Sable

Sable is a difficult game to rate: if you think only of the quality of the work from an aesthetic and narrative point of view, the number at the bottom of the review should skyrocket. Exploration is everything here: the game really comes into its own when you take the liberty of setting your own course. Unfortunately, analyzing the work of Shedworks as a whole, one cannot help but notice how the technical limits weigh on a gameplay that is not particularly inspired, even going so far as to undermine the user's involvement during the game session.

Sable never rushes you. You take in the setting and simply enjoy the essence of the game – the journey entwined with a tale about maturing and change. If you don’t like to hurry at breakneck speed and prefer to look under every rock, there’s a chance Shedworks’ game will charm you. You’ll just need to turn a blind eye to some technical flaws, get on your flying motorbike and set off towards the horizon.

Between the bold and ever-contrasting color palette, the ambient music by indie rock band Japanese Breakfast, and the pure joy of climbing cliffs, ruins and dunes to your heart's content, Sable offers an immersive dive into the lives and traditions of its small, nomadic world. Beyond its artistic merits, the game is supremely fun to play. It's a title that adventure gamers and art lovers alike will happily explore for hours on end, and despite the occasional bug, it's a very well-made game. Sable is well worth adding to any adventure gamer's library, and I eagerly await Shedworks' next big title.