Sable Reviews
A thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing voyage of soul-searching self-discovery, Sable is also a rewarding jaunt across an otherworldly desert that involves climbing, hoverbiking, and gliding. And rather good it is, too.
Playing Sable very well may be as close as one can get to a meditative experience while playing a game. Few games feel as good to simply exist within as Sable. The game’s gorgeous visuals, warm and comforting music, and intuitive game design all come together to create a unique experience about trying to find one’s place in the world through an expression of an individual’s freedom.
Sable will find an audience that truly adores its free-form exploration, stylistic visuals, engaging writing and chill soundtrack, but for me, these redeeming qualities were lost in a sandy sea of emptiness and repetition in its core mechanics. Its messages certainly resonated with me but its gameplay lacked the variety to truly keep me hooked for lengthier sessions. If you’re looking for a chill experience and can overlook any performance issues that aren’t quite resolved by the time you pick it up, then Sable will deliver. I just can’t help shake the feeling of missed potential here.
If a true voyage of discovery appeals to you, you will be in your element exploring Midden and it’s many mysteries, and with Day One Availablity on Xbox Game Pass, it should probably be at the top of your download queue. I ended up as a Trader by the way – which Mask will you choose at your journeys end?
Sable is not just an iteration on open-world design, but a true spiritual successor to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
When everything clicks, Sable is a great game. Once you've got your head around a quest, especially a longer one with a few moving parts, you can get lost in the world climbing buildings, finding secrets, unlocking puzzles, and gathering knick-knacks. Unfortunately, the game leaves you to your own devices far too often, and doesn't present an interesting enough world for you to want to get lost in it. I'd say at least I could enjoy flying around in it, but after my hovercraft conked out, I didn't even have that. It cares too much about how it wants to make you feel and not enough about how it's going to get you there.
While this left a sour taste in that moment, it just serves as a warning to save the game frequently, because the devs are actively fixing many of these issues for launch and these hiccups shouldn't get in the way of playing Sable. It has a beautiful story to tell about the ups and downs of growing up and leaving home for the first time, with plenty of lovable characters and unique moments to experience along the way. With its beautiful design, surprisingly deep lore, and comforting soundtrack, Sable provides a joyful and inspiring escape that would be a shame to miss out on.
Sable borrows a popular and tried and tested approach to open-world game design and gives it a truly unique feel indicative of the works of the French artist Moebius. The lack of combat may turn some off from playing the game—however, for those looking for a casual game where exploration and light puzzle-solving comes first, it's hard not to recommend Sable.
Striking, peaceful, and wholly focused on exploring at your own pace, Sable is a joy to play. The optimization could use some serious work, but this is an extremely compelling game that offers a better open-world experience than many AAA developers have crafted.
It offers an otherworldly break from the busyness of life, and, when you do return to Earth, you will do so with a smooth landing, and without stress.
There's a melancholia to Sable, wrapped up in the ruined cities and gigantic skeletons dotting its landscapes, but this is balanced with an infectious core of positivity running through the game. What it lacks in drama, it more than makes up for with sheer creativity and grandeur, leaving you with a sense of serenity much-needed and appreciated in these bizarre times. However, it all circles back to the joy of discovery: you might not know exactly what you’ll find as you peel back the layers of Midden, but it’s bound to be interesting.
When it comes to sound design and visual style, Sable blew me away. I couldn’t help but smile and prepare to get lost in a beautiful world. Unfortunately, that feeling doesn’t take long to fade away. There’s definitely enough to keep you engaged and interested, but I just yearned to get more out of this game, especially as it has compelling elements within the groundwork.
Are video games art? In the case of Sable, I think it’s foolish to claim otherwise. It has been an honour to play and review this magnificent experience, with its jaw-dropping vistas, witty, personified dialogue, and genuinely unique world that offers something unmatched in video games. Sable will likely fly under the radar for a lot of people and were it not for the plethora of technical issues, this would be close to a score of the highest order. As it stands, the bugs do detract from the experience a little, but even so this is an absolute must-play title... I just wish there were more of it.
The occasional bug and missing stamina upgrades are really the only negatives I can lodge at Sable. I can think of very few games that have presented such a beautiful harmony of its attributes. Everything supports everything else. The story implores you to go out into the world, to see all that there is to see. The gameplay ensures that the focus is always on the vistas that lay before you, and it’s all stylised beautifully. The game creates a view of which I cannot tire. This is truly one of the most well-conceived and executed games that I have seen in a very long time. It’s one of those games that truly is using everything to its maximum potential.
Sable it's a wonderful adventure that, at first sight, can seem slow and with frustrating aspects (slow pace, world apparently empty...), but its universe will hook you up with lots of mysteries to unfold and the main character's journey. All that with an unique audiovisual and aesthetics that will leave you wanting more, even with evident faults.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pick a direction and wander off to get the most out of this mesmerising game of exploration.
Sable is a fascinating and unique journey that lets the player discover the world of Midden and face a poetic but pretty empty open world.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sable is an exploration game, plain and simple. Everything revolves around this action, and everything we will do will be to that end. This seasoned with one of the best visuals that you will see this year. A marvel.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sable is a relaxing adventure with a satisfying focus on exploration and player freedom.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Sable and will definitely continue to play as well as recommend it to others. For me, there is definitely room for it to be replayed as the choices you make and missions you choose to embark on can reveal a different story each time. Also, the more (or less) that is explored will determine the mask at the end. It is the perfect indie game to relax, take a break, and simply get lost in an open world.