Editor’s Note: The following demo review opportunity came courtesy of Tribeca Games. This title and other worthy competitors are vying for awards in the first-ever games category at the long-running festival. Please keep in mind that these reviews are based on demos, all of which vary in length from 20 minutes to an hour, and are not necessarily fully representative of the final, finished game. Our intent is to give you a sense of what makes these games unique, how well the games executed the developers' vision, and to put them on your radar before everyone you know is playing them.
The music ofSable,provided byJapanese Breakfast, has been a big selling point for the adventure game since its announcement years ago. But for me, it was the charming visuals, the compelling coming-of-age story, and the free spirit of Shedworks' game that sold me almost immediately.NORCOmay have earned its Tribeca Games Award butSablewould have been my choice had I had a say in things. Aiming for exploration, crafting, and conversations over combat,Sablestands apart from most open-world games that want you to just whack everything that moves out of existence. And in a future that seems to have moved on from the world we know, our grounded hero is truly able to take flight in her own way.
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Here’s the official synopsis for the soaring coming-of-age story that isSable:
Embark on a unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.
Check out the E3 trailer for a better look atSable, and be sure towishlist the title on Steam here:
Coming-of-age stories aren’t exactly new in the entertainment space, and they’re hit-or-miss when it comes to video games. They can make or breatk a title. If players aren’t invested in the character and their journey, it’s all over before it starts. Luckily,Sablegives its title character plenty of, well,characterearly on while also giving the player options as to how their own version of Sable is going to behave. Will she be adventurous and a bit rebellious? Or will she be cautious and hesitant? Perhaps somewhere in between? I didn’t get enough time with the demo to know if these various options actually mean something, if they actually give you some agency as a player or affect the way the quirky supporting NPCs respond to her, but the fact that they exist at all goes a long way in shaping this story for individual players.
The bones of Sable’s journey, her Gliding, remain the same no matter your dialogue choices, however. And it all starts with some conversations, a dusty old speeder bike, and an exploration of a world that’s moved on. Your adventure begins in a somewhat non-descript desert village built atop a rocky outcropping, one that’s surrounded by high canyon walls and sporadic places of interest to discover. Wooden boats are left to rot wherever they washed up, back when the sandy desert was deep underwater. Remnants of spacecraft, their hulls cracked and open to the elements, still hide computerized components from an ancient world that still might have some use in Sable’s time. And while the world is largely absent of sentient life outside of the village, there might just be a batch of pesky beetles or two scattered around. It’s a wide-open land that would be slow going on foot, so luckily you’re able to earn some nifty movement tech at the start of your journey.
You’ll navigate this world both by speeder (which I desperately want to go back and upgrade as soon as I get my hands on the full game) and by your coming-of-age power, a sort of orb of protection that forms around you and lets you glide from high places. It’s a clever movement mechanic that, coupled with a stamina-based climbing and grappling action, will draw obvious comparisons to games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandJourney. But make no mistake,Sablestands on its own just fine.
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