I got all the achievements in Sable and I can safely say that it is my game of the year. It has been at the top of my most anticipated games since it was revealed three years ago, and despite high expectations, the game met, and often exceeded them. From the first trailer you could tell Sable would be a game that was going to rely heavily on it's incredibly striking visuals from Gregorios Kythreotis and Shanaz Byrne, Martin Kvale’s excellent audio design, and beautiful music by Japanese Breakfast. It really goes without saying that the game aesthetically knocks it out of the park. I think the biggest question in my mind was whether Sable could create an exploration game in the vein of Breath of the Wild without risk of death or harm, as that sense of danger felt intrinsic to the experience. Admittedly after playing A Short Hike, that concern was somewhat alleviated, but still, something as seemingly vast as Sable had me curious how they would pull it off. What I didn't anticipate was the answer they appear to have come to: the peril is one of personal discovery. The main tension throughout the game is not, "Can you save the world?" Or "Will you survive?", but "Who will you become?". Exploration of the world is really about an exploration of Sable herself, trying to find her way in the world. Character and hoverbike customization therefore become the key components to not just player motivation, but character exploration, as the entire narrative is built around Sable trying to decide who she will be, and how she will express that. That is not to say that there are no moments of perceived physical danger in Sable, as many sheer cliffs are truly breathtaking, and there are a few.... unexpected moments that verge on actual horror. There were also moments in Sable where I found myself just sitting in the same spot, wanting to see how the view changed as the sun moved through the sky. The other major surprise of Sable for me was the stellar writing by Meghna Jayanth, Kim Belair and David Bedard. The game is funny, reflective, and deeply compassionate, often within the same breath. It is also deeply thoughtful about the relationship between colonialism and narratives of exploration, without ever feeling preachy. There is a richness to this world that the writing beautifully wraps itself around. Sable is certainly not without it's small bugs or issues (I wish the pathing on the hoverbike, Simoon, was better or it simply teleported to you when you whistled), but those small quibbles never overcame my overall feelings. Despite finishing the Sable, I am still thinking about returning to the world, if for no other reason but to search out those last Chums to finally unlock that final door (I NEED those pants). Overall Sable is something truly special, and the entire team ought to be incredibly proud of the experience they have made. This will be a game that I think about for years to come, and am just so glad to have been able to experience it.

I got all the achievements in Sable and I can safely say that it is my game of the year. It has been at the top of my most anticipated games since it was revealed three years ago, and despite high expectations, the game met, and often exceeded them. From the first trailer you could tell Sable would be a game that was going to rely heavily on it's incredibly striking visuals from Gregorios Kythreotis and Shanaz Byrne, Martin Kvale’s excellent audio design, and beautiful music by Japanese Breakfast. It really goes without saying that the game aesthetically knocks it out of the park. I think the biggest question in my mind was whether Sable could create an exploration game in the vein of Breath of the Wild without risk of death or harm, as that sense of danger felt intrinsic to the experience. Admittedly after playing A Short Hike, that concern was somewhat alleviated, but still, something as seemingly vast as Sable had me curious how they would pull it off. What I didn't anticipate was the answer they appear to have come to: the peril is one of personal discovery. The main tension throughout the game is not, "Can you save the world?" Or "Will you survive?", but "Who will you become?". Exploration of the world is really about an exploration of Sable herself, trying to find her way in the world. Character and hoverbike customization therefore become the key components to not just player motivation, but character exploration, as the entire narrative is built around Sable trying to decide who she will be, and how she will express that. That is not to say that there are no moments of perceived physical danger in Sable, as many sheer cliffs are truly breathtaking, and there are a few.... unexpected moments that verge on actual horror. There were also moments in Sable where I found myself just sitting in the same spot, wanting to see how the view changed as the sun moved through the sky. The other major surprise of Sable for me was the stellar writing by Meghna Jayanth, Kim Belair and David Bedard. The game is funny, reflective, and deeply compassionate, often within the same breath. It is also deeply thoughtful about the relationship between colonialism and narratives of exploration, without ever feeling preachy. There is a richness to this world that the writing beautifully wraps itself around. Sable is certainly not without it's small bugs or issues (I wish the pathing on the hoverbike, Simoon, was better or it simply teleported to you when you whistled), but those small quibbles never overcame my overall feelings. Despite finishing the Sable, I am still thinking about returning to the world, if for no other reason but to search out those last Chums to finally unlock that final door (I NEED those pants). Overall Sable is something truly special, and the entire team ought to be incredibly proud of the experience they have made. This will be a game that I think about for years to come, and am just so glad to have been able to experience it.