There are plenty of excellent rhythm games you can pick up for cheap right now as part of Steam Rhythm Fest. In fact, we’ve already picked out seven titles here that you should definitely pick up while the event runs until August 26th. But there’s one game that’s not included in the roundup that deserves to be highlighted: rhythm adventure game A Highland Song.
The 2023 title from developer inkle, the studio behind indie darlings Heaven’s Vault, 80 Days, and Overboard!, transports players to the picturesque landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. While there is a rhythm element, as you’d expect given its involvement in the Steam Rhythm Fest sale, the majority of A Highland Song is a loose narrative adventure with rich travel mechanics that’s a love letter to the Highlands themselves.
I can tell you from personal experience that the Highlands are very special. I’ve just returned from a trip to Scotland where I spent a lot of time wandering through the game’s real-life inspirations. The rolling hills, rushing rivers and huge mountains are so steeped in history and folklore that it feels like the land is not only constantly drenched in rain, but has also absorbed a living cultural memory. That’s the feeling A Highland Song aims to evoke, and it succeeds brilliantly.
The game sends players on a long, multi-day trek from protagonist Moira McKinnon’s house (which she runs away from) to her uncle’s lighthouse. Between points A and B lie the beautiful but dangerous vistas the Highlands are known for. Between the unpredictable weather with heavy rain showers or snow, steep cliffs and deep caves constantly in your way, it quickly becomes clear that the journey is not going to be an easy one. A Highland Song turns all of these obstacles into meaningful challenges, as Moira is fragile and must rest every night to maintain her warmth and health. If you sleep without shelter or stay out in the rain for too long, you’ll freeze to death. If you run out of stamina while climbing and slip and fall, your health bar will suddenly be half gone. To keep Moira alive and complete this journey, you’ll need to take it slow.
This methodical approach encourages you to explore the game’s environments. Thanks to this more exploratory approach, you’ll eventually begin to uncover the stories hidden within. Every hill and valley you cross has a story to tell – you might find remnants of a battlefield from the Jacobite Revolution, or even encounter potentially mystical creatures from Scottish folklore. Each of these encounters offers a lesson about the land and its people. Highland Song’s rhythm aspects come to the fore in moments of traversal where you’re chasing a stag and must hit timed inputs set to the game’s soundtrack. While not an exciting rhythm game due to its simplicity, chasing the stag often takes you far from your starting point and well off the beaten track, providing ample opportunities for exploration for those interested in learning more about this surreal place.
None of these discoveries are forced on the player by tedious quests or overly signposted events, but rather by a natural sense of adventure. Throughout the game, you can go wherever your heart takes you, and you’ll always find something interesting. As cliched as it may sound, A Highland Song is about the journey, not the destination – and it’s an excellent journey, thanks not only to the fantastical world inspired by the very real beauty and history of the Highlands, but also to the wonderfully challenging locomotion mechanics that make every little bit of progress feel truly worthwhile.
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