, you’re thrown straight into the “action” learning how to crush enemies and grab remote objects to smack into them. Basic enemies can be crushed right away, while those with armour need to have something whacked into them before being killed. Doing all of this whilst riding this magnificent beast should be amazing, but it isn’t. 131XR’s review of Skytail notes that these sections, which should be the most thrilling, are utterly boring and create little excitement.
Once completed, you land in this fantasy world to explore on foot. There are lots of bitty things to do, like creating food to feed to your winged dragon, and unlocking new abilities. Yet, interacting with the creature, whether you’re petting or feeding it, does nothing. There’s no bond to build or bonuses to unlock.
As such, 131XR doesn’t recommend Skytail for most players, although a younger audience might enjoy it.
Coatsink’s Legacy
Considering Coatsink’s history in VR, the arrival of Skytail is a sad surprise. The company has been hugely innovative within the space, having released early examples like Esper and Esper 2 during the Gear VR days to critical acclaim.
Since then, the studio has released quirkier titles like A Night’s Sky and They Suspect Nothing. The excellent puzzler Shadow Point – narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart, no less – and the turn-based RPG Augmented Empire. Then there are its bigger IP titles, like the aforementioned Men in Black and Jurassic World: Aftermath. So it should know how to make a VR game.
Have you played any of Coatsink’s previous titles? Which was your favourite? Let us know in the comments.
