FAR: Lone Sails PC review — A glorious vehicular odyssey

Commonly, post-apocalyptic games are most survival. Getting nutrient, finding water, getting weapons, and dealing with threats is what near players take come to expect from the genre over the years. FAR: Lone Sails, however, subverts that expectation. None of these things play a role in this game — instead, you simply have one goal: arrive your vehicle, and go along moving forwards.

It sounds like a ho-hum concept on paper, only the game manages to brand everything from maintaining your vehicle to traversing the lands engaging and often times, challenging. When y'all pair this with the gorgeous art and the phenomenal music, it becomes articulate that FAR: Alone Sails is something special.

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Gameplay: Maintain your vessel

FAR: Solitary Sails immediately starts y'all off on your journey. Hundreds of miles of country lying before you, and the only way to cross is with your function-train, part-boat vehicle. There are 2 ways to move: burning fuel and raising sails. The sails will only piece of work in open areas, and fuel reserves are finite. Burning fuel likewise generates steam, and releasing it when it's at critical levels volition give you a dainty heave of speed.

These are the core mechanics of FAR: Alone Sails, and agreement how to manage your fuel is the virtually of import matter in the game. Sources of fuel are oftentimes few and far between, so it's crucial to salvage equally much of it as possible. This solitary is already a fun strategic challenge, but the game throws a few wrenches into your plans. For example, the various moving parts of your vehicle can catch burn down or suspension downwardly, and you need to handle those problems with your onboard water hose and repair torch, respectively.

Weather can exist a cistron also, and some forms of information technology will fifty-fifty damage your vessel, significant yous'll need to go as fast equally possible in social club to get under cover. Lastly, there are scenarios where the vehicle will get stuck, and the simply way to get it out is to keep foot, discover out what the problem is and fix it, usually by platforming and puzzle-solving your way to a button. These are satisfying variations in gameplay that keep the experience from feeling repetitive.

A artistic aspect of the gameplay is the way you can find objects that help "burnish upward" your vehicle'south interior merely will be forced to sacrifice for fuel if you don't utilize what you find well. For example, you can find a radio that volition play charming music as you pass abandoned signal towers, but if you screw up and waste fuel, so you lot'll be forced to use the radio for fuel and your feel volition return to lonely silence.

Atmosphere: Impactful, gripping, beautiful

Though the gameplay is splendid, I would be lying if I said what drove me to stay up one nighttime playing this game wasn't the temper. The fine art management is amazing and actually does a lot to contribute to the feeling of loneliness in an empty world. Music is too fantastic, and both intense and sad moments are emotionally impactful because of the score.

Every bit you travel, y'all observe several remnants of civilization. Everything from abased farms to industrial sites is visible, and every time I saw one it renewed my determination to keep chugging along to come across if I could find other forms of life.

Perhaps the cleverest thing nearly FAR: Lone Sails is the mode it builds a human relationship betwixt you lot and your vessel. Since you're on your own for the whole game, y'all'll form an attachment with the craft. You rely on it for move and protection from the elements, while it relies on you for repairs and moving past obstacles. The two of you will exist through thick and sparse together, and this ultimately makes the vehicle experience less like a tool and more like a friend.

FAR: Solitary Sails for PC conclusion

FAR: Lone Sails

Through excellent gameplay mechanics, phenomenal presentation, and a touching atmosphere, FAR: Alone Sails is the best indie game of 2022 thus far.

Pros:

Splendid gameplay.
Gorgeous music and fine art.
Effective, impactful atmosphere.

Cons:

Occasional slight framerate dip.

FAR: Lone Sails is bachelor on Steam for $14.99. It will also be coming to Xbox One subsequently this year.

See on Steam

This review was conducted on a PC, using a re-create provided past the publisher.

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