Surfing, seeking purpose, a spiritual journey, and a dream
Sword of the Sea is a breathtaking game from start to finish, a game that should rightfully take its place next to indie legends like Journey, What Remains of Edith Finch, Bastion, and Gone Home. It may be short, but between the visuals, music, and engaging and easy-to-pick-up gameplay, it’ll be on your mind for long after you roll credits.
My Rating: ★★★★★ (More at the bottom)
Sixth-grade Amanda fell in love with Humpback whales, thanks to Star Trek: The Voyage Home. I went through a phase when I wanted to be best friends with Willy (Free Willy), but no one my age really cared about Humpback Whales. (This story has a purpose here, I promise.)
23-year-old me was captivated by thatgamecompany’s Journey like no other. The visuals, the music, the blizzard climb near the end, the twist that I’d been playing with another person and NOT an NPC…it was magical.
Enter Giant Squid’s Sword of the Sea. Giant Squid, founded by thatgamecompany’s Matt Nava and The Ink Factory’s Stephen Cornwell, Sword of the Sea is their third game, after Abzû and The Pathless. It’s available on PC and PlayStation 5, and it’s included as part of the PlayStation Plus ‘Extra’ catalog.
Here’s the idea: you’re playing as a Wraith, a guardian resurrected from stone with a drop of water, and your task is to restore an “ancient sea” buried under sand and dunes. Exploring the world is made easier with your hoversword, which handles like a snowboard, rides like a hoverboard, and performs like a surfboard off sand and water. (On paper, it sounds like it wouldn’t be very satisfying, but it hit that sweet spot of an SSX game for me.)
While the movement was fast, fluid, fun, and forgiving, what really makes Sword of the Sea something I’m going to be talking about for a long time to come are the visuals. Absolutely breathtaking at every turn, I spent a considerable amount of time in the game’s photo mode, trying to do justice to the marvelous environments and just how awesome my character looked. For fellow enthusiasts like me, there’s photo mode!
And the animals! I had to spend a hot minute marveling at a Humpback whale that appeared to only realize through sheer random happenstance that I COULD RIDE IT. Turns out, there are a few spectacular ocean creatures that you can hop a ride on through the course of the game.
The narrative is what you make of it, really. There are stelae (stone columns) hidden throughout the world that go deeper into the lore and story when you read them, but it’s not required that you find any to progress. I haven’t discovered them all yet, but it appears that only 3% of players on Steam have found them, too. They’ve definitely added to my understanding of the world and where my character fits in the grand scheme of things. There may even be references to other Giant Squid games. (In the interest of keeping this as spoiler-free as possible, that’s all I’ll say.)
Austin Wintory returns as composer for Sword of the Sea, crafting a soundtrack that I’m sure will earn him another Grammy nomination. So much of the game feels like a dream, even according to my six-year-old, who watched me play with rapt attention, and Wintory’s score proves why he’s one of the best in the business. The music is comforting as your journey begins, slowly ramping up as the game progresses and reaching a brilliant crescendo in the final third. (And a brilliant final third it was. I shed a few tears as the credits rolled, and I’m pretty sure my kiddo did too.)
Some have criticized the game for being too short for the $30 price tag or for having puzzles that are too simple. What left me questioning was the use of scoring; the tricks you could do weren’t just for show, they earned you points. For me, they didn’t add anything extra to the experience.
For me, the time I’ve spent in the game, which at this point is just under 7 hours according to Steam, has been more than worth it because I know I’m not done. (There’s New Game+ for anyone craving more time and to finish up any lingering achievements.)
As for the puzzles? I’ll agree with those who call them simple. They are. But I’m glad I could focus on the world around me and take in all that was happening while I worked on how to restore more water and more sealife. I’m also glad that this means more people will potentially be able to play and experience this ride.
After all, Emerson said it best when he noted that life is about the journey, not the destination.
Thanks for stopping by! If you’re reading for the first time, welcome to my corner of the Internet, a space for discovering hidden indie gems, reviews, and more.
Be sure to subscribe and stay up-to-date with our posts when they go live!
Love what you’re reading? I’m over on Patreon, too. Every bit of support means more time for deep dives, reviews, and spotlighting the games that deserve it.
Please pull up a chair, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and let’s find your next favorite game together.