With a surprising overall performance to be his first commercial work (he had already experimented with this free-of-play Where the Goats are), Cardenas gives us a small but complete artistic treatise in the form of an interactive experience, succeeding in a single stroke on stage a fierce criticism of traditional gaming structures and to enhance the school of subtractive design, describing with a bittersweet and poignant approach to the life of new generations.

The Stillness of the Wind is not quite as elegant as it could be; the writing is heavy handed and confusing dream sequences don’t contribute much to its atmosphere of contemplative loneliness. Yet this unusual game encourages thinking about old age in a unique and provocative way.

Quotation forthcoming.

If you're looking for a fun time, a happy time, or a smooth ride, this isn't your game. If you're looking for something to chew on and to learn about a person or people you might not be able to truly see in our real world, then Stillness is here. I wish more games tried to communicate these kinds of messages.

The Stillness of the Wind is a very interesting chance to live the emotions of an old person. The devs have used all the right techniques to show and let play these feelings. Is not for everyone, but the game has all the characteristics to explain what freedom in indie games development is.

The Stillness of the Wind will not suit everyone. It is a game that is somewhat devoid of excitement. It is probably a closer example of a farming simulator than games such as Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley and their bright colours and fast-growing crops. It is more than that though. It is a game of survival, for both the elderly Talma, and for the animals that she tends. It is a game of loss as well, as we learn about all the family that lived on the farm but have left the nest. The Stillness of the Wind is relaxing though, allowing you to wander about doing your daily tasks however you please, but without goals to aim for, there is often the feel of emptiness which can lead to the game feeling a tad dull.

The Stillness of the Wind only lasts a few hours, but it feels longer as it spools through a limited repertoire of activities. This is a game that’s less about doing and more about feeling. It’s about the mundanity of powerlessness, loss and endings, but also about how these things have their own private joys. It’s a story about living a life of boring contentment. It is meditative, slow, and sad.