Abzu Reviews
A wordless, calm game that manages to transmit so much narratively using only wonderfuly serene music and pretty visuals. The somewhat undirected gameplay loop suffers a little from underused mechanics and can become a little repetitive, however, due to its 2-hour-long duration the music, visuals and fun tranquil exploring is substantial enough to provide a short but very enjoyable experience.
ABZÛ is a rich audiovisual experience. Its universe was made to be appreciated, and every single gameplay hour serves to fill an internal void in the player themself. At every moment, the game reinforces that its art direction is its strongest aspect, provoking strong emotions. On the other hand, its narrative leaves some blank spaces, and the variety in its mechanics is virtually null.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Abzû owes too much of a debt to what has come before it, and annoyances with camera and graphical issues remove much of the satisfaction from what was meant to be, on paper at least, a relaxing voyage into a mysterious sunken world.
Abzu does change the formula in important ways, but these fun and exciting additions are not enough to move it out of Journey's shadow. Considering just how much of the emotional journey is taken from the first game, Abzu is not groundbreaking, but it is a masterpiece that deserves to be remembered.
Abzu is quite simply a breath-taking piece of interactive art, that feels vivid and more alive than you’d imagine a video game was capable of being.
Abzu is an artistic triumph in every single way. In most of the different areas in the game, you can rest on a particular rock and meditate. And I found myself just sitting on these rocks and switching between the different views and the different species of fish and watching how they move and interact with each other. And I found this to be oddly relaxing, almost like I was watching a David Attenborough documentary. The only thing I can fault Abzu for is the length of the game, which if you take it slowly and get all the trophies is a 4-6 hour experience. But in my personal opinion, I would rather have a short amazing experience than a long drawn out mediocre one. If you haven’t played any of Matt Nava’s game before I highly recommend you pick up Abzu and then Journey.
Grab this one for its artistic beauty and a unique, captivating diving experience.
Abzu is not a game for everyone. You need to take your time to enjoy the scenery and all the beautifully designed and colorful animals and vegetation. Abzu looks more like an interactive screensaver than a real game. If you're okay with mediocre gameplay mechanics and like to take a slow dive into the deep ocean, Abzu will be very calming and relaxing.
Review in German | Read full review
For those looking for the next Journey, ABZÛ may disappoint. It’s a very enjoyable game but is leagues below its predecessor. Pun intended. For all the niggling gripes listed above, there also appears to be something missing. It’s a game with a very strong message, beautiful vistas and a lot of heart, but the main character felt a bit lifeless. There were times when it got truly tense, but after realising the mechanic in those sections, any connection I had with the character disappeared.
For anyone who has ever had an interest in marine life then ABZÛ is a required play. It's a stunning interactive aquarium with plenty of flair. The absence of restrictions allows for players to immerse themselves entirely in all of the undersea happenings. Every scene is an event to be cherished, and even the most minimal of interactions are memorable. There are a few moments that are so powerful that text or even a video could never hope to do them justice. If the concept sounds appealing, then don't hesitate to pick this game up immediately.
ABZU is a mixture of art, myth and indie game and has the ability to take the gamer on a journey under the water. You find different kind of species and it is a relaxing experience. If you want to have a relaxing journey under water for a few hours, ABZU is for you.
Review in Persian | Read full review
In this violent, bloody holiday release schedule it is nice to have games like 'ABZÛ'. It is an artistic, aesthetic game, suited for watching and observing, not playing in a strict sense of the word. Its undersea beauty is unmatched, but leaves me wanting more.
Abzu is one of those games that attracts you from the beginning, and it has an excellent atmosphere added by a soundtrack very well implemented. In general, it has a good performance, however, its simplicity is reflected in the short duration it has.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
If Abzu existed alone, it’d be in its own class. However it has a titan of non-verbal storytelling to contend with. And while in many ways it is excellent, it just can’t quite live up to what came before. However even falling short of perfection leads to greatness, and Abzu is in so many ways great. A game that is absolutely worth every penny, a unique experience, and a truly breathtaking title. If you were curious about this oddly named experience, dive down into its depths and you should find a real treasure.
Beautiful and full of surprises. The colourful and jaw-dropping vistas and experiences in ABZU will stick with you for a long time. Just like Journey did.
The beautiful experience just falls short of greatness
Abzu is a must-play game. With its ambient music and the gorgious world, exploring the ocean will be one of the most memorable experiences of 2016.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Abzu is one of those pleasantly surprising titles that feels likes it's on the cusp of being a great game with just a bit more fleshing out. Its deep, undersea world is absolutely gorgeous and its metaphysical take on "show-don't-tell" storytelling evokes thoughts of the excellent game INSIDE. Folks who prefer traditional gaming mechanics and storytelling might consider the overall gameplay to be barebones and lacking purpose. If you're a fan of non-traditional gaming that has a bit of an indie feel to it, however, you'll want to dive into Abzu.
It's an overwhelming experience with a captivating story submerged in beautiful visuals and music. It has some magical sequences and is an all-around unforgettable game. It holds moments of relaxation but also action and tension. It explores ones of the few places left on earth we still have yet to fully understand and embraces that mystery and wonder. ABZU is a reflection of what makes video games so amazing because they create places and feelings that we will never be able to experience, like the feeling of being one with the ocean.