Far: Lone Sails is described on Steam as a "vehicle adventure," but that really doesn't do the experience justice. More accurately, it's a slow, solo, contemplative journey across a barren, not-quite-realistic landscape littered with the detritus of a crumbled civilization on the run.   

The game is built around a strange, rickety vehicle that's half steam train and half land yacht, that carries players along dry seabeds and through abandoned settlements and derelict factories. It's appallingly fuel-inefficient and requires almost non-stop maintenance (there's also an element of management game involved), but when the wind is right its majestic sails enable easy, carefree propulsion.   

There are plenty of places to stop and explore along the way, although the interactivity is relatively minimal. You're not going to be kicking down doors, reading notes, or shooting at glowing-eyed zombies as you would in, say, The Final Station, a game it superficially resembles. But that's the point—developer Okomotive said that Far: Lone Sails is "just you and your machine vs. the big nothing," and it absolutely nails a sense of isolation and scale. The world feels big, and you are very, very small. 

In case it's not clear, I've played Far: Lone Sails, and I really enjoyed it. It's a perfectly linear experience and not very long—around four hours if you dawdle, and you really should—but I said when the release date was announced in March that my expectations were "elevated," and I'm happy to say that they've been met. 

All of which is to also say that Far: Lone Sails was released today and is available for $15 on Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store. There's also a website up with more information at far-game.com.

It's been nearly two years since we took our first (and last) look at Far: Lone Sails, a game we described as "a weirdly charming roadtrip through the post-apocalypse." You play more of an engineer than a pilot: Instead of driving, you control your oversized land yacht by moving between various stations, trying to keep all the systems working as they should. The name of the game is simply to keep moving, as you follow the trail of your people, explore buildings and ruins, and discover the story of "a civilization on the run."   

It's clearly not going to be a happy, upbeat experience, but publisher Mixtvision said that it's meant to be more of a contemplative experience, punctuated by "demanding situations that call for quick wits and thoughtful management of resources." What you won't have to deal with, however, are zombies, mutants, or any other denizens of the irradiated wasteland. 

"True desolation manifests itself more subtly than slashing away at the undead," Mixtvision said. "It’s only you and your machine vs. the big nothing." 

Far: Lone Sails reminds me quite a bit of The Final Station, another 2D journey across a desolate, end-of-the-world landscape, and based on that alone it has my interest. But the muted beauty of the trailer and the promise of slow-burn environmental storytelling rather than wholesale zombie slaughter have my expectations elevated: I really want to play this game.

Far: Lone Sails is scheduled for release on May 17 on Steam.