While we’re far from the indie revolution, a magical era when digital proliferation seemed like infinite studios had caught on and the cost of developing and deploying tools was subpar, there are still times when where we notice their consequences. The influence of Limbo and Inside, Danish studio Playdead’s two great (and only) titles, are examples of this, and their 2D limited linear platformers, which had a depressing, evocative look and simple narrative, gave way to it many people, both intrepid imitators and inspired followers, adding personal touches to the same core principles.
FAR: Lone Sails from the German studio Okomotive belongs to this last group and although it is obvious that it has played with the main mechanics, it lets you pilot a land vehicle (which is huge and looks like a drill) through a post-apocalyptic landscape and of God leave hand; The general idea of a tiny nobody narratively exploring dangerous lands dates back to Playdead.
It turned out to be a hit, perhaps thanks to the vehicle’s controls, so it came as no surprise that Okomotive was preparing a sequel, or “companion piece” as they call it, officially known as Far: Changing Tides. While not a direct sequel, it retains the same magical feel of the site and also uses the idea of a small person piloting a giant machine.
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And why do they spend so much time on something from the past? Well, to go back to those roots, but also because Far: Changing Tides is about keeping audience expectations in check and not changing much about an already working product, and maybe that’s why it’s a companion piece.
The story is still hazy. The world ended, leaving behind another protagonist stuck in a rut, Toe, a man (or woman, it’s hard to say) who wants to leave a new flooded city that was abandoned a long time ago. Why that was decided, why the world came to a standstill, and why Toe survived and others didn’t is a mystery. They give you some clues, of course, but basically it’s the story of the original game, which cleverly explained that our protagonist had traveled the world for years with his terrestrial behemoth, and now we’re about to witness the culmination of that unique journey. He (or she…ok, I’ll stop) swims out of the flooded town, apparently finds the floating boat, and sets sail. It’s an odd start to an odd first hour of play, to say the least.
Although this ship ends up being just as (or even more advanced) when you pilot it as its land-based counterpart from the first game, it’s powered by wind and sails for the first 40 or so minutes of the game. If you’ve played Sea of Thieves you’ll get an idea of how unrewarding and cumbersome it can be to constantly adjust sails to the wind, and well… you feel powerless. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to get an engine to become the main source of acceleration, and hence the pattern we already know begins to steer the boat, providing the engine with new sources of fuel and maintaining a level of heat resistant and coping all problems that can be caused by a snow storm or a hose, depending on the situation.
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The view is from the same 2.5D plane, it has the same platforms that we already know from its predecessor that don’t fully satisfy you, and it uses the same puzzle structure, that is, you have to remove obstacles, turn cranks, place wagons and water towers to allow your ship to pass. It’s the same old story, and while not much has changed beyond the surface you walk on, there’s nothing to complain about.
Because FAR: Changing Tides is still an incredibly immersive experience, thanks to some gorgeous views and fantastic music by Joel Schoch. It’s a voyage with not much being said, explained or shown directly, but it’s still a voyage worth remembering, thanks to clever puzzles, physically engaging driving and a way to unlock the ship’s main features one at a time, that always contains new systems that you will have to maintain.
Unfortunately, it’s not perfect, and the main reason for that is… the water. Water is inherently slippery, unstable and free-flowing. It sounds obvious but it’s true. There’s no one who directly prefers sailing to driving, and water levels have nothing to do with the level of a solid foundation beneath your feet, and FAR: Changing Tides loses some of its solidity because of this core change. . I didn’t find it as satisfying to pilot the ship as I did the landship in the first game. And then comes the story. I understand the underrated thing, but a sign of growth would have been to focus more on the core plot motivation for this character, wanting to travel and escape. No, no dialogue is required, or even involving other characters, but perhaps a more atmospheric narrative would have made the player ask more questions and be more curious about discovering the what, how, and who. The way it is done, this will not be achieved. Maybe that’s the goal, but it would be great if they could create a myth, since Okomotive undoubtedly has more ideas and wants to spend more time in this world.
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At the end of the day, or the journey so to speak, the main premise of Far: Changing Tides is a solid one that makes you feel like you’re the one piloting this massive but fragile ship that needs taking care of it, and also, that this journey is a matter of life and death. What I mean is that it works, but if they don’t have the real improvements or new elements of a sequel, the next one won’t work as well.
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