Sword of the Sea Reviews
The latest title from the Abzu and Pathless developers, Sword of the Sea is a must-play meditative game that won't take up much of your time.
Games like Sword of the Sea don't try to be all things to all people. It doesn't overload you with hard-to-understand systems, never-ending side tasks, or trying to get the highest score. Instead, it gives you a well-thought-out, emotionally powerful journey with smooth movement, beautiful art, and music that you'll never forget.
In Sword of the Sea, you satisfyingly skate across sands, snow, and sea on your hoversword, with each wave pulling you deeper into a vibrant, mysterious world of wonder and awe. It’s an atmospheric, meditative journey where curiosity is always rewarded and adventure lies at every turn.
Movement, meaning and mindfulness combine in Giant Squid's latest, a game of free-form expression and flow.
A short but spectacular surfing game, Sword of the Sea's atmosphere and movement propel it where its simple and repetitive puzzles can't.
It’s a short journey that took me a smidge over three hours to complete, but heck, what a stupidly enjoyable three hours those were.
The boundaries between what is air, water, and land are totally blurred.
It moves at the pace of a magical swordsperson speeding across sand dunes on a floating blade at 170 miles per hour (a speedometer unlocks after you beat the game), and it never gives you a reason to look away. I wanted to feel more from the story, perhaps only because every other element of the experience elevated it so high that my expectations were right up there with them.
My only gripe is that the story doesn't offer a grandiose message or hit as hard as I would have liked, relying more on pageantry and spectacle to get by. But, rarely does a game take me aback and thank my lucky stars that the medium of video games exists, and that's why we see this one as one of the standout performers of 2025 so far."
A beautiful experience from start to finish, Sword of the Sea is one of the PS5’s best games.
Sword of the Sea certainly won't have the same impact that Journey did all those years ago, but in so many ways, it feels like a direct evolution of that legendary experience. It's a beautifully smooth game, set across a series of gorgeous environments that are a joy to explore. While its more game-y elements do feel a tad forced, they're not enough to distract from what is a sumptuous adventure.
The music is chill, the vistas are fabulous, and the vibes are immaculate. If you’re looking for a short, singular gameplay experience, Sword of the Sea will be perfect for you.
Sword of the Sea also ends very abruptly. And though it may be strange to criticize a game for being too short—better to be left wanting more, right?—that abruptness only magnifies the sense that something is missing here.
Sword of the Sea is a beautiful, almost-cozy experience that, like Giant Squid’s other titles, stands as a strong argument for games as art. The game has chill vibes and a gorgeous, atmospheric aesthetic while still delivering an eloquent narrative. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, Sword of the Sea is the low-friction adventure for you.
Sword of the Sea is like a siren - beautiful, inviting and great to listen to. Despite cutting through with an impeccable sense of style, the lack of a cohesive narrative and short runtime feels like you're treading water.
Giant Squid have taken a giant leap forward with Sword of the Sea, fusing gameplay, music and art together to form what I feel is their best work yet. Sword of the Sea might be on the shorter side, but through some sublime ‘hover-swording’ and wonderful design, they’ve given us an imaginative skatepark to play in for as long as we’d like.
Whether it’s the game’s not-too-subtle commentary about climate change or Nava’s explanation of the Wraith, Sword of the Sea is trying and succeeding at making an impact
Sword of the Sea is a gorgeous and hypnotic arthouse epic full of incredible set pieces and stunning visuals that sets another high bar for studio Giant Squid as the premiere destination for meditative gameplay.
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Sword Of The Sea is a pleasure to play. Its traversal system allowed me to soar irreverently through monumental graveyards. Its narrative saw me flooding death with life and new hope. Its beauty boyoyed my spirit. Even with a few rough moments at the end, I still want nothing more than to fly back into its world.
At this point, there are no surprises with Giant Squid and the games they create. They are fine tailors of interpretive, environmental experiences. Journey was about hiking and Abzu was about scuba diving. Giant Squid possess the ability to encapsulate what makes these experiences magical and Sword of the Sea is no exception, as it’s another love letter to nature and reconnecting with it through the power of a board beneath your feet. It might be short in length, light on gameplay and abstract in meaning, but the experience is transcendent.