ABZU

 PlayStation 4
ABZU Image
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 72 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 531 Ratings

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  • Summary: ABZÛ is an grand descent into the depths of the sea, where players explore ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZÛ is a universal myth that resonates acrossABZÛ is an grand descent into the depths of the sea, where players explore ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZÛ is a universal myth that resonates across cultures. The name references a concept from the oldest mythologies; it is the combination of the two ancient words AB, meaning ocean, and ZÛ, meaning to know. ABZÛ is the ocean of wisdom. [505 Games]… Expand
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E3 2014: ABZU Trailer at Sony Press Conference

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 72
  3. Negative: 3 out of 72
  1. Gameplanet
    Aug 3, 2016
    100
    If you aren't entranced by mechanically shallow games like Journey, don't bother. But if you find exploration titles even marginally interesting, Abzu is an absolute must-play – it's the most majestic one yet.
  2. ZTGD
    Aug 2, 2016
    90
    Abzu is something that was never even on my radar. Then I booted it up, and never let go. Every area was an experience, and it made an impact on me. I don’t spend my time trying to figure out what it means, I just enjoyed the ride, and it is easy to recommend. Especially to those that enjoy the idea of swimming in the depths of the ocean, and exploring the alien life found below the waves.
  3. Areajugones
    Aug 2, 2016
    87
    ABZÛ is a wonderful experience that follows the path of games such as Flower or Journey, where we play to feel. This is an almost perfect masterpiece which should be played by everyone.
  4. VideoGamer
    Aug 2, 2016
    80
    Abzu is a testament to where we are with video game development and shows how diverse the medium can and should be, even if it's not quite as emotionally resonant as it perhaps could have been.
  5. Impulsegamer
    Aug 7, 2016
    80
    ABZÛ is a very original game on the PlayStation 4 and if you played Journey before, you may see a few similarities but at the end of the day, this is game should be played on its own merits and on that level it succeeds.
  6. Hobby Consolas
    Aug 18, 2016
    72
    An astonishing, relaxing and beautifully crafted experience. It's not as thrilling as it pretends, but is able to link us with the ocean the same way Journey linked us with total strangers.
  7. GameCritics
    Aug 2, 2016
    40
    This undersea tour is quite short. I got through it in about two hours or so and was surprised by the brevity, but it’s probably better that way. No matter how beautiful it is to swim with whales or to descend into an undersea crevasse, there is precious little to do in Abzu, and it’s never particularly touching or thought-provoking. If it told a better tale or if there were more to it than swimming and occasionally pushing a button, it might have been a knockout. As it stands, the appeal of looking at pretty fish wears off in a hurry, and there’s not much else to recommend it.

See all 73 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 132
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 132
  3. Negative: 16 out of 132
  1. joshcam19
    Aug 2, 2016
    10
    A combination of Endless Ocean and Journey. A wonderful game and incredibly beautiful. When you are swimming with literally hundreds ofA combination of Endless Ocean and Journey. A wonderful game and incredibly beautiful. When you are swimming with literally hundreds of different kinds of fish at once it is like nothing ever. Completely breathtaking.… Expand
  2. NickCrit
    Feb 26, 2017
    10
    This is more a relaxing meditative experience than a game. Beautiful underwater / ocean scenery and relaxing artistic experience. If you areThis is more a relaxing meditative experience than a game. Beautiful underwater / ocean scenery and relaxing artistic experience. If you are looking for an action / shooting game; this isn't it.… Expand
  4. Gautham27
    Aug 4, 2016
    9
    An amazingly beautiful game with an incredible array of different species. The levels and habitats were brilliantly made with lots of fineAn amazingly beautiful game with an incredible array of different species. The levels and habitats were brilliantly made with lots of fine details. Not to mention that the art is incredible too. Only complain is the lack of a story and the play time.… Expand
  5. Letiste-Gaming
    Jan 4, 2017
    8
    En conclusión, una gran experiencia tanto en audio como en paisajes. Transmite muchísimo sin decir una palabra ni leer ningún texto en laEn conclusión, una gran experiencia tanto en audio como en paisajes. Transmite muchísimo sin decir una palabra ni leer ningún texto en la breve pero intensa “campaña” del título.

    ¿Mejor que su predecesor Journey? Es injusto compararlos ya que, pese a ser juegos muy parecidos cada uno tiene sus diferencias. Y pese a que este no incluye la soberbia opción del cooperativo anónimo de Journey (que nos hacía vivir uno de los momentos más mágicos que serán creados nunca en los videojuegos), Abzû es un gran título y que no os dejará indiferentes.

    Un “pasillo” lleno de maravillas acuáticas que nos hará querer estar allí aunque sea por un instante.
    Fans de la fauna marina, de Journey o de las experiencias breves en los que el apartado audiovisual cobra la mayor importancia, corred a comprarlo porque no os arrepentiréis.    … Expand
  6. aaronnmp96
    Feb 3, 2023
    7
    The game is beautiful, it passes with its task, what happens to me is that it was too short for me, and maybe I didn't like the controls very much
  7. Cycologist
    Sep 14, 2016
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. From some of the people behind 'Journey' and 'Flower', two of the best experiences on PS3, this game is quite amazing and also fairly derivative of the two aforementioned games. Strangely, my enjoyment of Abzu was lessened the more I played and saw the similarities and outright riffing of ideas used in Journey and even Flower before that. The character looks like Journey's protagonist in a diving suit. Watching the fish swarm and swim by and around you is STUNNING, but seemed to be a modification of the petal trails in Flower and some of the more automated sequences were definitely ripped from Journey. At the end of Journey, while I won't say I understood everything, I believe I came to a satisfactory understanding of the story they were telling. In Abzu, while I guess I caught on to some of the more major themes by the end, they seemed disjointed and poorly formed. The game, directed and designed by former thatgamecompany art director Matt Nava is gorgeous and visually breathtaking, but having a few more people - or maybe a few less - who worked on Journey's story would've made a game worthy of its predecessors legacy. I gave Abzu a score of 7 mostly for the visuals and docked 3 mostly for the storytelling… Expand
  8. Xemnios
    Apr 1, 2021
    0
    It's not a game. You can swim for 2 hours and doing nothing: abzu is complete

See all 132 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

97
#97 Best PS4 Game of 2016
30
#30 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
67
#67 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016