Sea of Solitude Reviews

Sea of Solitude is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
60 / 100
Jul 11, 2019

Sea of Solitude is a boldly personal game that has a lot going for it, notably its fantastic art style and score. Kay's story toward understanding her fraught relationships can be genuinely moving at times, but more often it comes across as scattered and heavy-handed. Add to that its clumsy, far-too-traditional gameplay, and Sea of Solitude feels like an interesting idea poorly executed.

Read full review

Jul 11, 2019

Sea of Solitude offers up a lot to love, with its rich aesthetics and well-intentioned design, but it fails to make a lasting impression with its gameplay or story.

Read full review

VideoGamer
Josh Wise
Top Critic
6 / 10
Jul 8, 2019

A wondrous world and keenly felt themes are slighted by unsubtle writing.

Read full review

Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
6 / 10
Jul 9, 2019

A thoughtful exploration of the monsters people can unwittingly become, although it often struggles to offer a compelling gameplay experience.

Read full review

64 / 100
Jul 12, 2019

Sea of Solitude is a gorgeous adventure that knows its way around mental illness, but doesn't make great use of the medium to tell its story.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2019

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.

Read full review

7 / 10
Jul 16, 2019

Sea of Solitude tackles a very sensitive subject matter and handles it beautifully. What it fails at is presenting it all in a package that offers satisfying gameplay.

Read full review

TrueGaming
Top Critic
6.5 / 10.0
Jul 6, 2019

The audia visual presentation in Sea of Solitude is fantastic, it is an artistic experience that was put together beautifully.The storytelling is weak though, it should have been more subtle to go along with the artistic direction. also, the voice acting couldn't express the character's feelings very well.

Review in Arabic | Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Mar 12, 2021

Sea of Solitude: The Director's Cut brings a strikingly emotional tale to the Nintendo Switch. Set sail through a sunken city to confront the inner demons of Kay and her loved ones. Uncover the past and discover the hardships that they had to endure.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Jul 9, 2019

Sea of Solitude is sadly the least-essential EA Originals title to date. The game has heart and delivers a few brief powerful moments, but it's held back by erratic design and a lack of content. Sea of Solitude is a pleasant-enough wade, but it isn't the dramatic deep dive it could have been.

Read full review

IGN
Top Critic
6.5 / 10.0
Jul 5, 2019

Sea of Solitude gives you a beautiful world and an intriguing story but the gameplay fails to evolve enough to make this a compelling adventure.

Read full review

66 / 100
Jul 14, 2019

Sea of Solitude dives into a broad range of mental issues and treats them carefully enough to be both educational and emotional. It's just a pity that the bland gameplay drowns out some of its best parts.

Read full review

Atomix
Top Critic
68 / 100
Jul 16, 2019

Despite a gorgeous look, Sea of Solitude lacks of a complex narrative or level design that puts it into pair with recent games inspired by mental issues.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Jul 8, 2019

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.

Read full review

7 / 10
Jul 15, 2019

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

7 / 10.0
Jul 22, 2019

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.

Read full review

7 / 10.0
Jul 19, 2019

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.

Read full review

Jul 7, 2019

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.

Read full review

Cultured Vultures
Claire Corbel
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Jul 8, 2019

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.

Read full review

70 / 100
Jul 5, 2019

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.

Read full review