Large Squid is without doubt one of the finest builders within the biz on the subject of crafting superbly breezy indie adventures. Sword of the Sea, its newest outing, won’t ever escape the plain Journey comparisons, but it surely nonetheless stands tall because the crew’s most refined sport thus far.
With out eager to strip the title of its class, Sword of the Sea is mainly what you’d get for those who mashed Journey and ABZU collectively, and seasoned them with The Pathless. It is a delicate mixture of meditative exploration and slick platforming, backed by easy however evocative storytelling.
In plenty of methods, it appears like a real non secular successor to each Journey and ABZU, and so for those who’re acquainted with both, you will already know precisely what you are moving into right here.
Sitting at round 3 hours in size — virtually actually much less on repeat playthroughs — Sword of the Sea supplies a satisfying journey throughout the desert sands and deserted cities of a misplaced civilisation.
All of it begins with the awakening of your unvoiced character, who’s able to using a big sword as if it is a surfboard. Gloriously easy controls make traversal a delight, particularly once you’re zipping via the sport’s bigger, extra open environments.
Really, Sword of the Sea is a surprisingly speedy expertise, and as such, it requires a bit extra finesse than one thing like Journey. As you progress, the platforming challenges get a little bit trickier, and you will want to start out eager about hitting prime speeds earlier than taking over sure jumps.
That is to not say it is a tough sport — the one penalty for falling into an abyss is a short reset again to strong floor — however it’s extra concerned than its non secular predecessors. The identical is true of the puzzles, which, whereas simplistic in design, do make you take into account your environment.
Our level right here is that Sword of the Sea is extra of a sport than Journey or ABZU are — and that is additional evidenced by the truth that you’ll be able to rack up factors atop your surfsword by pulling off methods and flicks midair. Studying and mastering these methods is totally non-compulsory, however once more, there is a sure diploma of gameplay depth on supply.
Does that detract from the general expertise, although? Journey is such a masterpiece as a result of it is so streamlined as a slice of interactive media; it does not get hung up on components that may be thought of ‘conventional’ sport design, like scores or collectible currencies — and even textual content.
Sword of the Sea dabbles in all of these items, and we predict, at the least to some extent, that they cheapen the title’s meditative tone. Do not get us flawed, a lot of the sport is masterfully pieced collectively — but it surely’s some extent that is price pondering.
For example, gathering that collectible forex we simply talked about, or stopping to learn lore-related messages connected to obelisks, usually disrupts the move of every locale, pushing you to backtrack for the sake of unlocking new aerial methods. There is not any doubt that Sword of the Sea is at its finest once you’re simply gliding between environments and absorbing the vibes with zero distractions.
Certainly, as an audio-visual expertise alone, that is one thing fairly particular. It is a luxurious launch to gawk at, filled with daring color palettes unfold throughout sensible artwork path.
In the meantime, a principally orchestral rating from Journey composer Austin Wintory hits the spot whenever, with a mixture of understated melodies and provoking swells.
However what actually units Sword of the Sea aside is its use of distinction; the protagonist has the flexibility to revive water and aquatic life to their barren world, leading to gorgeous moments the place crystal clear lakes and rivers sprout from the sands, and all types of fish begin gliding via the air.
Environments begin to tackle dreamlike, virtually surreal atmospheres, and all of it simply provides to the sport’s already eye-popping charms.
As soon as the credit have rolled, you are free to leap straight again into Sword of the Sea due to a New Sport+ mode, which helps you to replay the entire thing with all your trick-based upgrades intact. It additionally introduces a number of fascinating bonuses, together with the choice to toggle further HUD components so to see your present velocity and approach scores.
Due to its quick size, we predict it is a sport that is nicely price replaying at the least as soon as. Understanding precisely the place you are occurring a second and even third run provides the title an much more seamless really feel.
Conclusion
Sword of the Sea actually will not have the identical influence that Journey did all these years in the past, however in so some ways, it appears like a direct evolution of that legendary expertise. It is a superbly easy sport, set throughout a collection of beautiful environments which can be a pleasure to discover. Whereas its extra game-y components do really feel a tad pressured, they are not sufficient to distract from what’s a luxurious journey.
