Sail Forth
Review

Sail Forth (2022) is a sailing simulation where you take charge of a ship in a vast ocean whose ancient depths have swallowed the key to the mysterious past. You play by working with the wind and sails to explore, take on tasks, fight pirates and slowly develop your craft. It looks like Sea of Thieves and Wind Waker, but actually, this game stands out for balancing realism and fun in a way that results in both open action and tranquillity.

It's a game very much about the sailing, which is simulated in an accurate and approachable way. You see the direction of the wind and the trim of your sails and use these two elements to move through the water. As you progress you add weapons to your boat to deal with pirates and start to collect materials to upgrade. You meet and befriend the local fishfolk to expand your boat crews and chart a course across an expansive watery world.

There are countless islands to discover, each full of its own flora, fauna and population. Out at sea you can discover fish of all kinds. There are deeper mysteries too, that take things in more of a fantasy direction with huge sea monsters and buried treasure. But running through this is a sense of the tranquility of sailing as you pass curious dolphins, ride the swelling sea, trim the sails and admire the beauty of the sun sinking into an icy horizon.

The result is a game that has clearly had care and attention lavished on it from a small team who loves gaming as much as sailing. It's complex enough to create a believable feel of sailing without overloading you with too much to handle. The swelling sea adds to the sense of a vast expansive game, as you sail through stormy swells.

Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Sail Forth a year ago. It was re-examined by Andy Robertson and updated 11 days ago.