Sable

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 102 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 102
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 102
  3. Negative: 25 out of 102

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  1. hicix80666
    Sep 27, 2021
    3
    Sable's next-level visuals almost immediately give way to underwhelming one-note gameplay and stuttering performance issues that make it impossible to appreciate any of the visuals. Sadly, this isn't something that one or two patches can fix. The world is a bit too empty. The gameplay is a bit too nonexistent. The fact that a strong computer can't smoothly move the camera anywhere withoutSable's next-level visuals almost immediately give way to underwhelming one-note gameplay and stuttering performance issues that make it impossible to appreciate any of the visuals. Sadly, this isn't something that one or two patches can fix. The world is a bit too empty. The gameplay is a bit too nonexistent. The fact that a strong computer can't smoothly move the camera anywhere without eye-gouging stuttering is only the tip of Sable's iceberg of problems. Raw Fury made something cool to look at for a few minutes, but not at all fun or interesting to play for any length of time.… Expand
  2. webeda2748
    Sep 29, 2021
    0
    The only way to give Sable a good review is to review the game I'd like to imagine I'm playing rather than the one directly in front of me. Sable boasts one single aesthetic gimmick and absolutely nothing else of note whatsoever. It's almost impressive in that regard - I really thought I would enjoy spending time in Sable's world, even if there wasn't much to do. As it turns out, there isThe only way to give Sable a good review is to review the game I'd like to imagine I'm playing rather than the one directly in front of me. Sable boasts one single aesthetic gimmick and absolutely nothing else of note whatsoever. It's almost impressive in that regard - I really thought I would enjoy spending time in Sable's world, even if there wasn't much to do. As it turns out, there is nothing to do in Sable's jaw-droppingly linear, empty world. And the process of traveling (the most fundamental and time-consuming part of the game), whether climbing things or riding around on a bike, is a laborious, stuttering, uninteresting chore. Sable ultimately becomes an object lesson in the importance of not just making an effects filter and calling it a day.… Expand
  3. pianoguy13
    Dec 23, 2021
    0
    The visuals are awesome, but there is no game. I played for 45 minutes and was so incredibly bored that I decided to stop playing and go read a college textbook for better entertainment.
  4. cociv28082
    Sep 29, 2021
    5
    5/10 is about as generous as I can bring myself to be. Setting aside SIGNIFICANT performance issues (that I doubt will ever be fully addressed), Sable just doesn't have much to do or show. It's got some nice tunes by Japanese Breakfast, but that's an established musical artist with full albums we can hear without having to play a not-fun game at the same time. Sable just doesn't do much of5/10 is about as generous as I can bring myself to be. Setting aside SIGNIFICANT performance issues (that I doubt will ever be fully addressed), Sable just doesn't have much to do or show. It's got some nice tunes by Japanese Breakfast, but that's an established musical artist with full albums we can hear without having to play a not-fun game at the same time. Sable just doesn't do much of anything to earn the player's time and interest. It starts out EXTREMELY slow and boring. It stays extremely slow and boring. The most basic gameplay elements (riding the sandbike, climbing structures, exploring) are so janky you would think that they're tangential features in a much bigger game. But these are the cornerstones and building blocks of Sable's gameplay. The game just doesn't hold together.… Expand
  5. Cyber_Angel
    Dec 14, 2021
    7
    Emotional exploratory adventure that leaves you wondering what could have been and what decisions have you made in your life. Serene, but frustrating with abundant bugs that frequently mar the experience.
  6. 3t3rnal
    Jan 31, 2022
    7
    I really, so desperately, want to love this game unconditionally, but I can't. Where the journey through the game is captivating, it is too often interrupted by both technical and gameplay issues. In fact, even giving it a 7 is objectively way too good of a rating, because I am enamored with this world - perhaps I see in it things that the devs did not actually intend and those things areI really, so desperately, want to love this game unconditionally, but I can't. Where the journey through the game is captivating, it is too often interrupted by both technical and gameplay issues. In fact, even giving it a 7 is objectively way too good of a rating, because I am enamored with this world - perhaps I see in it things that the devs did not actually intend and those things are just my imagination running wild, but I don't care.

    So few games really get my imagination running like this one, and so where objectively I would probably not rate it higher than 5 or even 4, I simply have to bump it up a few notches. This is my subjective experience and view of the game.

    The world is amazing. I love every bit of it. Often, I will just climb up an look around and daydream about it - its past, its present and its future. There some tidbits of lore strewn about, but most of the world is just there, open to exploration and interpretation. Some could perhaps call it lazy, and say that the devs did not bother setting up an in depth base for the game, but I think it really goes well with the setting.

    I love just running around, exploring what the game has to offer, at my pace. There is no urgence, no combat, no imminent bodily threat, and call me a casual or whatever, but I love that there is nothing to worry about, in the now, and in the immediate future. The game is, story wise, about a rite of passage, of exploring what life has to offer before settling into the more structured and restricted adulthood, and while there are quests and such, the world, past the tutorial section, isn't gated. There's signs and there's a map, but nothing is stopping you from just picking a direction, and just going forward to see what you find. Sometimes you may find nothing, other times you will find an ancient building, or a nest of a rare animal, or just a huge rock formation which you can climb and look around the world with the pretty good draw distance. It's a great game to play after work, after hours of my fairly stressful job, I can just explore and perhaps be a bit nostalgic when I get across some situation and location that reminds me of something I experienced when I was younger.

    That being said, there is a lot of ugly under the pretty surface. The game crashes, freezes and stutters. A lot.

    There is no quicksave, and navigating to manual save takes "ages". Reloading a save resets some environmental puzzles, even if at the point of the save, you did part of it. It's either marked as done, or not done, I guess. Considering there is only one save slot per run, this could get you locked up in, or out of, certain locations. That's bad, very bad. There's checkpoints, but they are placed in some pretty weird places, and there is no timed autosave, meaning you will have to manually save every couple minutes to avoid losing progress.

    Another thing - while I could forgive some controls jank, it is to a point where it is hard to judge some longer jumps, because the controls, the snapping onto surfaces / ledges, etc. is so inconsistent I often find myself saving just before making a longer jump or a jump that may require some precision. Vehicle controls and physics are even worse, to a point where traversal in rougher terrain can be at times downright frustrating as your hoverbike glitches and jumps around and buries halfway into the terrain only to snap out of it. This also impacts your speed, and it reduces your progress from a sedate, but consistent pace down to a slow, painful, glitchy crawl.

    The graphics are cartoonish, but have a very distinct style and I love how the game looks. But, it's plagued by glitches - floating objects, misaligned textures, disappearing objects when looking from some angles, glitched light and shadows, sometimes the camera does weird crap and jumps around or shifts to a different angle rapidly, which can be a bit disorienting - and so on.

    The sound design is very good, for the most part, and the ambience and the gorgeous music often intertwine in a way that just blows my mind and makes me absolutely content at the same time. On the other hand, there are some ambient sounds that have a very annoying cadence of very sharp sounds that are so bad that I just want to turn off sound when in a location where they play, and there's also a couple of very loud ambient sounds that play kinda randomly, with no real reason I could find, and they are very distracting, especially when you are just enjoying some quiet spot or exploring somewhere, and this screechy loud roar plays out of nowhere, for no discernible reason. Furthermore, there are some spots on the map - quite a few of them being near some important locations, or in those locations, where the sound starts tearing really badly.

    I saw mentions of wokeness in the game here and there, and yeah, I caught a couple glimpses and one (pretty hilarious) stereotype in the game, unfortunately.    … Expand
  7. Xerenis
    Dec 4, 2021
    7
    The visuals are interesting , and although there is no combat the world got me immersed for around 20 hours BUT the performance is atrocious (in some regions worse than others ) .
  8. CodaHensley
    Dec 2, 2022
    5
    I had a really fun time exploring the world of Sable, and actually find the lore genuinely unique, but two words ruin everything this game does. Performance Issues. This games framerate is so unbearable it genuinely made me sick.
  9. Clair12
    Oct 3, 2021
    1
    Beautiful and Empty game... A lot of bugs, it's better Read Moebius and Play Zelda.
  10. Dubeau
    Oct 8, 2021
    6
    Sable is a game that is lovely. The story is maybe the biggest problem here. It's not told in a very engaging way. And since you have a vast empty country to explore, you got to have a more focus story to keep you motivated. Instead, it is told in an eclectic way. The graphics are superb and different from the usual cell shading. And the transition between day and night is fun. But thereSable is a game that is lovely. The story is maybe the biggest problem here. It's not told in a very engaging way. And since you have a vast empty country to explore, you got to have a more focus story to keep you motivated. Instead, it is told in an eclectic way. The graphics are superb and different from the usual cell shading. And the transition between day and night is fun. But there is a lot of clipping and camera problems, performance issues when there is too much vegetation. Some bug are found when you try to climb. Some other controls works well however, like gliding, floating and jumping. The music was ok. The sounds were unique. I give it 65% because there is a nice game behind it all. But I got really bored after 3 zones and didn't see the points of collecting items for a story I had almost forgot.… Expand
  11. Leiriad
    Sep 29, 2021
    1
    I was looking forward to this game. I tried it live on my twitch channel and it turned out to mess up with my streaming software, causing display issues for my viewers. This, with the absence of vocal dialogues, of other written languages than English, and of keyboard configuration, makes it a burden to play live for a French person. I played an hour and I am now looking for a way to get a refund.
  12. Bufo1966
    Sep 26, 2021
    4
    Woke Zelda clone with significant performance problems and plentiful bugs...
  13. Gwz
    Sep 25, 2021
    9
    Let's be honest. The only reason I don't give this a 10 is because all the horrendous and potentially game breaking bugs but it’s still one of my favourite games in ages. Now this is a game very much up MY alley. The slow pacing, the Moebius aesthetics, the in my opinion absolutely stellar atmosphere.

    What I love most about Sable is how benevolent the world is. You are a young kid on a    Let's be honest. The only reason I don't give this a 10 is because all the horrendous and potentially game breaking bugs but it’s still one of my favourite games in ages. Now this is a game very much up MY alley. The slow pacing, the Moebius aesthetics, the in my opinion absolutely stellar atmosphere.

    What I love most about Sable is how benevolent the world is. You are a young kid on a coming-of age quest to find your purpose in life. This quest, called “Gliding” more or less makes you invulnerable. You are SUPPOSED to be young and reckless, take risks and expose yourself to the world. Fling yourself from mountaintops? No problem. Miss an impossible jump? Just try again. That is another big thing I like with this game. You get that there is a rich and harsh history in the game but you as the protagonist are never really threatened. You are young but never sexualised. Adults are encouraging, reminiscing somewhat envious their own “Gliding” period.

    My only gripe is the mess of bugs and glitches and there are many. Find your save file on your system and make a back-up if you can, thank me later. I had to restart my whole game after 8h because of a corrupt save.

    And STILL I think this might be my Game of the year. When they fix this it will be an all-time high. Imagine.    … Expand
  14. Ice_Candy
    Sep 29, 2021
    10
    An absolutely stunning game, its visual elements blend so perfectly with the soundtrack by Japanese Breakfast, the whole game is a work of art. There's plenty of fun puzzles, and the game rewards you for exploring every nook and cranny. Sable is a unique mesmerizing experience with so much heart poured into it that deserves all the love it can get.
  15. Smuv
    Oct 10, 2021
    10
    If you're all about game mechanics and combat, this game isn't for you. BUT if you're mind is open for games as art, this is a 10/10. Visuals and score are immaculate. Characters and writing are witty and fun. The pay-off you get from exploring is immense. At this point the bugs are still a bit annoying and can stop progression at times (happened 2 times for me). But other than that thisIf you're all about game mechanics and combat, this game isn't for you. BUT if you're mind is open for games as art, this is a 10/10. Visuals and score are immaculate. Characters and writing are witty and fun. The pay-off you get from exploring is immense. At this point the bugs are still a bit annoying and can stop progression at times (happened 2 times for me). But other than that this game is game design in perfection.… Expand
  16. sonjo
    Oct 1, 2021
    9
    This game was the reason for me to create a metacritic account. Until you understand that this game does not have a health bar and an attack button, it seems like a game with a trick, but with this knowledge you can calmly relax and enjoy the vastness of this game after completing the prologue. This world is very beautiful and meditative to explore. The only reason this game is not 9/10 isThis game was the reason for me to create a metacritic account. Until you understand that this game does not have a health bar and an attack button, it seems like a game with a trick, but with this knowledge you can calmly relax and enjoy the vastness of this game after completing the prologue. This world is very beautiful and meditative to explore. The only reason this game is not 9/10 is because I have had some drops in FPS, but I have nothing to complain about because my CPU is below the min requirements :)… Expand
  17. peanuts
    Dec 23, 2022
    5
    It's a somewhat interesting game graphics-wise however there are no real protagonists, no enemies, and no survival mechanics such as eat/drink/sleep that make the game challenging. Beyond the intro missions the rest of the game felt artificial. The bike mechanics need work as it gets too wobbly and flips over way too easily.
  18. Leo_Manzano
    Jul 28, 2022
    6
    Working.............................................................................................................
  19. spencerplewe
    Feb 14, 2022
    7
    Respectfully borrowing off the open-air style of Breath of the Wild but trimming off the combat, health, and accurate physics, exploration is the only name of the game here, as there is an impressively expansive world of characters and secrets to find, but with so many bugs, this is a fettered, but potentially relaxing experience.
  20. TheNihilist
    Dec 22, 2022
    1
    A very rough experience. It's as if the ultimate goal of the rough animation and jittery camera work is to make you nauseous.
  21. phuchaitt3
    Jan 13, 2022
    5
    Too much running around. The graphic is great but the game fails to make me hooked in the beginning.
  22. Stillwell
    Oct 18, 2021
    9
    This game is incredibly beautiful, both visually and audibly. The soundtrack and the sound design are both amazing and add to the game. The visuals are like something out of a Mobius painting. I also very much liked how spread out and desolate the desert felt. It gives weight to the things that you do find and adds a realism feel. The game is plagued by menu bugs, some camera glitches, andThis game is incredibly beautiful, both visually and audibly. The soundtrack and the sound design are both amazing and add to the game. The visuals are like something out of a Mobius painting. I also very much liked how spread out and desolate the desert felt. It gives weight to the things that you do find and adds a realism feel. The game is plagued by menu bugs, some camera glitches, and what seems like poor optimization. However, its a two person team and I am assuming they will continue working on this and adding content. I recommend this game to anyone looking for a chill game that never requires fighting or pixel perfect jumps.… Expand
  23. Dramarine
    Nov 7, 2021
    8
    Great inmersive open world full with secrets to unveil. Beautifull writting. Sadly, too many bugs and cuestionalbe camera and movements
  24. Fvnfvnfvn
    Mar 1, 2022
    7
    While not the most polished experience out there Sable is an excellent first release title for Shedworks which combines the calming puzzle solving of BOTW, with the collect-a-thon elements of games like Banjo-Kazooie and Pikmin. While not everyone's cup of tea this game is a much neededd reprieve from the grinding release of shooters and ultra violent slurry of games constantly beingWhile not the most polished experience out there Sable is an excellent first release title for Shedworks which combines the calming puzzle solving of BOTW, with the collect-a-thon elements of games like Banjo-Kazooie and Pikmin. While not everyone's cup of tea this game is a much neededd reprieve from the grinding release of shooters and ultra violent slurry of games constantly being plopped out.

    Story - In Sable you play as a young girl names well... Sable. She is a member of a tribe of nomads on a strange desert planet where all people where sacred masks to cover their faces. This is what sable is tasked with collecting as she is sent out into the world on a pilgrimage. A journey all children, turned adults, must go through. From there you explore various quests and story arch's of the game, each with their own charm, while also learning about the world why it is the way it is.

    Gameplay - Much like BOTW, sable is a game about choosing you own path. While you are directed towards objectives through the games HUD you don't necessarily have to do any of them. In fact to beat the game all you have to do is collect one mask and return home. This however is not what makes the game engaging. The true draw of Sable is its exploration and the discovery there in. If you were like me and chose to climb, hop, jump and experiment to scale mountain or open locked doors in BOTW then Sable is for you! While there is no combat system, the climbing and hovering mechanics as well as the outfits and upgrade for your glider are what drive you to continue onward into the story.

    While Sable is definitely not a mixed bag when it comes to gameplay, its by no mean robs the game of its enjoyment. Even though it had a slightly rocky release, the devs have worked hard to updated and patch many of the bugs and glitches which have been reported. Which is more then you can say for some AAA studios. I highly recommend this game for anyone looking to enjoy a peaceful afternoon gliding around the desert uncovering secret and solving problems!

    PS: I really wanted to give it a 7.5, but Metacritic just doesn't work that way :(. Also the sound track is amazing!

    Gameplay: 7
    Story: 8.5
    Enjoyment: 7.5    … Expand
  25. jaywhitaker1987
    Dec 22, 2021
    1
    Sable is game-of-the-year material, until you try to play it. The writing is meh. The exploration is ok, but there is basically nothing to explore. Sadly, there is some gameplay. This is sad because the gameplay is absolutely terrible and the game would have been better without it. This game wasn't designed to be played; it was designed to be viewed in trailer form and then purchased. IfSable is game-of-the-year material, until you try to play it. The writing is meh. The exploration is ok, but there is basically nothing to explore. Sadly, there is some gameplay. This is sad because the gameplay is absolutely terrible and the game would have been better without it. This game wasn't designed to be played; it was designed to be viewed in trailer form and then purchased. If you try to play it, it truly sucks.… Expand
  26. ChaitnyaSingh
    Dec 22, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sable is one of the most unique games I have played this year, in a world where nowadays every two games look and feel similar sable doesn't care what you think about it, its not a game where you shoot, kill, loot. its main goal is discovering the main character sable which for one is not a generic character but a ambitious young girl who goes on a journey exploring this big open world and understanding how people work, learning how professions work, she helps out a lot of people and learns a lot from them, and as she does so she which means you realize what you wanna be I chose to be a machinist because customizing your bike was really fun. This game doesn't have a very complex plot and so no moment feels underwhelming because the story standards aren't met by gameplay. It looks great and gameplay is inspired by breath of the wild but there isn't any combat,
    but it doesn't matter to me because taking inspiration from someone else isn't a problem to me. Now on the negatives, the performance is really really unstable and it hindered my experience a lot fortunately the gameplay is addictive and will keep you hooked till the end. Overall great game.    … Expand
  27. Tampasco
    Jun 30, 2023
    8
    Apesar de todas as criticas, Sable é uma experiência reflexiva e imersiva sobre a proposta central da historia como sendo uma metáfora sobre a vida e o rumo dos objetivos que ela proporciona, aprendendo com os relacionamentos que se faz durante a jornada. Sobre a gameplay, ela é bem abrangente com varias opções do que fazer com seu personagem, a base do jogo em si é a exploração do mapaApesar de todas as criticas, Sable é uma experiência reflexiva e imersiva sobre a proposta central da historia como sendo uma metáfora sobre a vida e o rumo dos objetivos que ela proporciona, aprendendo com os relacionamentos que se faz durante a jornada. Sobre a gameplay, ela é bem abrangente com varias opções do que fazer com seu personagem, a base do jogo em si é a exploração do mapa com a sua motoquinha personalizada encontrando naves abandonadas cheias de sucatas e puzzles objetivos, vilarejos com quests dos locais e alguns lugares altos só pra escalar podendo encontrar a recompensa dos itens e da visão da conquista de você conseguir subir até ali, às vezes explorar vai te dar roupa foda, mas é só uma roupa no final das contas.
    Outras mecânicas como pesca, capturar borboletas, descobrir a historia pela naves caídas entre outras fazem Sable um indie especial com sua direção de arte maravilhosa e trilha sonora incríveis, porém alguns problemas fazem degredar a qualidade do jogo como a câmera muito bugada, o problema de desempenho em cidades grandes e durante a viagem na moto, alguns superfícies não escaláveis que deveriam ser, e a falta de profundidade dos personagens fazem o jogo piorar na minha nota, mas as qualidade que ele possui faz dele um bom jogo indie.

    Nota Final:7,9    … Expand
  28. lobana5162
    Jun 7, 2022
    3
    Sable is best enjoyed via screenshot. There is very little gameplay and every piece of it ties in poorly with every other piece. The animation framerate is about as bad as the original Moebius comics, which is to say that it is excruciatingly choppy and jarring. It's a complete miss, which is a pity because it comes in pretty packaging.
  29. Gameboii
    Sep 17, 2022
    7
    Visuals are very beautiful, but unfortunately I wasn’t particularly inspired by it.
  30. HOWDOIPERESSW
    Dec 22, 2022
    4
    boring game the only good part about the game is that it does not have bugs or i am the only one that didn't have bugs but the framerate is terrible first of all i don't have a beast of a pc
    RTX 3060 16gb And a intel 12500 but this game run like **** i had 50 fps max and i set the fps to 120,now why the game is bad is because its mostly puzzles with no good puzzles so what is the point of    boring game the only good part about the game is that it does not have bugs or i am the only one that didn't have bugs but the framerate is terrible first of all i don't have a beast of a pc
    RTX 3060 16gb And a intel 12500 but this game run like **** i had 50 fps max and i set the fps to 120,now why the game is bad is because its mostly puzzles with no good puzzles so what is the point of playing the game if the thing you are going to do a lot in the game but still better than death stranding    … Expand
  31. Paradox2
    Aug 18, 2023
    8
    My scores:

    Graphics: 10
    Sound: 10
    History: 9
    Gameplay: 5
    Worldbuilding: 6
    Innovation: 8
    Characters: 10

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021
5
#5 Most Shared PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. IGN Italia
    Nov 29, 2022
    70
    Sable is a difficult game to rate: if you think only of the quality of the work from an aesthetic and narrative point of view, the number at the bottom of the review should skyrocket. Exploration is everything here: the game really comes into its own when you take the liberty of setting your own course. Unfortunately, analyzing the work of Shedworks as a whole, one cannot help but notice how the technical limits weigh on a gameplay that is not particularly inspired, even going so far as to undermine the user's involvement during the game session.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jan 19, 2022
    75
    Sable never rushes you. You take in the setting and simply enjoy the essence of the game – the journey entwined with a tale about maturing and change. If you don’t like to hurry at breakneck speed and prefer to look under every rock, there’s a chance Shedworks’ game will charm you. You’ll just need to turn a blind eye to some technical flaws, get on your flying motorbike and set off towards the horizon. [12/2021, p.54]
  3. Worth Playing
    Dec 16, 2021
    89
    Between the bold and ever-contrasting color palette, the ambient music by indie rock band Japanese Breakfast, and the pure joy of climbing cliffs, ruins and dunes to your heart's content, Sable offers an immersive dive into the lives and traditions of its small, nomadic world. Beyond its artistic merits, the game is supremely fun to play. It's a title that adventure gamers and art lovers alike will happily explore for hours on end, and despite the occasional bug, it's a very well-made game. Sable is well worth adding to any adventure gamer's library, and I eagerly await Shedworks' next big title.
    Read full review
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