Sable, the latest game from UK-based developer Shedworks, is a sprawling, desolate game about exploration and self-discovery. It's also a game that doesn't hold players' hands, throwing them out into the desert with only one objective to pursue: find a calling. How Sable decides to do that, and where she'll find her calling is entirely up to the player.
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Sable's map is massive and experiencing everything it has to offer takes some time. There are a lot of places to go, people to meet, and secrets to uncover, but there are a few things every player should do at the start of their journey to make the travels easier and more enjoyable.
Visit The Queen Chum
Players will undoubtedly stumble upon the curious collectibles known as Chum Eggs before leaving the Ewer and setting out on their Gliding. The tricky thing about the Chum Eggs is it isn't made clear what exactly Sable is meant to do with them. That's where the Queen Chum comes in.
The Chum Lair where she resides can be found in the Sansee region, to the southwest of Burnt Oak Station. Returning batches of the Eggs to the Queen will reward players with magical tears that permanently boost Sable's maximum stamina, an invaluable resource that is necessary for uncovering some of Sable's more well-hidden secrets.
Customize Bike Parts Early
The initial jetbike set Sable starts with is a step-up from the clunker she's forced to drive during the early hours of the game, but it's far from the best riding experience the game has to offer. Some parts can be purchased while others are found via specific quests and most will offer improved performance over the parts Sable starts her journey with.
While the best parts are either locked behind multi-step questlines or exorbitant amounts of money, a few solid pieces can be acquired early on in the game. The Nomadic set can be found for sale at Marrow Bone Station in the Wash and offers a balanced ride for a reasonable price.
Talk To Everyone
Sable is a game that revels in its own minimalism, which means some of its best questlines and items aren't as obvious as they might be in other games. There are no quest identifiers or icons hovering over characters' heads, so speaking to each character in every location is the only way to uncover all the secrets the game has to offer.
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Some of the best quests in the game are uncovered this way, such as the Shade of Eccria or Searching For Llhor questlines. For players intent on experiencing everything Sable has to offer, speaking to every character is the best way to start.
Don't Let Sable's Stamina Run Out
It might seem efficient to use up as much of Sable's stamina as possible, but it's often not worth the cost. When Sable's stamina runs out she's winded for the time it takes the stamina gauge to refill, making it difficult to walk and impossible to run or climb.
As long as Sable has some of her stamina left she can still initiate any action that requires it, but if the meter is depleted players will have to wait until it completely refills before trying again. Saving a small amount of stamina and giving Sable a chance to recharge is far more efficient than burning it all out.
There's No Main Quest, So Explore Freely
Sable is a game with a large, open world to explore and little direction on where to start. It encourages players to simply wander, to point their jetbike toward anything interesting on the horizon and go. Critical landmarks and interesting locations will loom up over the desert as Sable gets close, practically begging players to investigate.
There's no right way to play the game and no necessary order different areas have to be explored in, so players should feel free to change course toward something that catches their eye while they're driving through the dunes of Midden.
Explore Each Area Thoroughly
Every region in Sable has various landmarks that can be fast-traveled to once discovered, and each of these locations houses a variety of quests, secrets, items, and lore to discover. While some of these will be obvious, many more will require careful exploration and a keen eye to find.
Even after scouring a location for Chum Eggs, quests, treasure chests, and puzzles, players should always assume there's at least one more secret hiding nearby. The fast-travel feature makes it easy to return to some of these places, and many of the game's collectibles and consolidated around these landmarks.
Sell Metal Scrap Regularly
Scrap metal is an item that can be found when exploring derelict ships as a part of the Historical Connection questline, but it might not be readily apparent where players can go to trade them in for cash. Players can bring their scrap to Scrapper Altyn at Burnt Oak Station who offers money and Scrapper badges as a reward.
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Scrap metal is one of the best ways to earn fast money in the game as it's plentiful and sells for a respectable price. There are dozens of pieces to find throughout the world, and turning in a big batch can net hundreds of cuts that can go toward buying Sable some better jetbike parts.
Study The Game Map
Sable's map is sprawling, but once players have visited each of the Cartographers and purchased each region's map it becomes much more manageable. Not only does the map identify key locations Sable has visited, but it also features each region's topography.
This can be useful for navigating around obstacles and identifying the easiest path through a dense area, but it's also integral to discovering some of Sable's more interesting hidden locations. Locations of interest have a peculiar red tint on the map that helps make them stand out from the rest of the terrain.
Pick Up Bugs And Plants
Sable is a game brimming with life, teeming with different species of flora and fauna the differ depending on the environment. Sable can collect some of the plants and insects she finds around the world and store them in her inventory for later use.
Bugs and plants are one of the few ways Sable can make money later on in the game, and rare species tend to fetch a higher price when sold. They also come in handy for a few of the quests: getting past Merchant Iria's guard in Eccria is much easier if you have a pomegranate on hand.
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