Sky sailing is simple but still engaging in Passing By

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Let my people archipelago

Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/Guilded Rune Games

Airships have an odd place in games. They pop up as a central idea in a fair few games, but there hasn’t really been a definitive one about actually piloting your own.

Passing By – A Tailwind Journey isn’t aiming for that, I think, but it nonetheless captures a key part of the appeal such a game should have. It’s the sense of drifting, both with the wind and with life more generally, and the stretches of not particularly much happening. But in a good way. This is a game about taking it easy, choosing to sail by the less remarkable things unless you happen to fancy stretching your legs, and having only the trust that the currents will take you where you’re meant to go when they get around to it. It’s not a purely vibe-based game, but you’ll definitely enjoy it a lot more if you can appreciate the mood.