I do love clunky mechanical objects where operating them for a long period endears the player to them; however, this and the evocative music and landscape is what the game really only has. Movement is unnecessary slow, puzzles are trivial, no strong resource management difficulty, I struggle to find positive points. As with experience or mood based games, the motivation and story is rather unclear perhaps not well thought out. Given its mechanics and world, I cannot understand what it is trying to say assuming how it ends or its desolate state. The game does have some heart to it but not recommend.

The premise of this game (pilot a steam-powered vehicle and see the sights!) had me worried that the experience of actually playing it would be fairly dull, but I was glad to be proven wrong.

A big part of this is because piloting the vehicle doesn't just involve pushing the left stick forward. You have to manage your fuel resources, prevent the engine from overheating, and keep your foot on the gas - none of which is very difficult, but together they compose a pleasing rhythm. This is helped by some great sound design that makes the pushing of buttons and the blasting of steam all feel very tactile.

The game also knows how to switch up the pace to keep the experience fresh throughout. There'll be sections where you can unfurl your sails and let the wind push you forward, allowing you to sit back and take in the beautifully rendered vistas. Sometimes, you'll run into an obstacle that requires some puzzle-solving (nothing too difficult). And then there are the set pieces: moments when the camera pulls back and the music swells, and you get to marvel at how far the long-gone inhabitants of this world have fallen.

All this is packed into a two-hour runtime that some might consider short. But it was this shortness that helped maximize the impact of my journey, and I left the ruined expanse thoroughly satisfied.

O objetivo do jogo é embarcar em uma jornada com sua locomotiva, percorrendo um mapa vazio, enfrentando alguns obstáculos e buscando melhorias para o veículo.

Durante essa viagem, além de superar os obstáculos mencionados anteriormente, é necessário manter a locomotiva em bom estado. Isso envolve queimar itens para gerar energia, liberar fumaça enquanto se move, apagar pequenos incêndios e reparar componentes que podem quebrar durante o percurso. Esses elementos adicionam complexidade à jornada, tornando-a interessante e evitando que o jogo se torne monótono.

FAR: Lone Sails oferece uma jogabilidade extremamente relaxante, com ambientes belos e trilhas sonoras envolventes. É o tipo de jogo que me proporcionou uma imensa sensação de paz e que eu poderia jogar por horas sem nenhum estresse.

Minha principal dificuldade com o jogo foi a incerteza em relação a tudo. Joguei sem ter a menor ideia sobre o meu progresso ou se estava fazendo as coisas certas. O jogo mantém os jogadores um pouco às cegas, exigindo que sigam adiante. No entanto, quando alcancei o final, percebi que todas essas incertezas valeram a pena.

Em resumo, acredito que esta é uma experiência incrível que vale a pena ser experimentada. Aqueles que derem uma chance ao jogo provavelmente vivenciarão uma das experiências mais relaxantes de suas vidas.

Little Red Riding Hood. A to doslova i do písmene. Ovládáte totiž Červenou Karkulku (no dobře, tak holčičku v červených šatech) a herně jde o ekvivalent walking simulatorů; akorát místo chůze jedete nezávratnou rychlostí vstřic apokalyptickým dálavám vyschlého mořského dna. Na starosti máte "plavidlo", které ovládáte přebíháním mezi několika málo červenými čudlíky; jeden zažehne spalování, jiný zase brzdí apod.

Poklidnou cestu vám tu a tam zahradí (čti zpěstří) překážka. Pokud se však radujete, že do herních mechanik tímto vstupují i puzzly mechanismy, tak se radujete předčasně. Odstranění překážky znamená vystoupení a dojití na nějaké místo s čudlíkem. A pak již zase nahodíte motory, rozvinete plachty a šupajdíte pěkně dál.

Zdá se to málo? Nezdá. Ono toho vskutku herní náplní i rozsahem málo prostě je. Cesta vám stěží zabere více než tři hodiny, znovuhratelnost je takřka nulová (žádná generovaná krajina či jakákoli variabilita), jenom jedete z levé strany vstříc té pravé a občas vystoupíte.

Proč tedy takové ohlasy? Protože co se nedostává po stránce herní, to se více než dostatečně dorovnává atmosférou. Ta je podmanivá, melancholická, s příměsí výpravy za dobrodružstvím, umocněná skvostnou stylizací, kdy se kocháte i tou vyprahlou pouští. A pocit, kdy to jednou za čas rozpálíte a jen si užíváte pocit rychlosti na přídi či když se ploužíte za deště a bouřky vrakovištěm, je plně naplňující čili nuda nehrozí. Jestli se zbavíte rozčarování nad cenou neúměrné délce zážitku, tak nudit se u toho nebuete, jakkoli herně na práci vlastně nic moc nemáte. Takže ano, je to echt indie alternativa, ale má svůj půvab, ne že ne.

Um jogo simplesmente sensacional. aqui vai uma pequena narrativa da minha jornada. Diário de Jornada: FAR: Lone Sails Dia 1: Uma Jornada Silenciosa Começa Hoje, embarquei em uma jornada solitária pelos vastos e desolados cenários de "FAR: Lone Sails". Logo no início, o silêncio envolvente e a paisagem melancólica me capturaram. Contemplei um mundo abandonado, coberto por uma atmosfera nostálgica e repleta de mistérios. A solidão do meu veículo, uma máquina movida a vapor, ecoava meus próprios pensamentos enquanto atravessava terras desoladas. Cada suspiro da máquina ecoava como uma melodia triste, combinando perfeitamente com a tristeza silenciosa que permeava este mundo deserto. Dia 2: Descobertas Sob a Névoa Cinza Enfrentei ventos fortes e uma névoa cinzenta que obscurecia a visão. Mas, ao mesmo tempo, a atmosfera opressiva trazia consigo um charme único. Descobri antigas ruínas e restos de uma civilização esquecida, criando uma narrativa intrigante que se desenrolava com o passar do tempo.A mecânica de puzzle do jogo, enquanto simples, trouxe uma camada de desafio que se mesclava perfeitamente com a narrativa minimalista. Cada engrenagem e alavanca pareciam uma extensão da minha própria busca por significado em um mundo aparentemente desprovido de vida. Dia 3: O Pôr do Sol, Uma Pausa Reflexiva Ao final de um dia árduo, testemunhei um pôr do sol deslumbrante. O horizonte foi pintado com tonalidades quentes e suaves, criando um espetáculo visual que transcendeu a tristeza do ambiente. A solidão se transformou em contemplação, e por um breve momento, encontrei paz na simplicidade da jornada. A trilha sonora minimalista, composta por notas suaves e sutilmente melancólicas, amplificou as emoções evocadas pelo cenário. O som do vento, o rangido da máquina e a música suave fundiram-se, formando uma sinfonia que ecoava a solidão e a beleza da desolação. Dia 4: O Silêncio Fala Alto Ao longo da minha jornada, o silêncio emergiu como um personagem vital. Não havia diálogos, apenas a comunicação silenciosa entre mim e a máquina. Cada momento sem palavras falava volumes sobre a solidão, a perseverança e a beleza encontrada na simplicidade da vida." FAR: Lone Sails" é mais do que um jogo; é uma experiência emocional que transcende a interatividade. A cada quilômetro percorrido, a tristeza do mundo ao meu redor se entrelaçava com a melancolia da minha própria jornada. Uma experiência tão única que deixou uma marca indelével em meu coração. Epílogo: Uma Jornada Inesquecível Ao encerrar esta jornada solitária, olho para trás com uma mistura de melancolia e gratidão. "FAR: Lone Sails" é uma obra-prima que transcende o conceito de jogos, mergulhando os jogadores em uma narrativa silenciosa e evocativa. Uma jornada que vale a pena ser vivida, onde o silêncio fala mais alto do que palavras e a solidão se transforma em uma experiência profundamente humana. Obrigado por ler.

This title is a masterclass in the subgenre of puzzle-platformers that many indie games live in. The place where it isn’t just about going left to right and solving puzzles, but where it’s all about emotions, feelings, beautiful art, music and essentially just vibes.

Your character, never given a name during your time playing is an unknown red coat and hat wearing person who at first you are simply just moving from left to right with.
You learn, or more so confirm, movement is with the stick, you have a little jump and a button to pick items up. Interacting is simply done by picking up and placing objects or physically pushing your character into buttons or movable objects.
That’s it, except, you can zoom in and out.
A simple addition to a set of simple controls that enables you to feel the scale of what the protagonist is coming across, the vastness of the journey you are heading on and also the fine details and information that maybe can be taken from the world at their level.

Outside of some seagulls and other animals you move by, you are all alone in this world, heading forwards for honestly, an unknown reason. Freedom, back to someone, it is always never completely clear and still you feel things for this character as this journey continues.

I say that you as the protagonist are alone, but truthfully this isn’t quite the case as I see it.
Very early on through some basic puzzle solving you discover what is this game’s main thing: The Okomotive.
To describe the Okomotive as simply a vehicle almost feels reductive. True, it is a tool for your character to travel from A to B, to head towards the unknown in the right direction but over time it feels like so much more.
It feels almost like a companion, you take care of it as you must fuel it, stop fires and fix any potential mishaps.
Along your journey you find new ways to upgrade the Okomotive and each of these feels more fulfilling and more like a real gift than upgrades do in most other games.

I can only imagine the bond you feel with this big wheeled, trash eating, sail using car thing is what it is like to own and love a Classic or Vintage vehicle.
To say that before I even played this myself, watching @nightmaremodego stream this I got emotional about a car, feels wild but this game manages to do this.
The rollercoaster is not just the physical ride it takes but the emotions this game manages to surface along the way.

The art in FAR is beautiful, painterly, fascinating to absorb the worlds as you pass them and the weather changes.
The music is incredible and puts in so much work, you can feel excited, frightened, calm, proud - for such a short journey it would be a crime to explain each or any of these highs but they are there.

Earlier in the year I played a game that was much more of a “limbo clone” and it too had wonderful music and great art but it didn’t have as much soul as FAR, for it couldn’t hold a candle to what this game does. In that review I used words such as cute, nice and slow.
Those could apply to FAR but don’t cover it, instead majestic, fascinating and gentle are what come to mind.
In other version of this type of game I can find myself becoming bored, feeling that it is time for the next thing, in FAR I only ever felt this way when I would leave the Okomotive to find fuel far away and the only criticism I have is really grasping and that is I would like maybe one or two more bits to pick up easier - that’s it.

My advice, whenever you may be reading this, grab this game for the pennies it costs to get now. Stick your headphones in, shut out the rest of the world and play this through, even potentially in one sitting.
I am not expecting you to cry, but if you do play this and do not feel anything I would be shocked.

There's a fine line between being atmospheric and introspective vs being dull and boring. While FAR: Lone Sails occasionally manages to be the former, it is far more common for it to sink to the latter. The most profound moments were easily those few occurrences where you arrive at a long desolated outpost and your radio briefly springs to life with the suggestion that there are inhabitants other than yourself tucked within the dreary landscape. Alternatively, the couple of occasions where the solemn journey was interrupted by sudden tension and you had to scramble to keep your vessel in working order were always a welcome change of pace.

What a surprising little game. Aesthetically absolutely gorgeous, the entire game looks like a steampunk oil painting come to life. I don't really know what I was expecting but I probably thought there'd be a little more gameplay than there actually was - it reminded me a lot of Limbo and that brand of side-scrolling adventure game. Really intuitive though, simple but no real tutorials needed or anything, everything clicked pretty easily. The lowkey worldbuilding and art was the main reason I enjoyed this - I would have finished it regardless cos it was less than 3 hours, but the music and visuals brought it to another level. I think the soundtrack will make it into my regular mellow rotation. Really keen to play the second one, now. What a great little experience.

Reviewing this after playing its sequel: Changing Tides and I am so pleased and surprised at how much I enjoyed them both, they both would have easily made my top 5 list the years they came out. Surprisingly, I just stumbled across Lone Sails after seeing a screenshot and going, "huh, that looks pretty" and have not heard of anyone in my sphere playing it. It's brilliant, the perfect length, absolutely stunning art and visuals, emotional music, intuitive puzzles and polished mechanics... I really have no complaints and am so glad I played it. One of my favorite aspects is since you play as a lone protagonist, I found myself getting highly attached to my vehicle, as it was sort of the character's sole "companion" so when anything happens to your vehicle it hits hard emotionally and is surprisingly dramatic. Love it. If you enjoyed this game, I absolutely recommend its sequel, they're a great little duology.

Cool idea for a game. You micromanage a vehicle and try to keep your momentum and travel as far as possible. When you meet an obstacle you get out to solve a puzzle to keep going.
The problem of the game is that it's ridiculously short, about 2 hours. The concept is great, but it ends before it becomes interesting. Also for a game that is about travelling far away the voyage is over pretty soon.
Still recommend it if you want to relax since despite the vehicle management it never gets frustrating.

Sights & Sounds
- The game looks gorgeous and the soundtrack is excellent. Not much else to say for this one. It's just a feast for the senses
- Pay attention to the rain, snow, and hail effects and how they play with visual depth
- You could screenshot any given frame of your playthrough and have a beautiful desktop background

Story & Vibes
- There's no overt narrative to the game. Just keep going right until you can't go right anymore, solve a puzzle, then resume going right
- As you make your way through the various wastelands, you'll pick up little hints and clues about the setting
- The soundtrack does a great job amping up the tense moments and uplifting the beautiful ones, enhancing the emotional experience

Playability & Replayability
- Mechanically, this is a very simple game. You only walk, jump, and move objects around
- Puzzle design is also fairly rudimentary. Nothing here is going to break your brain
- Although I had a good time, I think this is the sort of game that has its greatest impact on the initial playthrough. One time through is probably sufficient for me. Besides, there's already a sequel out
- If you have 3-4 hours to play, you can knock this out in a single sitting without rushing

Overall Impressions & Performance
- Other than a single-frame graphical stutter when approaching a storm, the game ran perfectly
- I did encounter one minor visual bug where a gate got stuck on the front of my vehicle and began flickering in and out of existence. It didn't last long, but it did kinda take me out of the experience for a second

Final Verdict
- 7/10. A chill, pleasant (if somewhat reserved) experience that doesn't overstay its welcome or try to do too much. That said, given its brevity, consider a sale or keep an eye out for a bundle

It is a unique journey where we move away from our home and set out towards the unknown, where we witness moments that are often relaxing and sometimes regressive. I can briefly summarize FAR: Lone Sails like this. The game has very simple controls mechanically, we have a unique vehicle that can convert many items we find on the road into energy and use them as fuel, and we add various modifications to this vehicle along the way and make it more equipped. Of course, it is very simple to use the vehicle due to many difficult weather conditions and conditions that vary depending on the terrain. not. With its steam feature, you must accelerate when necessary, sail to take advantage of the wind, and of course, while doing these, you must repair the damage to the vehicle, extinguish fires and keep an eye on the fuel. Apart from these, the art design of the game is quite nice, with views that resemble an oil painting. There are no subtitles in the game, not even a single creature we encounter along the way. The places we go through in the game are quite deserted, which conveys the feeling of loneliness in the game to the player quite successfully. Of course, the visuality of the landscapes and places, combined with the unique art design and music, promises a very pleasant experience. FAR: Lone Sails is one of the games you should definitely try if you like artistic games. The only downside is that controller support on PC seems to be a bit faulty and the game could have been longer and in a structure where we added modifications to more vehicles. Of course, FAR: Changing Tides may be providing these. A review will come when I play it too.

I gave this one a quick spin a couple years ago. It didn't grab me at the time, but I gave it another shot last night and I'm glad that I did. There's some fun stuff going on here with diegetic visual indicators and scale. The core idea of a little dude who uses in-game buttons to pilot a land boat is a fun one. The score and sound effects shine, from the hiss of steam to the use of plucked strings to convey traveling through hail.

It's a good thing that its charm carries it, though, because it's a little nonsensical with a moment's thought. Those visual indicators that are helpful to the player don't make much sense in the setting and neither do the big orange buttons that control everything. The components to solve puzzles are usually inside of the screen in which your land boat is halted by an obstacle. In some ways, all of that is good: it would be a less pleasant game if I was held up by searching the screen for interactive elements. But I think it also limits the narrative potential of the game, leaving Far: Lone Sails as simply a fun and often pretty journey. My motivation in playing, really, was to keep crossing to see what was on the other side.