Sword of the Sea Evaluation (PS5)

Big Squid is without doubt one of the greatest builders within the biz with regards to crafting fantastically breezy indie adventures. Sword of the Sea, its newest outing, won’t ever escape the apparent Journey comparisons, however it nonetheless stands tall because the workforce’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 should you 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 looks like a real religious successor to each Journey and ABZU, and so should you’re acquainted with both, you may already know precisely what you are stepping into right here.

Sitting at round 3 hours in size — virtually definitely much less on repeat playthroughs — Sword of the Sea offers 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 clean controls make traversal a delight, particularly if 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 bit trickier, and you may want to begin desirous about hitting prime speeds earlier than taking over sure jumps.

That is to not say this can be a tough sport — the one penalty for falling into an abyss is a quick reset again to strong floor — however it’s extra concerned than its religious predecessors. The identical is true of the puzzles, which, whereas simplistic in design, do make you contemplate your environment.

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Information by Household Gaming Database

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 tips and flicks midair. Studying and mastering these strategies is fully non-compulsory, however once more, there is a sure diploma of gameplay depth on provide.

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 would not get hung up on parts that might be thought-about ‘conventional’ sport design, like scores or collectible currencies — and even textual content.

Sword of the Sea dabbles in all of this stuff, and we predict, at the very least to some extent, that they cheapen the title’s meditative tone. Do not get us unsuitable, a lot of the sport is masterfully pieced collectively — however it’s some extent that is value pondering.

For example, gathering that collectible foreign money we simply talked about, or stopping to learn lore-related messages connected to obelisks, typically disrupts the move of every locale, pushing you to backtrack for the sake of unlocking new aerial tips. There is not any doubt that Sword of the Sea is at its greatest if 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, full of daring color palettes unfold throughout sensible artwork route.

In the meantime, a largely 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 power 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 because of a New Recreation+ mode, which helps you to replay the entire thing with all your trick-based upgrades intact. It additionally introduces just a few fascinating bonuses, together with the choice to toggle additional HUD parts as a way to see your present pace and method scores.

Due to its quick size, we predict this can be a sport that is properly value replaying at the very least as soon as. Understanding precisely the place you are happening a second and even third run provides the title an much more seamless really feel.

Conclusion

Sword of the Sea definitely will not have the identical affect that Journey did all these years in the past, however in so some ways, it looks like a direct evolution of that legendary expertise. It is a fantastically clean sport, set throughout a sequence of attractive environments which can be a pleasure to discover. Whereas its extra game-y parts do really feel a tad pressured, they don’t seem to be sufficient to distract from what’s a luxurious journey.