Sea of Solitude

Sea of Solitude plays with your emotions. It’s not a brilliant game, but that’s not really the point. This is all about the story, all about the introspection. And those work perfectly.

Sea of Solitude is a tremendously moving and well-thought out narrative adventure that nails story and art direction and offers solid gameplay, but could have better voice acting and a longer overall length.

For those that have argued that videos games are not art, I would hold Sea of Solitude up as a shining example to the contrary. There is no easy way to summarize my experience with SOS, it was incredible, challenging, insightful and memorable.

This has clearly been a work of catharsis for its designer, blending the two to say something personal and important. By opening up about the lived experience of depression and focusing on the causes rather than the solutions, Cornelia Geppert and the team at Jo-Mei have created something that truly resonates.

Sea of Solitude stands out as heartfelt, almost painfully sincere, so much so that I hesitated to actually put a score on this review at all. It felt almost crass to do so, like being allowed to read a relative's diary, only to give it a thumbs-up or -down. Though engaging gameplay and meaningful messaging aren't mutually exclusive in games, Sea of Solitude is squarely one of a growing number of titles that challenges the notion that "fun and entertainment" should be a game's main priority in every case.

Sea of Solitude has touched me, despite all the criticism.

Though its gameplay isn’t very deep, Sea of Solitude is a beautiful, at times poignant adventure that will linger with you long after you’ve left it in your wake.

Sea of Solitude offers a short and deeply personal journey for those who are willing to sail over some incredibly dark waters. Sea of Solitude definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea, but those who enjoy video games for their artistic value and their story will find a lot to love in this game.

While minimal features and a noticeably short playtime offers an experience that is almost fleeting, its tragic story and heartfelt message leaves an everlasting impact.

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.

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.

Sea of Solitude doesn’t quite hit the mark. Gameplay-wise it is boring, the story overexplains too much and isn’t as interesting as it thinks it is. The idea behind it all, however, is great, exploring the concept of being lonely and taking the issue of depression seriously.

A clearly personal story told in a bland repetitive 3D platformer with padded gameplay, terrible voice acting, and no subtlety.

By trying to say too much and do too much, the work is dispersed and the adventure is diluted.

There's definitely a kind of magic to discover here, but Sea of Solitude too often breaks its own spell. [Issue#335, p.116]

A title that aims high, but is severely undermined by clunky controls, painful camera movements, and confusing, cartoonishly over-the-top story elements.

Not even striking art direction and sincere storytelling can save the unfortunate nature of Sea of Solitude. Marred by dull action and, at worst, frustrating sequences, Sea of Solitude ends up feeling like twice the length of its runtime. Those monsters and that world sure are gorgeous though.