Need to Destress? Try Taking Flight in Fruits of a Feather
Most video games involve feats of speed, beating bad guys and avoiding obstacles, but Fruits of a Feather is a different type of game.
(via Samurai Punk)
Even the first moments of booting it up leave you feeling serene. On the options menu, players are greeted with ambient sounds and the cheerful chirp of birds.
The gameplay itself is pretty simple. You take control of a bird as it soars through a lush nature landscape. Strewn throughout the forest are 192 fruits you can collect—or not.
The genius of Fruits of a Feather is that the fruit-picking objective is totally optional. It's more about the journey and taking in every little breathtaking detail.
The controls couldn't be more straightforward. You can choose the direction you're flying, speed up or slow down, and that's about it.
(via Samurai Punk)
That's good, because the simplicity lets you hone in on the gorgeous elements that make up the game. It's far from the most graphically detailed game out there, but the overall effect is still beautiful. Even on the lowest graphical setting, the polygon-filled environment is a wonder to behold.
(via Samurai Punk)
The world contained within Fruits of a Feather isn't huge, but it gives you enough variation through forests of trees, chilly mountaintops, rivers leading to a sandy ocean and pink crystal-filled caves to allow you to lose yourself in exploration. The music is soothing and melodic to the point that the game almost puts you in a trance.
(via Samurai Punk)
As you play, time also progresses in the game. This isn't to enforce time limits—you can swoop through the world as quickly or slowly as your little heart desires—but to showcase the beauty of the environment through each hour of the day. The scenes are particularly striking when you notice sunsets' colors fill the sky and when the moonlit night sky breaks at dawn.
(via Samurai Punk)
Best of all, there are no consequences for not playing it like a traditional video game. Feel free to crash into things, make mistakes and skip over every fruit if you want, because the pace of the game is up to you.
That's why it is the perfect game to play if you're looking to unwind. You can just take in the music and the scenery, soar around and stop thinking about everything else that's been bogging you down. You're totally free to do the completionist thing and pick up every piece of fruit, and you're totally free not to do it.
If you require fast-paced action to enjoy a video game and the thought of flying through pretty scenery collecting fruit puts you to sleep, this may not be the game for you. But if you ever feel stressed and are looking for a moment of zen to breathe deep and get your head straight, you should definitely give Fruits of a Feather a shot.
And did I mention you can get the game for free? It's available here for Windows, Mac or Linux, and players name their own price when they download, so feel free to tip them an extra buck or two for this awesome game. Can it get more peaceful and relaxed than that?
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