Sword of the Sea Reviews
Sword of the Sea is worth playing, especially if you’ve recently navigated darker, more demanding, or overly intricate games and are craving a refreshing, peaceful experience. The game may not redefine the adventure genre—and its steep price could be a sticking point—but it sets itself apart through a captivating soundtrack and distinctive artistic direction, creating a memorable identity that distinguishes it from titles like Journey and Abzû.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Sword of the Sea's journey is not as unforgettable and moving as that of Journey, but it still leaves a mark.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sword of the Sea is a moving work of art, a visual spectacle capable of taking your breath away. Its gameplay is a delight, as is its soundtrack. However, the story is too basic and fails to connect with the player as much as it should.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
With its lovely music and stunning visuals, Sword Of The Sea is an experience that'll stay with you for a long time; it's quite fun to play, too! 🐳
Sword of Sea, like previous Giant Squid releases, is more of an experience than a game, and for the reasons that allow the studio to flex its creative muscle. With some gorgeous spectacles that are punctuated by a flawless score by Austin Wintory, Sword of the Sea is a wild ride that, while brief, is a sight to behold.
Sword of the Sea remixes familiar elements from its own ancestry with some new ideas from totally different genres to create something new and refreshing. It’s a low stakes, high reward experience that pulls you right out of your seat and draws you into this strange, wondrous place where you can’t help but lose yourself in your quest to reinvigorate the world through the power of surf-skate-boarding. If that isn’t punk, I don’t know what is.
Sword of the Sea is absolutely must-play territory for fans of Journey. More than just a spiritual successor, utilizing that game’s artist/composer who both deliver some career-best work creates an entirely-new standard in the adventure/exploration genre. It might be a one-sitting game, but Sword of the Sea is bound to linger in your thoughts and perhaps beckon a new playthrough far in the future.
Sword of the Sea perfects Giant Squid's meditative adventure formula with stunning visuals, fluid hoversword surfing mechanics, and a masterful score from Austin Wintory. This beautiful three-hour journey is both the studio's magnum opus and hopefully its last iteration of this familiar formula.
So there is the spectacle of the dunes, that of the water and that of not having to get angry because some sudden shot has broken the immersion, with the latter also favored by the excellent soundtrack , made up of evocative and sweet songs, which never take over the scene, but become an essential part of it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sword of the Sea comes highly recommended because it is a beautiful, immersive, and unique game, with masterful art direction and a formidable soundtrack, although it is weighed down by a vague storyline. Giant Squid reaffirms its identity with a title that turns the journey into a poetic act. Without a doubt, it is an unforgettable journey that confirms, once again, that video games are also art.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sword of the Sea is a therapeutic gaming experience that shows us how game development can be so close to a real art using a gorgeous presentation, stunning music, and an amazing story told without a single word spoken.
"A captivating, meditative adventure" Sword of the Sea succeeds in delivering a spiritual experience similar to Journey, but with a fresh identity focused on new skateboarding mechanics. Despite the vagueness of the narrative and some technical hurdles, the powerful visual design, stunning music, and fluid movement make it an unforgettable experience. It's a meditative and calming experience that leaves a long-lasting emotional impact.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
While each playthrough might be short, the experience Sword of the Sea delivers and the many reasons it offers to play it again make for a spectacular experience. If you liked Journey, Pathless, or if you're a fan of skate and surf games, give Sword of the Sea a try.
Sword of the Sea was not just a fleeting experience, but one that surpassed all expectations. From its very first reveal, it was clear that we were witnessing a unique work and an enchanting journey. What the Giant Squid team delivered placed the game in a special league of its own, making it simply one of the standout titles of the year — and perhaps even one of the finest experiences of this entire generation.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Giant Squid Studios has created another fantastic game that combines the best elements of its previous titles into a gorgeous adventure that emphasises fast-paced and fun movement. With a tremendous soundtrack, beautiful art style and subtle storytelling, Sword of the Sea will appeal to those who love artistic gaming experiences. Though short and with a final area that discourages its best elements, Sword of the Sea is well worth diving into.
Some of Rogue City’s issues, like abysmal lip syncing and awkward dialogue camera, have carried over into this standalone expansion, but those are relatively small dents in this game’s shiny armor. Like most bullets, they bounce off RoboCop’s chassis and don’t impede his ability to serve and protect.
Sword of the Sea is a title you shouldn’t overlook. Its simplicity, polish, and attention to detail make it one of the year’s standout releases. For me, it has been one of the biggest surprises in a year already packed with new genres and experiments outside my comfort zone.
Surfing on desert sand is anything but dull. Sword of the Sea transforms its movement mechanics into pure fun and very elegantly directs the player's journey into a brilliant adventure.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Sword of the Sea is a game you’ll enjoy as soon as you turn it on, but if you’ve already enjoyed games like Journey and The Pathless, it just doesn’t feel like a title you should go out of your way and cancel plans to play either.
Sword of the Sea proves that games can be art. It is a stunning and captivating experience. Where at times the plot may fall short, the grandiosity of the world really does the heavy lifting. It encapsulates everything Sword of the Sea, or for that matter, Giant Squid stands for: art. It is safe to say that this game is a win for its art itself.