Sable Review (Chabneruk)
A Beautiful Failure
It is hard to recommend Sable, yet it is harder not to. The game resembles its protagonist in that it constantly tries to find its identity. Sable may fail in that endeavour, but it fails beautifully - which makes it worth playing in its own.
The Pros
The overall aesthetic: Whether you enjoy Sable will mainly depend on whether you like its peculiar art style. The games visuals are clearly inspired by the works of franco-belgian comic artist Jean Giraud, better known as Moebius. They reminded me of his masterworks in all the best ways, especially since Sable's designers have created some beautiful vistas of their own within this style.
The story: Sable tells both a very personal story of a young girl choosing her future path in life and - at the same time - the story of her people, a civilization on a desert backwater planet, protected by a mysterious sentient force field called the Perpetual. As you explore the world, you gain a deeper understanding of its culture and history. There are enough answers to satisfy and enough open questions to still engage your imagination.
The soundtrack: Meditative sandgliding is one of the major appeals of this game and its music underlines this essential experience nicely.
The Cons
Gameplay: I have not played Breath of the Wild. Supposedly it is both a masterpiece and the inspiration for Sable's gameplay, but something must have been lost in the imitation, because sable feels clunky and sometimes even repetitive. While exploring ancient ruins is rewarding most of the time, there are moments in which the game is simply frustrating - both the fishing minigame and bughunting come to mind - and I can't imagine players who would prefer to spend more time with these elements.
Technical issues: Speaking of bugs, there are many in this game, even now, three years after release. The interface sometimes becomes unresponsive, your bike won't heed your calls and there are stones and plants hanging in mid-air. While saving and restarting solves most of these issues, the process breaks immersion - and immersion is what Sable is ultimately about. Which is a problem.
The core premise: Sable is a young girl in a culture where one's role is determined by the mask you wear. The intention is to experience different lifestyles within your time with the game and choosing a mask for Sable in the end. The problem is that the activities to earn these masks rarely correspond with the lifestyle in question. Catch butterflies for a guard? One step closer to becoming a guard. Pay a cartographer? Here you are, on your way to becoming a cartographer yourself. Want to be a merchant? Just give some money to a merchant. Which... is part of the merchant lifestyle, I guess, but certainly not the whole of the thing. As for fishing and bug-handling - see above. I made a choice at the end, but it was a choice born from uncertainty. It was the end of the game and I felt cheated, because this choice could have been so much more.
Final Verdict
5/10 Glider Parts - get it in a sale and enjoy its beauty for what it is, not what it could have been.