Abzu Reviews

Abzu is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

Abzu is one of those games that comes along and manages to capture you into its world, allowing you to shut out all of the stress and worries of your own life. It successfully allows you to live in its dream-like environment for a few hours and delivers tranquility you may not have even known you needed.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

Abzu is an interactive exposure of wonderful underwater nature, concentrated but memorable. However, the game is still missing an important message, a sort of subtext that can impress the player. It remains an important debut for a young team that will be able to achieve great things, with a little more experience.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Generación Xbox
Elodie Mellado
Top Critic
4 / 5.0
Dec 11, 2016

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

Stevivor
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

Between the rich visuals, orchestral soundtrack and chill playing experience, you'll find something to like.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

I recommend Abzu to people who have enjoyed the kind of work thatgamecompany has put out because it looks like Giant Squid is here to do the same thing. Some might argue that $20 for 2 hours seems like a hefty price tag, but it's all about how much you can appreciate the little things that go into game design. Abzu is a very good game, but it lacks that same amount of punch that Journey so effortlessly delivered back in 2012.

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8 / 10.0
Aug 19, 2016

With a brilliant musical score, some truly breathtaking deep sea vistas, and a profound ecological message ABZU; is a journey you won't soon forget.

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8 / 10
Aug 12, 2016

Abzû might not offer an easy to digest story, but those missteps are made up with a dazzling experience, some marvellous set-pieces, beautiful visuals packed with vivid colours, and a lovely soundtrack.

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Fextralife
SimonSignal
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jun 24, 2017

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.

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8 / 10
Aug 20, 2016

ABZÛ is more of an experience than it is a video game, but it is something that should not be missed. If you have enjoyed games like Journey and Flower, you will also enjoy your time with ABZÛ.

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GameSkinny
AwesumPawsum
Top Critic
Aug 17, 2016

ABZÛ is one of the most relaxing games I've ever played. But is it the right game for you?

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8 / 10.0
Dec 12, 2016

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

Cubed3
Top Critic
8 / 10
Dec 17, 2016

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.

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Aug 7, 2016

Abzu is a game that is better experienced than explained. Featuring gorgeous visuals and a story that leaves the door open enough for your own personal interpretations. The only real drawback to the game is that it may be a bit too short for those overly concerned about cost per hour.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 1, 2018

Even as the credits rolled for Abzu I still couldn’t hope to tell you what it all means. It’s an experience that’s full of wonder, some breathtaking moments, and managed to make me feel a bit more connected with nature. What you may come away with may differ but I’d be a bit shocked if anyone could play it without it hitting them somewhere emotionally. The beauty of it all, the wonderfully fitting musical score, and small moments of the unexpected make Abzu a pretty special experience even if I may question whether it’s necessarily a game. In the end I don’t know that I much care, it’s something that will still stick with me for some time.

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Nov 29, 2018

Still Abzu-lutely magnificent, but now on the go with Nintendo Switch

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Aug 12, 2016

ABZÛ its a chilling and remarkable experience from beginning to end.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Dec 2, 2016

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.

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Aug 23, 2016

Dass Abzû – Achtung Wortwitz – an mangelndem Tiefgang leidet, möchte ich so nicht unterschreiben. Wer sich für Spiele á la Journey oder The Unfinished Swan nicht erwärmen kann oder will, sollte auch um dieses Kleinod einen großen Bogen machen. Alle anderen geben dem rund vierstündigen Tauchgang allerdings eine Chance. Um welche Art von Welt es sich am Ende handelt, bleibt ohne Frage sehr diffus. Doch gerade dies macht für mich den Reiz aus. Wenn an einem der Meditations-Punkte ein Buckelwal majestätisch an mir vorbeizieht und sich über mir der rotierende Wirbel eines riesigen Fischschwarms dreht, dann glaube ich zumindest an die erzählerische Kraft des Videospiels, in der die Schwerelosigkeit des Tauchens zu einer Kunstform erhoben wird. Für mich ist Abzû eine Art Endless Ocean mit philosophischem Überbau. Zudem blitzt in manchen Momenten der Genius von James Camerons Abyss auf, wobei ich mir gewünscht hätte, dass die Macher den Story-Fundus dieses Science-Fiction-Klassikers großzügiger für die Reise der namenlosen Taucherin geplündert hätten. Doch auch so bleibt Abzû unter dem Strich eine atmosphärische und auch lohnende Reise. Eines ist mir auch klar geworden: Für den Markt der VR-Brillen sind Inhalte wie diese geradezu gemacht. Wer jemals die Technik-Demo "theBlu" für die HTC Vive ausprobiert hat, weiß wovon ich spreche. Abzû in einer VR-Version wäre geradezu perfektes Kopf- und Entspannungskino.

Review in German | Read full review

77%
Aug 2, 2016

ABZU is a beautiful game. The graphics are amazing and the music is fantastic. This game deserves to be played by everyone.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

Abzu is gorgeous and calming but a little shallow

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