Moira McKinnon is running away.

Her destination: the sea. Her path: straight through the heart of the Scottish Highlands—an untamed expanse of winding trails, towering peaks, hidden shortcuts, lurking dangers, and ancient song.

Platforming

Ascend summits to get your bearings and chart a course ahead. Venture into caves, haul yourself up cliffsides, bound across scattered rocks, and skid down loose scree as the journey pushes ever forward.

Survival

Biting wind, relentless rain, and bitter cold stand between Moira and her goal. She is no legendary hero, and the Highlands demand respect. Find shelter—or face the consequences.

Navigation

Hunt down and piece together 100 scattered map fragments to unlock swifter passages through the terrain. The hillsides are threaded with routes—some worn by countless footsteps, others tucked away and waiting to be found.

Narrative

Uncover the stories and the buried secrets woven into the hillsides—places steeped in echoes, lost remnants, and fading memories.

Rhythm runs

Bound and leap through valley after valley to the breathtaking sounds of TALISK and Fourth Moon. The very landscape shapes and shifts itself to mirror the pulse of the music.

Replay

One crossing will never be enough. The Highlands guard their deepest secrets well—prepare to make the journey again and again to unearth them all.

The Story

Moira McKinnon has never laid eyes on the sea.

For fifteen years, she has lived with her mother in a modest house perched on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. Then, without warning, a letter arrives from her Uncle Hamish—urging her to make for the coast. Reach his lighthouse before it's too late, he says, and something wonderful will be waiting...

And so, Moira runs away.

The hills overflow with stories and secrets, but what you uncover depends entirely on the path you choose. The narrative doesn't branch—it weaves. A rich tapestry of history, mythology, and long-buried family truths. What will you find along the way?

The World

In the Highlands, no peak stands silent and no valley is without its song. Giants lie sleeping beneath the earth, ghosts raise their voices in chorus, crows serve as messengers, and eagles carry the dead skyward.

Yet these rugged crags show no mercy, and the mountaintops bite with cold—Moira's journey will test her at every step.

Can you guide her through this sprawling, wind-swept wilderness and see her safely to the other side?

The Music of the Highlands

A Highland Song's soundtrack is crafted by Laurence Chapman alongside two multi-award-winning pillars of the Scottish folk world, TALISK and Fourth Moon. Celebrated royalty of the festival circuit, both acts fuse virtuosic instrumental craft with quick, inventive rhythms—delivering original compositions in traditional styles, brimming with beauty, raw energy, and irresistible swagger.

Accessibility and Settings

The following settings are available and may help depending on your needs:

Narrative

• Reading speed setting: Controls how long dialogue remains on screen before it animates away.
  
• Allow mild profanity: Enabled by default.
  
• Font and text size settings are not currently available, though they are planned for a future update. Text size is relatively generous—we recommend viewing full-screen screenshots in your intended play environment to judge readability for yourself.

Controls

• Alternative gamepad controls: By default, choices and interactions are mapped to the A button and jumping to the Y button. An alternative scheme is available for those who prefer jump on the A button.
  
• Remap keyboard controls: Full in-game remapping of all controls is supported. Mouse buttons can be assigned, though general mouse movement control is not supported.

Gameplay

• Trip less when running to music: In the standard rhythm running mechanic, three stumbles will halt the music and break your momentum. Enabling this setting grants unlimited stumbles. (Note: certain platforming mistakes may still result in failure.)
  
• Never flail while climbing: Disables the occasional quick-time event during climbing that requires a prompt button press to reattach to the wall.
  
• Easier music rhythms: Simplifies the rhythm patterns during rhythm run segments for a more accessible experience.
  
• Single jump button only: After the first few rhythm runs, a second jump button is introduced to add challenge and complexity. This option restricts the mechanic to a single jump button throughout.
  
• Weather and Environment: Adjusts how severely poor weather conditions drain your health and slow recovery.
  
• Lightning: A strobe effect during thunderstorms, enabled by default. Can be switched off entirely.
  
• Highlight routes when looking further: Enabled by default. When using the "Look Further" zoom-out mechanic, traversable surfaces are highlighted for easier navigation. Players seeking a greater challenge or a cleaner view of the artwork can turn this off.

Audio and Vibration

• The following audio channels can be adjusted independently: master volume, ambient music volume, rhythm music volume, and speech volume.
  
• Gamepad vibration can be disabled.