Docked Review – The Crane Game

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Saber Interactive has a history of creating games where players operate powerful vehicles. They’ve demonstrated this with realistic off-road experiences in games like SnowRunner, and last year’s RoadCraft, which also featured a focus on large vehicles.

The previous game featured many vehicle types, like trucks and bulldozers. But Docked is a new, single-player game that focuses on the heavy machinery you’d find at a port, offering eight vehicles primarily centered around cranes. While some players might miss having a lot of different vehicles, I think this focus allowed the developers to really refine and improve the core gameplay.

During the game, you’ll accept jobs to transport goods, and then use the money you earn to upgrade Port Wake.

Let’s talk about the story of Docked before diving into how it’s played. You’re the son of a dockworker who returns to Port Wake to rebuild your father’s dock after a major hurricane. You haven’t worked at the port in a while, so you’ll need to learn how to operate all sorts of equipment – like large cranes, stackers, and tractors. Unfortunately, your timing isn’t ideal, as the hurricane has caused a lot of damage and destroyed many shipments, leaving the port in a state of chaos.

I’m really getting into this game where I’m basically running a port! The main idea is you take on jobs hauling cargo, and then use the money you earn to improve Port Wake. You can upgrade buildings, add new ones, or even buy new vehicles to help get the job done faster. It’s not just about earning money though – things break down, and repairs often have deadlines, so you have to carefully plan contracts and build efficient delivery routes to keep everything running smoothly and the port profitable. Oh, and you can’t just buy upgrades whenever you want! You have to reach certain milestones first – like getting to Milestone 5 before I could even upgrade my main office. It adds a nice bit of challenge!

I’m really getting into Docked when I’m just watching the port come alive – especially the cranes in Port Wake! The level of detail they put into these huge machines is awesome. What I like is how the jobs you take on actually determine which crane you get to use. For example, unloading cargo ships means operating the big Ship-to-Shore cranes. Then, once the containers are on trucks, you switch to the Terminal Tractor to move them where they need to go. If I’m organizing storage, I’m using a combination of the Reach Stacker and Straddle Carrier – it’s cool seeing them work together!

The game Docked truly shines when you’re concentrating on the details of the port itself—particularly the cranes—in the Port Wake area.

Controlling the cranes in Docked is surprisingly detailed. Even with so many options, it doesn’t feel complicated. Pressing a single button brings up a list of all possible actions for your crane, and the game smartly uses buttons like L1 and R1, as well as different analog stick movements, to add even more precise control. This level of detail is key because Docked realistically simulates the precise movements needed to connect a crane to a container and lift it.

Docked offers a satisfying sense of progression because the gameplay focuses on a core set of skills. You’ll repeatedly use the same machines for different jobs, and even replay completed ones to earn more money and resources. This repetition helps you become quicker and more efficient at tasks that initially felt challenging. The game also features two difficulty levels: Normal and Hard. Normal mode is forgiving and lets you learn without harsh penalties. Hard mode is more realistic, with trickier cargo handling and strict deadlines for completing milestones. Failing to meet these deadlines forces you to redo recent jobs, adding a significant challenge.

Beyond operating cranes, you’ll also manage Port Wake to help it become profitable and successful. This involves navigating menus to oversee buildings, vehicles, available jobs, and long-term goals. These systems are interconnected – you can’t simply upgrade something without ensuring you have the necessary vehicles to support it. If you’re lacking funds or materials, you can always take on jobs to earn them.

Because Docked focuses on one main idea, players feel a strong sense of accomplishment as they get better at it.

Shipping contracts bring everything in Docked together. Each contract requires you to move a certain number of containers – successfully moving them earns you money, while failing to meet the goal results in penalties. You’ll assign your vehicles to tasks like unloading ships and moving containers around your port. Each vehicle can handle a limited number of containers, creating a strategic challenge in how you allocate your resources. If you’d rather not manage this directly, you can use the “AI Help” button, which automatically handles everything for a fee.

Docked excels at creating a deeply focused experience, making even repetitive tasks satisfying as you learn to expertly control the crane. However, it’s a bit limited in scope compared to games like RoadCraft. You’re confined to a single port, so don’t expect to explore different environments. Also, Docked is a purely single-player game, meaning there’s no option for cooperative gameplay.

The graphics in Docked are functional, though not particularly impressive. Everything you need to see to complete your tasks is clearly displayed. However, the game’s setting, Port Wake, feels lifeless and empty – it lacks the bustle of a real port, which creates a somewhat sad atmosphere. The overall silence contributes to this feeling, although the machines themselves sound great, as you’d expect. I especially enjoyed the sound of successfully connecting to a shipping container with the crane.

This game isn’t the most beautiful, but the graphics are functional. They clearly display all the important information you need to complete tasks.

The PlayStation 5 version of Docked has a few small performance hiccups. While nothing game-breaking occurred, I noticed surprisingly lengthy loading times, which made me wonder if I had somehow installed an older version of the game.

Overall, Docked is a bit of a mixed experience. The focused, single-player gameplay of controlling a crane is engaging, but the game largely revolves around operating port machinery – moving containers, managing cargo, and maintaining equipment. This means there isn’t a lot of variety beyond those core tasks.

Ultimately, the gameplay becomes quite repetitive. The story feels like a thin justification for using cranes, and you can mostly automate the management aspects without needing to actively participate. While enjoyable for a short time, the game lacks the depth to stay engaging long-term. Fortunately, Saber Interactive plans to add new machinery, goals, jobs, and infrastructure upgrades after launch. If these additions are well-implemented, they could significantly address the game’s repetitive tendencies and improve the overall experience.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

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2026-03-10 21:43