Abzu Reviews
Unique and visually striking, Abzu doesn't quite make the most of its underwater setting but remains a highly compelling adventure.
Abzu takes the graceful feel of movement and subtle push toward discovery that I've enjoyed in similar exploration games like Journey and Flower and builds a refreshing-yet-simple underwater adventure around it. The colorful settings, beautiful soundtrack, and basic controls made it a great experience that constantly piqued my interest, even if it never challenged me to master it other than deciphering its cryptic environmental clues. Instead, Abzu relishes in giving you freedom to simply enjoy exploring the fascinating deep blue sea.
There are few games quite as curious and beautiful as Abzû, and fewer of its kind on the PC. It’s a short, dense journey filled with intense wonder and inherent beauty, and every inch is worth seeing.
Absolutely gorgeous and a joy to behold, but sticks too close to Journey's formula for its own good.
Abzû isn't for everyone, but it has its rewards if you stop to enjoy them
Abzu is gorgeous and calming but a little shallow
Abzu is deeply, transcendentally beautiful--not just visually splendid, but emotionally evocative. Without question, it is this year's Journey.
Abzu is a lovely, pleasant game, one well worth experiencing for yourself. It unfolds in unexpected directions, a relaxing exploration in a beautiful and mysterious world.
Abzû is a beautiful audio-visual treat that's light on challenge but big on wonder.
Abzû is the type of wondrous palate cleanser that reminds us of the beauty of video games.
Abzû is a beautiful game. It's a game stuffed with fish and colour and movement and music. I love those things. Sometimes you feel like you're actually inside an episode of Blue Planet (I recorded the video above during one such moment). But I don't love wrestling for control of an experience which feels expansive one moment and restrictive or unpredictable the next.
Abzû is certainly a standout release on the eShop, offering up an experience that breaks from the norm of goal-based gaming in favour of something that's more focused on simply existing in a world and enjoying all its little intricacies. Those of you who appreciate casual adventures like taking a walk in a forest will be sure to enjoy what Abzû has to offer, as the dreamlike visuals, entrancing orchestral score and deliberately sedate pace do a fantastic job of drawing the player into this alien world. We'd give Abzû a high recommendation to anybody looking for something a little more gentle for their Switch; it's not a game about winning, but about the journey (no pun intended) you take getting there.
Abzû is one of the greatest looking games in existence, with a simple message at its heart. You'll revel in the wonders of its beautifully designed ocean.
Abzu is a testament to where we are with video game development and shows how diverse the medium can and should be, even if it's not quite as emotionally resonant as it perhaps could have been.
Like the hauntingly beautiful ocean that ABZU has players explore, the real thrill and joy of playing ABZU comes down to going deep beneath the surface to experience its sights and sounds it offers, and the personal and emotional connections that are bound to be found. ABZU may be short on deep, complex gameplay or a lengthy narrative, but is more than capable of providing one of the most stirring, surreal gameplay experiences that (I hope) players will experience this year. As long as you're willing, ABZU is absolutely an experience worth being swept up in and letting you take it wherever it goes.
A nice swim through a virtual world
I did enjoy being in the water, but I can't help but feel the beautiful visuals and music were jamming pictures of places and emotions in my face instead of earnestly telling a compelling story. There's an unshakeable air of falsity about Abzû. As a treat to the senses, however, it's hard to beat.
A disappointingly direct copy of Journey that offers an incredible audio and visual treat, but lacks the deeper meaning of the original.
A mesmerizing audiovisual triumph that will feel heavenly to your eyes and to your ears, unfortunately without warming your heart as much as you would expect. It probably won't leave you teary-eyed like Journey did, but it will still be a trip absolutely worth embarking for.
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