Wavetale

 PlayStation 5
Wavetale Image
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 6 Ratings

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  • Summary: Surf the waters of a submerged city! Unravel the past, save the islanders from mysterious sea monsters and discover secrets hidden under the surface.

    Explore an open sea and the decaying archipelago of Strandville in Wavetale, a story-driven action-adventure game introducing you to fed-up    Surf the waters of a submerged city! Unravel the past, save the islanders from mysterious sea monsters and discover secrets hidden under the surface.

    Explore an open sea and the decaying archipelago of Strandville in Wavetale, a story-driven action-adventure game introducing you to fed-up fishermen, secretive hermits - and maybe a pirate or two. Traverse calm waters and surging waves as Sigrid, a young girl who befriends a mysterious shadow that provides her with the power to walk on water.

    Speed through the waves, swing yourself from housetops with your net, and defeat an old nemesis to save the citizens of the islands. All with a bit of help from the shadows down below - and your cranky grandmother.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Gaming Age
    Jan 3, 2023
    91
    If you just want a game that’s a joy to play, this is it. Between the beautiful colours, the relaxing gameplay, and the thrill of gliding and soaring through the world, there’s enough to make Wavetale well worth your time.
  2. Video Chums
    Dec 18, 2022
    81
    I'm thoroughly impressed with Wavetale as it completely surpassed my expectations by being one of the most beautifully captivating indies that I've ever played. Even though it's a tad short, I can definitely see myself playing through it again and again.
  3. Gaming Nexus
    Dec 12, 2022
    80
    It’s truly a blessing that Thunderful Games has brought Wavetale over to all modern platforms after Google put Stadia in the tomb. Wavetale tells a heartfelt narrative filled with beautiful visuals and a soothing soundtrack in an open world experience that’s short and sweet.
  4. COGconnected
    Dec 12, 2022
    74
    The platforming and level design in Wavetale is fantastic. You can easily fly up buildings in style due to the responsive controls. Even though the objectives are similar throughout, the areas are well-designed to make each island refreshing. While you can overlook the lackluster and rigid combat, the performance issues are harder to ignore. Screen tearing and pop-ins are frequent and hinder the experience. However, fans of games like Solar Ash and The Pathless will still enjoy the game.
  5. TheGamer
    Dec 11, 2022
    70
    Technical issues aside, Wavetale is a charming, chill time with beautiful visuals that’s perfect for winding down. It’s a little too simple and chill for its own good, but I still loved gliding along the sea and taking in what Strandville had to offer. If you're looking for something a little more relaxing than saving Ragnarok this Christmas, Wavetale might be the one for you.
  6. PlayStation Country
    Jan 3, 2023
    70
    Wavetale certainly could've used some extra polish but the movement and storytelling shine strongly in a world that is mostly gorgeous to look at. Combat lacks any threat and the platforming can feel incredibly simple. There's not a lot of risks being taken which can result in a game that feels trivial. Despite this, there's more than enough to keep those curious onboard. I do find the personal tale to be engaging and it's nice to see an apocalypse look so bright and optimistic.
  7. KeenGamer
    May 2, 2025
    70
    Wavetale provides a cozy, enjoyable ride of exploration and puzzle solving. The story is one big side quest, but its subtext is well written - global warming, industrialism and the hubris of humanity. Gameplay is fluid and enjoyable with an excellent soundtrack and decent voice acting. Screen tearing and audio glitches distract but ultimately do not deter me from recommending this as a decent weekend getaway.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 1 out of 1
  1. Lother
    Apr 9, 2023
    4
    I really wanted to like this because as a platformer it feels so good to play, but it has SERIOUS issues which detract from the experience:I really wanted to like this because as a platformer it feels so good to play, but it has SERIOUS issues which detract from the experience:

    - Most notable is the issue with SFX. Sometimes they wont play at all, but when they do, they are EXTREMELY low. Playing a game with barely audible SFX makes me feel nausea. Even if you turn down the Music and turn up the TV volume it's still barely audible.
    - There is VISIBLE screen tearing when moving the camera around with a few enemies on screen. The first "boss" scene had constant frame issues where I could literally see half of 2 frames for a split second.
    - Even the skybox has popup.

    You'd think the developers could make something that runs well on the PS5, but no. It's an utter disgrace. Whenever you see "Unity Engine", BEWARE

    That's the technical review. Now for the story:

    - It's EXACTLY what you've come to expect from a game with a blue haired protagonist
    - Her grandma is an UBER feminist that bashes every man she comes across and even brags about how she made the first move on the now dead grandpa
    - OF COURSE the mayor of a town was trying to restart some drilling rigs which upset the monster of the seas, SILLY TOXIC WHITE MALE, there's no other possible thing a WHITE MAN can be in a BLUE HAIRED protagonist story
    - All the other boys and men are weak incompetent buffoons waiting for the BLUE HAIRED protagonist to save them out of the mess they created

    I'm SICK of all this nonsense in videogames. Did Samus spend her time bashing men in her adventures? Did she have an UBER feminist grandma?    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2022