Far: Changing Tides

While the indie-revolution is behind us, a magical time where a seemingly infinite number of developers came to the forefront thanks to digital distribution and lower-than-average development cost and tool allocation - its effects are still often felt today. The influence of Danish developer Playdead's two major (and only) titles, Limbo and Inside, is such an example, and their moody, atmospheric and narratively understated physical, linear and 2D-restricted platforming paved the way for a slew of both blatant copy-cats and inspired followers, who put their own spin on the same basic tenets.

FAR: Lone Sails from German developer Okomotive was just such a thing, and while it definitely played with the central mechanics, letting you pilot a huge drill-like land vehicle across the abandoned post-apocalyptic landscape, the general idea of a small nobody pioneering through treacherous lands, can trace its narrative lineage back to Playdead.

It was, partly because of the vehicle control set-up, and therefore it was no surprise when Okomotive returned with a follow-up, or a "companion piece", as they call it, officially known as Far: Changing Tides. While not a direct sequel, it does convey the same magic sense of place, and leverages the idea of a small person, piloting a big machine.

Why spend so much time on the past? Well, both to trace that lineage back, but also because Far: Changing Tides is about keeping in line with audience expectation, and not changing too much about what worked - perhaps that is why it's a companion piece.

Narratively, it's the same vaguery. The world has ended, and leaves another protagonist in a rut. Toe wants to remove his (or her, it's difficult to tell) self from a new flooded city long abandoned. How that was decided upon, how the world came to a standstill and how Toe survived while others perished is not explained. There are certainly hints, but ultimately, the original game's story, which cleverly explains that our protagonist has been tinkering away at this huge terrain-going behemoth for years, and we are witnessing the culmination of that particular journey. He (or she - I'll stop now) just swims out of the flooded city, seemingly finds the floating vessel, and sets off. It's an odd start, which leads to an odd first hour, to say the least.

While this boat ultimately becomes just as, if not more, advanced to control as the terrain-going equivalent in the first game, the first 40 minutes or so is propelled by wind, and sails. If you've played Sea of Thieves, then you'll know how unsatisfying and cumbersome it can be to constantly adjust sails for wind, and how... well, powerless you feel. Luckily, an engine soon becomes the primary source of acceleration, and thus begins the familiar pattern of running the ship, taking care of the engine with new fuel sources, maintaining a stable heat level, and dealing with whatever problems that may arise with either a blower or a water hose depending on the situation.

It's viewed from the same 2.5D plane, contains the semi-satisfying platforming you'll know from before, and utilises the same puzzle structure, removing obstacles, turning handles, positioning train cars and water towers, so that your ship may pass. It's all familiar, and while not much has changed, beyond the surface you're moving on, that isn't really a complaint.

Because Far: Changing Tides is still a fabulously evocative experience, thanks to some truly beautiful vistas and some fantastic music by Joel Schoch. It's a journey, a journey where not much is directly uttered, explained or even shown, but a journey worth remembering regardless thanks to some clever puzzles, physically bound piloting and a sequential unlock of the vessel's primary functions, which always introduces new systems to maintain.

It's not perfect though, sadly, and it mainly comes down to... well, water. Water is inherently slippery, unstable and loose. That sounds trite, but it's true. No one directly prefers boating over racing, or water levels compared to levels with solid footing under one's feet, and Far: Changing Tides does lose some of its firmness thanks to this central change. I never felt it was as satisfying piloting the boat, as the terrain-going vessel of the first game. And then there's narrative. I get the underratedness, but one clear sense of growth would've been to be more intentional in the central plot-bound push for this character to travel, to escape. No, there's no need for dialogue, or even other characters, but perhaps more direct environmental storytelling would've pushed the player to ask more questions, and be more curious about what, how and who. As it stands, you don't really. Maybe that's the point, but it would be great if a mythos could be established, since Okomotive clearly has more ideas and wants to spend more time in this world.

At the end of the day, or end of the journey, if you will, the central premise of Far: Changing Tides is a solid one, one where you do feel like you are piloting this massive, but fragile vessel, that needs your attention, and that this journey is a matter of life and death. It works, is what I'm saying, but without some true sequel-like improvements or additions, it won't work again.