BEHIND THE SCENES

Sky: Children of the Light’s enchanting beauty

How this amazing game’s visual design makes it soar.

Sky: Children of the Light

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There’s a breathtaking beauty to Sky: Children of the Light, the latest creation from groundbreaking developer Thatgamecompany. And no wonder. More than six years in the making, Sky was methodically crafted, the design of every character, creature and cloud aligned with the game’s intention to create connections in a dreamlike world.

Here’s a look at the origins of Sky’s visuals – and the ideas behind them.

Much of Sky takes place in the clouds, which is why the game’s visual style draws from the cultures of Bhutan, Tibet, Ecuador and other mountainous regions.

Clothed in culture

Because Sky was created to foster cooperation, characters were designed to look coolest in groups, whether working together to overcome obstacles or just holding hands and skimming across clouds.

‣ Characters in Sky wear poncho-like robes with a wide variety of styles and designs. The team wanted to make players look distinct while keeping their age, race and gender neutral, “so people can be themselves without being labeled or judged,” says creative director Jenova Chen. 

Although you can unlock different hairstyles, cape patterns and emotes in the game, outlandish outfits and goofy dances are nowhere to be found. Keeping with the game’s ethereal vibe, “there’s nothing too noisy or flashy,” he says.

Circle of life

To emphasise the rain on iPhone and iPad, the team enlarged the drops. You might notice that when characters stray into the downpour, they begin to shiver.

‣ Sky’s seven realms are subtly themed around stages of human life. The first level, with its bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds, represents childhood. “Nothing is going to hurt you,” says art manager Yui Tanabe. “Everything should feel big and exciting.”

Some spirits are simultaneously imposing and friendly. Top: Early sketches of the ethereal beings.

A later level, representing middle age and its uncertainty, is a foggy landscape of blocky, angular shapes and dark skies. Everything is dangerous, says Tanabe, and you don’t know which way you should be going – a classic midlife crisis.

Creatures great and small

An early concept sketch of Sky’s dark creatures.

‣ The denizens of Sky are diverse, ranging from illuminated spirits who need your help to sinister monsters. The team made sure it was clear at a glance who is friend or foe, while giving every creature a distinct appearance and animation.

With the Dark Dragon, for example, you know right away to avoid that beam of red light shooting out of its lone eye. No ambiguity here!

Built to scale

‣ Sky was designed to look amazing on new and older devices alike. Visual assets automatically scale in resolution, with graphical detail adapting on the fly to maximise performance on whatever hardware you have.

Sky fluidly handles these changes behind the scenes, says Chen, so players never lose that sense of immersion and wonder. Sky, after all, was made for all.