Far: Lone Sails

Today's entry is on something that turned out to be a bit less of a game than I expected. I would categorize it under the "walking simulator" genre, even though it might appear to be more of a puzzle/simulation game, but I think calling it either of those would be misleading. You're not walking through the game either, strictly speaking, but Far: Lone Sails definitely has the air of a walking simulator.

The game's very short, lasting between 2-3 hours for the first playthrough, and consists of riding your wind- and engine-powered metal box on wheels through a desolate wasteland of ruins and abandoned technology. You have to manage your ship, picking up fuel, adding it to the engine, keeping the engine running, making sure the wind is in your favor when using your sails, and performing repairs on your ship.
It may sound like a simulation or a tough job, but the hardest part is the platforming you have to do in your cramped ship. There's no real possibility to fail either, so you just keep going until you eventually reach your next "stop". These stops each feature some sort of abandoned machination and a little puzzle you have to solve to progress onwards. Carry a few things, push some buttons, spray some water around - simple stuff. It's just a little something to make you not just watch the game as if it was movie, which it kind of is.

There isn't a lot to really do, and no choices. You complete your series of tasks like every other player before you, and the rest is watching the scenery unfold. Now, the unfolding scenery is nice, and I liked the atmosphere, but I just want something more out of my games than watching the world pass by. It was a bit of a snoozefest, and I'm afraid that without the chore of keeping my ship running and solving the puzzles, I would've fallen asleep listening to the serene soundtrack.

So, from a personal perspective, I can't recommend Far: Lone Sails. However, if you know yourself to be a fan of walking simulators, meditative experiences, or whatever you could classify what I described as, I don't see anything inherently wrong with it and you can give it a whirl for the couple of hours it lasts. But if you're looking for a game to play, this struggles to be categorized as one.