Sable
Year: 2021
Rating: E
Time Played: 1,092 minutes / 18.20 hours
Every once in a while, I’ll get a game for free via Epic Games that makes me want to jump right in and play it. Despite having hundreds of other games I’ve claimed for free in my library, I loaded up Sable and started exploring. I’m still trying to fill the “climb things, then jump off and glide” game mechanic that I enjoyed in Breath of the Wild that Genshin Impact partially met. The adventure aspect of Sable appealed to me, but the art style made me want to download it and play through it immediately.
The cel-shaded style of this game is something I hadn’t seen in other games before. Honestly, it’s the game’s greatest appeal. The scenery feels hollow and desolate, which matches the sci-fi sandy crash of a group of colonizing spaceships. And while there’s not a ton of lore to speak of, there are definitely a lot of interesting places to explore. They felt a bit samey by the end of the game, but at least there was enough variety to get me to the end credits. And I also appreciated that there weren’t a ton of things to collect or do so I could move on to the next game.
Graphically, I think the stylistic choices of Sable cover up some of its weaknesses. Even with a simplified design, there were many times when the stuttering frame rate was noticeable. Clipping was prevalent throughout a lot of the game, but it didn’t affect the gameplay too much. The emptiness felt appropriate for this game, but it also made traversing a bit of a chore. I also could have used some way to move time faster when needed for a few of the puzzles. Still Sable’s lack of enemies or harm to the player character made for an enjoyable time with my 3-year-old daughter.
A game with a unique visual style that leans into how empty it is, I give Sable 4.0 stars out of 5.
