Sea of Solitude Reviews
Sea of Solitude starts strong, plunging the player into a vast ocean that house monsters and allies alike. With dark themes of loneliness that push the protagonist to confront unbearable truths. Unfortunately, while the story starts off strong Sea of Solitude cannot ride that wave, with much of its momentum quickly lost.
Compelling voicework and contrasting visuals define this game as more of an experience than a challenge. If you are willing to overlook the few gameplay features in favour of an impactful story, however, Sea of Solitude is definitely worth playing through.
Along with Kay, the player is subject to a rollercoaster of emotions, each of which is elevated due to the poignant soundtrack composed by Guy Jackson; a soring orchestral onset that isn't afraid to quietly hide in the background when it needs to.
Even with the thin gameplay mechanics and small bits of narrative logic that felt off, its world, characters, and story grew on me. It is truly heartwarming when a piece of media, especially video games for all their interactivity, embrace subjects such as loneliness and mental illness. Our society still deals with problems of stigma, which in turn creates barriers for those who want to reach out for help but are afraid to ask. Video games, and art as a whole, have the remarkable power to move and inspire one another, to encourage inner strength and find our voice; Sea of Solitude is one of those hopeful experiences.
Sea of Solitude is an emotional journey in which we help giant creatures come to terms with their issues and resolve them. Whereas the game feels like it’s taken great inspiration from silent indie titles, such as RiME, this game provides spoken narrative in order to tell its story, a story which a lot of us can relate to. For a game encased within symbolism, metaphors, hidden meanings, and the personification of emotions, the whole aesthetic and art style of the game are beyond stunning – thanks to the simplist nature of the visuals combined with the complexity of the design. Taking around four to five hours to complete, even longer if you wish to find all of the collectables, I feel this is the perfect length as it tells its story with great pacing.
Kay battles alone, and I just really wish the game allowed her story to be told a little more delicately, with more emotion and less force.
Sea of Solitude is a fun and entertaining indie title that is definitely worth your time. It's not very long, but what it lacks in hours, to makes up for in interesting and varied gameplay, as well as a compelling story.
It’s not necessarily a game I ‘enjoyed’ or I ‘disliked’. It’s an experience I partly shared in. In some of its moments, a connection was formed. It even became somewhat therapeutic for me too.
Every so often, a game comes along that dares to do something different in terms of narrative design and the themes that get explored. The EA Originals lineup of games over the past year has been a blessing in disguise for the company, with the likes of Fe and A Way Out doing quite well both critically and with fan reception. Sea of Solitude is the latest entry into that lineup of games, and the message has been clearly communicated from the very beginning. This is a game about mental health issues and the ups and downs of everyday life as we struggle to get through this together.
Sea of Solitude's lack of coherence and focus in the story, coupled with its simplistic gameplay, leaves the feeling of a rather shallow experience.
Review in Greek | Read full review
If you are a player who appreciates great storytelling with minimal hours of commitment, this game is for you. It may not be enjoyable though for players who are seeking hardcore action-adventure gameplay. Story loops may eventually exist but the graphics, colors, voice and sound quality really makes up for it. Regrettably, the game has a lot of potential, it has a lot of feels to it. I know a lot of people out there – gamer or not can relate to the emotions that Kay portrays. I think that end credit scene is a sneak peek on what’s to come which is really exciting since this can be developed to so much more. I am really looking forward to it.
Despite its good intentions, Sea of Solitude ultimately is a hodgepodge of cliches that fail to capture any meaningful feeling.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I certainly enjoyed my time with Sea of Solitude. Kay’s journey through the abandoned city had the right tone, and the amazing visuals of the world changing around you seamlessly as her and the other denizens’ emotions fluctuate throughout, was always something to behold.
Sea of Solitude is a great game, albeit short. I found this game can get very intense and every once in a while had to take a break as some of the encounters you have can be quite hard-hitting and really shines a light on loneliness and how it truly affects the mental health. With a great price point on each platform, this game is worth picking up and playing through as this can really help people who are also in similar places. With that, I will give Sea of Solitude a Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Whether in respect of its derivative gameplay structure or the bumper-sticker approach to an otherwise-sincere message, it doesn’t go any deeper than the wading pool.
I can only say that my time with Sea of Solitude is one of the best gaming experiences of my life.
I found its stronger aspects to be memorable and well-presented. I can appreciate the personal nature of this game, as the creators obviously poured themselves into it, but this is definitely a title that has a very specific appeal.
Sea of Solitude is a family psychology class before it is a video game. The things you will encounter throughout your experience are something you have seen in today's societies and are quite understandable and tangible. In my opinion, along with all the games of AAA action, adventure, scary, racing and so on, these are the most important 3 hours any player can experience. Never miss it.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Sea of Solitude sets up a strong premise and showcases a lot of heart, but its forgettable gameplay and mediocre storytelling hold it down.