Call of the Sea Reviews
A fantastic title with a crappy VR port, Call of the Sea VR might just be best experienced on a flat screen to enjoy its maximum potential.
Call of the Sea can be described as: a forgettable adventure, sprinkled with fun, but easy puzzles. The exposition-heavy "narration" of the main heroine ruins the atmosphere of this journey, which isn't that strong to begin with, especially for a story dealing with eldritch terrors from beyond. The only reason to play this are the puzzles, although they too fail to keep you invested, as you won't really care about reaching the end, especially if a fan of Lovecraft, which will instantly turn the plot into an extremely predictable one. It has its moments, sure, and the visuals are beautiful, but this is generally a mediocre experience.
Call of the Sea's intriguing piecemeal story and beautiful setting falls to the wayside when its lack of signposting and overall artificially obtuse puzzles take center stage for much longer than acceptable.
Aesthetically, the game looks really pretty and is totally evocative of its 1930s setting. The game is plagued with hammy dialogue that makes it feel totally campy and like an old B-movie, but not altogether terrible when coupled with the Lovecraftian influence it draws on. Call of the Sea is a mostly fun puzzle game that falls short on the mystery it tries to have you unveil. While it looks aesthetically pleasing and ticks a lot of boxes for its period setting, the story is lacklustre and predictable.
Call of the Sea is a great start for developer Out of the Blue but didn't entirely capture me on any front, despite standout moments.
There have been several VR ports for games originally released on PC or consoles, but the ones that are successful are few and far between. Thankfully, Call of the Sea VR falls into the successful category. Despite some flaws, mainly with its visuals due to the limited hardware, Call of the Sea VR is an incredible addition to the VR gaming library. It’s an amazingly immersive experience that’s a must play for fans of VR and adventure/puzzles games in general. When it beckons, will you answer the call?
Call of the Sea is a relatively short game, coming in at around 5-6 hours playtime, but it does seem to drag on a little towards the end as the puzzles become more and more complex. The story is a captivating mystery romance, in which Lovecraftian twists and turns keep you more than engaged. Fantastic world building and stellar voice acting allow it to stand out amongst other puzzle games, but clunky mechanics and overly complex puzzles prevent it from being a truly great experience.
If you want to investigate a mystery by exploring a beautiful location and solving puzzles whilst also learning about Polynesian culture this is a good place to do just that. I have played numerous games of this type over the years and this is another that I really enjoyed. I certainly felt a sense of achievement at the game’s conclusion. With sumptuous visuals, a gorgeous soundtrack and some very clever puzzles, you’d be wise to check this game out on Game Pass or via Steam.
Call of the Sea is a narrative puzzle game that requires a very careful observation and in some cases even perseverance to solve some puzzles, since not everything will be so clear and understandable. The adventure, however, for the structure of the story, the characters and the dialogues is noteworthy, making the gaming experience engaging and interesting, never being trivial, with an ending that will literally be in your hands.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Call of the Sea tells the story of Norah and her meaningful journey to an island. This journey has some ups and downs, and you can say that the ups are more often and more important at the end of the day. I think that perfectly describes the game itself as well; A good adventure game that could really be better in some aspects.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Call of the Sea is a visually stunning game offering a compelling story hidden behind a mixed bag of puzzles and a few frustrating pacing decisions.
Call of the Sea could benefit from having more substance, but otherwise it's a solid adventure game that manages to put a unique spin on the traditional Lovecraftian adventure.
Call of the Sea feels like a mix between a puzzle game and a 1930s pulp novel. It blends these varied genres to mixed success; the puzzles are largely solid but you can find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration for some, and the writing can be a bit campy but is carried by brilliant voice acting. While the game is decent, the visuals, the acting, and the setting are top notch. If entered with the right mindset, The Call of the Sea can be a good companion for an evening in.
Call of the Sea puts all its eggs into its puzzles. They're fun to solve and feel as rewarding as slaying a boss in some of the most difficult games. The mysterious island Norah explores is gorgeous and full of mysteries that even Nathan Drake would appreciate. It's just a shame that its narrative is such a letdown. Norah may be the main character but I think Harry's adventure would have made a more compelling narrative.
Who would have thought that the solution to madness might be marriage?
Call Of The Sea is a good debut, that uses puzzle and riddle-based gameplay to tell an atmospheric story. Its weakness lies in a conception of riddles that is not always very clear, source of some moments of frustration, and in a limited duration. It will probably not remain among the most notable examples of the genre, but we must give credit to the fact that it manages to offer an alternative vision of the Lovecraftian narrative universe, potentially capable of satisfying those who do not always want monsters or scares.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Issues aside, though, Call of the Sea is pretty good. It was nice to play through a new story with new characters, even if the story design was somewhat familiar and the outcome (essentially the same despite which ending you choose) was fairly predictable. Solid voice-acting, good writing, and pretty graphics (nothing show-stopping, but they’re good) make for a nice presentation package on top of an alright game. If you’re looking for a more casual, story and character driven game to play this holiday, Call of the Sea is worth considering.
Call of the Sea is an interesting but imperfect experiment, denoted by some (legitimate) error of inexperience. In general, the feeling is that of an adventure written in a pleasant and on average enjoyable way to play, but never get to that status of small gem to discover.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Call of the Sea could be considered as a puzzle and exploration video game where the first element weighs much more than the second; although both depend on each other to exist. Thus and with a series of puzzles that will take the player into a smooth back and forth between the frustrating process of looking for a solution to the problem and the satisfaction of finding it, Call of the Sea offers a proposal that complies with all the basic rules of the genre and the topped off with a colorful artistic design and a plot that delivers what it promises.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Fitting for this studio’s name, Out of the Blue's puzzle-adventure debut resonates due to its mechanical challenge and atypical approach to Lovecraftian fiction.