Sword of the Sea

Sword of the Sea, from the lineage of the indie hit Journey, is a subtle eco-fantasy. When your sword becomes a surfboard that zips along the sand as if on an endless wave, you immediately feel part of a deep adventure.

Sword of the Sea is a splendid journey that uplifts the spirit and concludes at just the right moment.

An enchanting adventure that lacks nothing except a little more playtime.

In Sword of the Sea, you satisfyingly skate across sands, snow, and sea on your hoversword, with each wave pulling you deeper into a vibrant, mysterious world of wonder and awe. It’s an atmospheric, meditative journey where curiosity is always rewarded and adventure lies at every turn.

Giant Squid have taken a giant leap forward with Sword of the Sea, fusing gameplay, music and art together to form what I feel is their best work yet. Sword of the Sea might be on the shorter side, but through some sublime ‘hover-swording’ and wonderful design, they’ve given us an imaginative skatepark to play in for as long as we’d like. Bitchin’.

Sword Of The Sea is a pleasure to play. Its traversal system allowed me to soar irreverently through monumental graveyards. Its narrative saw me flooding death with life and new hope. Its beauty boyoyed my spirit. Even with a few rough moments at the end, I still want nothing more than to fly back into its world.

Sword of the Sea’s journey is not as unforgettable and moving as that of Journey, but it still leaves a mark.

Sword of the Sea is a beautiful, almost-cozy experience that, like Giant Squid’s other titles, stands as a strong argument for games as art. The game has chill vibes and a gorgeous, atmospheric aesthetic while still delivering an eloquent narrative. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, Sword of the Sea is the low-friction adventure for you.

This is a high-quality artistic and visual offering that has been made possible by flawless technical execution. It's hard not to be fascinated by our first transformation of the desert into a lush oasis teeming with fish, and when you add to that easy-to-learn and instantly rewarding surfing mechanics, you get a little gem that you'll forgive for its minor flaws.

Sword of the Sea offers a meditative adventure with excellent sword-jumping mechanics. However, due to its short duration, the game may become tiresome because of its repetitiveness.

Like Abzu before it, Sword of the Sea is a simple game that is worth anyone’s time, especially as it won’t take up much of it. It’s the kind of calming title that you can slip into a single evening and just let yourself be carried along by its satisfying movement, gorgeous visuals, and easy-going challenges.

Not only is Sword of the Sea fun, but it feels like something that's actually good for you. It's wonderfully uncomplicated and relaxing, while always being engaging. While AAA productions pile up mountains of features to simulate “added value,” this game focuses on a single idea—and develops it so clearly and consistently that it entertains for hours.

Sword of the Sea focuses entirely on exploration and flow and does it really well. If you're looking for a truly relaxing game, you won't find a better one right now. Overall, Sword of the Sea didn't move me as much as Journey did at the time: yes, there is loneliness and vastness here too, but the pilgrimage on the Hoversword just doesn't feel as destiny-fueled as that of the Journey protagonist. Nevertheless, Sword of the Sea enchants with its incredibly dense atmosphere, pointed cutscenes and wonderfully animated landscape.

There are a few bumps along the road, but overall, Sword of the Sea is an effortless ride. The majesty of Journey, the action of The Pathless, and the tranquillity of Abzu are all present here. Sword of the Sea’s release marks the end of a four-game odyssey that started in 2012 and has reached a simultaneously exhilarating and meditative crescendo.

A short but spectacular surfing game, Sword of the Sea's atmosphere and movement propel it where its simple and repetitive puzzles can't.

Sword of the Sea is a poetic adventure, carried by smooth movement and enchanting music. Though it draws on familiar elements from the developer’s past titles, the result feels cohesive and rewarding, especially for longtime fans.

This is Nava's finest hour (or two) since the work for which he's still best known - especially when it focuses on the means rather than the end. [Issue#415, p.96]