It's been nearly two years since we took our first (and last) look at Far: Lone Sails, a game we described as "a weirdly charming roadtrip through the post-apocalypse." You play more of an engineer than a pilot: Instead of driving, you control your oversized land yacht by moving between various stations, trying to keep all the systems working as they should. The name of the game is simply to keep moving, as you follow the trail of your people, explore buildings and ruins, and discover the story of "a civilization on the run."
It's clearly not going to be a happy, upbeat experience, but publisher Mixtvision said that it's meant to be more of a contemplative experience, punctuated by "demanding situations that call for quick wits and thoughtful management of resources." What you won't have to deal with, however, are zombies, mutants, or any other denizens of the irradiated wasteland.
"True desolation manifests itself more subtly than slashing away at the undead," Mixtvision said. "It’s only you and your machine vs. the big nothing."
Far: Lone Sails reminds me quite a bit of The Final Station, another 2D journey across a desolate, end-of-the-world landscape, and based on that alone it has my interest. But the muted beauty of the trailer and the promise of slow-burn environmental storytelling rather than wholesale zombie slaughter have my expectations elevated: I really want to play this game.
Far: Lone Sails is scheduled for release on May 17 on Steam.
