Call of the Sea

 PC
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Digital Chumps
    Dec 16, 2020
    72
    It was nice to play through a new story with new characters, even if the story design was somewhat familiar and the outcome (essentially the same despite which ending you choose) was fairly predictable. Solid voice-acting, good writing, and pretty graphics (nothing show-stopping, but they’re good) make for a nice presentation package on top of an alright game. If you’re looking for a more casual, story and character driven game to play this holiday, Call of the Sea is worth considering.
  2. Areajugones
    Dec 8, 2020
    72
    Call of the Sea could be considered as a narrative puzzle game where the second element is much more relevant than the firs one; although both depend on each other to exist. With a series of puzzles that will take the player into a smooth back and forth between the frustrating process of looking for a solution to the problem and the satisfaction of finding it, Call of the Sea offers a proposal that follows the basic rules of the genre and It is topped off with beautiful art design and a plot that delivers what it promises.
  3. GameWatcher
    Dec 8, 2020
    70
    Call of the Sea feels like a mix between a puzzle game and a 1930s pulp novel. It blends these varied genres to mixed success; the puzzles are largely solid but you can find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration for some, and the writing can be a bit campy but is carried by brilliant voice acting. While the game is decent, the visuals, the acting, and the setting are top notch. If entered with the right mindset, The Call of the Sea can be a good companion for an evening in.
  5. CD-Action
    Jul 23, 2021
    65
    Colorful, pretty scenery, decent voice acting, lots of interactive objects, and a couple of interesting puzzles give the impression that the game has more to offer than it actually does. The atmospheric first half is good, but the repetitive second part disappoints. The plot makes no sense and the direction it takes is predictable to anyone acquainted with Lovecraft’s work. The further you go, the narrower the path is and you bump into invisible walls all the time. It’s a shame the game’s considerable potential was squandered. [02/2021, p.60]
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  6. Jeuxvideo.com
    Dec 8, 2020
    65
    When finished, Call of the Sea leaves a salty, unfinished aftertaste.
  7. Edge Magazine
    Dec 31, 2020
    60
    So yes, there's definitely something strange about this place - and it's those peculiarities that, for all its flaws, make this Call worth heeding. [Issue#354, p.102]
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  8. Cubed3
    Aug 2, 2021
    50
    Call of the Sea can be described as: a forgettable adventure, sprinkled with fun, but easy puzzles. The exposition-heavy "narration" of the main heroine ruins the atmosphere of this journey, which isn't that strong to begin with, especially for a story dealing with eldritch terrors from beyond. The only reason to play this are the puzzles, although they too fail to keep you invested, as you won't really care about reaching the end, especially if a fan of Lovecraft, which will instantly turn the plot into an extremely predictable one. It has its moments, sure, and the visuals are beautiful, but this is generally a mediocre experience.

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Best PC Game of 2020
78
#78 Most Discussed PC Game of 2020

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 152 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 105 out of 152
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 152
  3. Negative: 18 out of 152
  1. Stjepan3203
    Dec 12, 2020
    8
    Call of the Sea is a really nice relaxing puzzle game with a really decent story. The puzzle solving is fun if you like those type of gamesCall of the Sea is a really nice relaxing puzzle game with a really decent story. The puzzle solving is fun if you like those type of games you will love this game. The art style art direction is really interesting and I like it is something fresh new. I think the game deserved a decent 8/10 great game if you like this type of games you will like this game aswell.… Full Review »
  2. Cyber_Angel
    Dec 29, 2020
    7
    Nice story, more of a walking simulator. Great music, voice acting and graphics/art style. Some puzzles are too easy, while others are fairlyNice story, more of a walking simulator. Great music, voice acting and graphics/art style. Some puzzles are too easy, while others are fairly tough. They did break the pace for me.… Full Review »
  3. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 10, 2020
    7
    Call of the Sea
    Crashing Waves
    Call of the sea is a first person adventure puzzle game where you play as Norah who sets out to find her boo    Call of the Sea
    Crashing Waves
    Call of the sea is a first person adventure puzzle game where you play as Norah who sets out to find her boo Henry on an island and uncover the secrets of an illness she had.. and overall the story is the best part of this 5 and a half hour long journey, ontop of that the puzzles are just challenging enough to feel like a little enough of a nussance to kind of be enjoyable to solve, and the world and its art style is so vibrant and pretty.. great environment, great story, decent puzzles… but the problems come with this games pacing and overall performance… Letspretend everything ran smooth.. call of the sea gameplay wise just never gives you a break to let you stop and smell the roses, youre constantly trying to solve a chapters bigger puzzle to open a gate and progress, youre thrown into an era, figure out how you have to arrange things to unlock a door just do it again, its non stop, I get it’s a puzzle game but still, spread it out a bit, give me a brain break… otherwise I feel overwhelmed trying to play through your game… but call of the seas biggest issue other ttan pacing is its performance, ive never played such an unstable game in my life… l tested across multiple high end gaming pcs with xbox game pass, I had issues with crashing going into chapters 2 and 6.. I eventually got chapter 2 to work, but I only got to see the beginning moments of chapter 6.. call of the sea just refuses to load leading me to have to watch the remaining 40 minutes on youtube to get this games ending… and the issue isn’t expclusive to what is admittedly a beta system in xbox game pass for pc, after looking into it, there are reports on all of the sea causing console crashes as well, there was also a bug where I would be shown a giant white blob where cinnmematics were supposed to b shown throughout the entire game!
    If you can get through Call of the Sea, this is a really interesting and pretty straightforward puzzle game.. but if you do decide to give this one a go, don’t do it through xbox game pass for pc
    it probably wont work
    I giv Call of the Sea
    a 7.5/10    … Full Review »
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