Far Changing Tides: Seafaring, Puzzles and Adventure

Far Changing Tides is the successor to Far: Lone sails brought to us by Okomotive. This adventure seafaring puzzle indie game ensures for thought-provoking gameplay and quaint 2D apocalyptic scenery.

The player starts as an unnamed boy traversing the seas. The player starts by embarking on a journey across a land that is being aquatically ravaged. The game is set out in a short adventure. Thus, it was played in its entirety. As a result of this, there are spoilers ahead, especially story ones.

A Nautical Emotional Tale

Far Changing Tides attempts to tell a story without words. The game relies on visual elements throughout the story to do this. The world has fallen victimized by a string of disasters that have resulted in destroying a good portion of the world’s inhabitants. Throughout the game, the player does not meet anyone until the very end. The main aim of the game is to guide our protagonist to a new haven, a new place to call home. This is understandably a great feat and one you want your protagonist to succeed in.

One of the most haunting parts of the story was an abandoned facility discovered by the player. This abandoned facility was to be the savior of the world. However, the facility lies derelict which leaves the player to surmise that no survivors made it. This brings a deep emotional layer to the game and amplifies the feeling of solitude and survival. It truly emphasizes the protagonists’ need to continue on their journey and in my case amplified the connection between player and protagonist. The need for the unnamed protagonist to survive was real, you want him to succeed. Join them as you traverse unpredictable waters and a world that is no longer familiar to the protagonist.

There She Is

The vessel that aids the player in their adventure is for readers viewing above. This quirky homemade vessel is similar to that of any seafaring vessel. The ship has a mast with connected sails and the player must ensure they are opening and shutting the sails appropriately. Additionally, the player must climb onto the mast and rappel down with the connector to open the sails. After this, it’s usually smooth sailing. As a result of this, it sets out disappointment for anyone hoping for some fast-paced results. The game allows the player to often stand on deck stationery and take in the surroundings of the world. Despite, no obvious story it’s clear that themes of solitude and survival are prevalent throughout the game.

The vessel-like most nautical vessels require maintenance and upkeep and the player will understand the imperativeness of this quickly to progress. Often obstacles appear in the ship’s path. As a result of this, the player must set about working on adjusting the sails and setting down the mast.

The vessel also needs regular maintenance and the player must scavenge for parts, fuel, and other items to keep the ship running. Nautical fans will have fun dealing with any major issues that affect buoyancy or other seafaring issues.

Puzzle Hunters Read On

If players enjoy puzzles they will find some of the more thought-provoking ones in Far changing Tides a great aspect of the game. Often the player must abandon their vessel and carry out puzzles either in the water or on debris floating in the water. The puzzles are reminiscences of games like Limbo or Little nightmares. Their completion is required to progress the story and often let the vessel continue. The level of difficulty could be challenging especially as there were next to no prompts at the beginning of the game. Players really have to look at their environment closely and pay attention to objects and their purpose. For example, a welding tool in the shape of a can appeared and the player had to take this to the vessel to use this to repair the mast mechanic of the ship. The game did not notify players of the purpose of the can. Players had to figure that out themselves. Overall, the puzzles are challenging and allow for some time for the players to reflect on their playthrough.

Underwater Segments

Far Changing Tides does well to show the player both sides of the coin. Sometimes, the player needs to travel underwater to solve puzzles, explore for fuel or just scavenge anything they can find. The underwater areas show the world left behind. Full houses, markets, and even furniture float around at the bottom of the newly formed sea. In turn, this adds to the apocalyptic feel and how the world has changed due to the disasters. Underwater segments improve the plot and act as a good visual element to help players understand the state of the world they are actively playing in.

Exploring A Sunken World

The game boasts a vast world as pictured in the back of some of the scenes. However, the progression is linear and there is next to no open gameplay. The game did not set out to do this in its other title either but it would be a refreshing change. It would allow players to venture out further and check out other aspects of this sunken world. Despite this, the 2D artwork does add a quaint and charming quality to the apocalypse and does make the player think about the world and how it arrived at this state. In future installments, it might be worthwhile adapting to feature a more adventurous world. Thus, catering to both types of players. However, there is nothing wrong with sailing and enjoying the scenery. It’s a relaxing break from some of the more open-world games.

VIBES SCORE:

6.5

Thank You

Far Changing Tides can be purchased across several platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox. Check out this charming apocalyptic adventure and form your own ideas and opinions. The trailer has been included below to allow for a sample of what the game offers. Indie games aren’t for everyone but often turn out to be personal hidden gems. Perhaps, Far Changing Tides will be your hidden gem. Steam link included for purchasing on PC: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1570010/FAR_Changing_Tides/