ABZU

 Switch
ABZU Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 71 Ratings

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  • Summary: Discover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie forgotten and encounters with majestic creatures await.

    ABZU is an epic descent into the depths of the sea, where players will explore beautifully rendered ocean environments with fluid    Discover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie forgotten and encounters with majestic creatures await.

    ABZU is an epic descent into the depths of the sea, where players will explore beautifully rendered ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we all carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZU 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 ZU, meaning to know. ABZU is the ocean of wisdom.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Dec 27, 2018
    90
    It’s one of the most captivating and moving experiences one can have with a video game.
  2. Nintendo Life
    Nov 29, 2018
    90
    Those of you who appreciate casual adventures like taking a walk in a forest will be sure to enjoy what Abzû has to offer, as the dreamlike visuals, entrancing orchestral score and deliberately sedate pace do a fantastic job of drawing the player into this alien world. We’d give Abzû a high recommendation to anybody looking for something a little more gentle for their Switch; it’s not a game about winning, but about the journey (no pun intended) you take getting there.
  3. NintendoWorldReport
    Dec 5, 2018
    90
    Gorgeous scenery and a thoughtful, engaging story make Abzu memorable and spectacular.
  4. Eurogamer Italy
    Nov 29, 2018
    80
    Abzû is a short but intense, aesthetically inspired experience. Its message has multiple levels of reading and says a lot, without a single word. Journey's inspirations are present and evident, but the title manages to maintain its own identity.
  5. God is a Geek
    Dec 17, 2018
    80
    Playing on the Switch allows you to appreciate the game’s elegance whilst on the move, and playing ABZÛ on public transport can seriously chill you out and bring a wonderful calm to a busy day. It plays excellently, with no lag or compromises as far as the visuals go, and having headphones in is the best way to experience the catharsis of such a noteworthy game.
  6. Nintendojo
    Dec 21, 2018
    75
    So is Abzû worth it? That’s not entirely easy to answer. In an era when games can deliver potentially hundreds of hours of entertainment, $20 seems a bit high for a 90-minute game. But, in an era when people also routinely pay that amount for a Blu-ray or digital copy of a movie, an experience like Abzû might be worth the trip for some people. And for players itching to go swimming, this is one of the best options currently out there, especially on Switch.
  7. FNintendo
    Jan 17, 2019
    50
    ABZÛ is not proposing to be an action packed experience and there's nothing wrong with that, the problem is ABZÛ delivers very little in terms of gameplay experience, no matter what angle is used to look at it. Beyond its marvelous looking environment and absolutely mindblowing soundtrack, ABZÛ leaves all its promises unfulfilled, aggravated by the fact that it becomes obvious this game could have delivered so much more.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 20
  3. Negative: 5 out of 20
  1. B-Bog
    Sep 25, 2019
    10
    INCREDIBLE. It almost feels wrong to call this a game, this is an experience. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing. Jaw-dropping. The most gorgeousINCREDIBLE. It almost feels wrong to call this a game, this is an experience. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing. Jaw-dropping. The most gorgeous game I have ever played. Plus, the soundtrack is just perfect in supporting the visuals and amplifying the mood.

    I was having a pretty crappy day and didn't even really feel like playing any games, but ABZU completely turned that around. Do yourself a favour, get this game ASAP, and then just relax and take your time with it. Advanced players might even want to ingest certain substances along with it ;)

    I seriously cannot find anything wrong with this game, other than maybe its short play time, but I was aware of that before I bought it. It's only 20 bucks anyway, and compared to other titles in that price range like Firewatch, it's worth every penny. Plus, I think the short run time makes for a more intense experience and entices you to replay (which I'm definitely going to do).

    Must-have.

    EDIT: I stand by my original review. However, I've now also got the game on PC because it was free for a few days. PLEASE, get this game on the highest-performing system that you have (high-end PC is the best one). This game thrives on its beautiful visuals. And while it's still gorgeous on Switch, it does have some framerate problems and the processing power is just not there to make it look as jaw-droppingly amazing and fluid as it does with the settings cranked up to max on PC. HOLY SHEEEET However, if Switch is your only system, do get the game. It is still an awesome experience.    … Expand
  2. r0mer0
    Apr 2, 2021
    10
    Wonderful experience with beautiful visuals and music. Played it docked on a big TV in the dark, with the sound coming from Hi-Fi speakers.Wonderful experience with beautiful visuals and music. Played it docked on a big TV in the dark, with the sound coming from Hi-Fi speakers. Overall, the game tells a very relaxing and rewarding interactive story. It is quite linear, but you are guided in a way that doesn't lessen the immersion. Until you find the places in the game that tell you if you missed or found every achievement. Since you can’t go back to search again, this only serves as a reminder that you are playing a game, and that you will have to re-play it if you strafe for completion. You can play single chapters to complete the game. I would have preferred to have the list of missed and found achievements at the very end. Abzû still gets a perfect rating from me.… Expand
  4. OtraPerspectiva
    Aug 24, 2021
    9
    La exploración subacuática nunca podría haber sido tan hermosa y tan pacifica, ABZU tiene un aire muy similar a journey, con cientos deLa exploración subacuática nunca podría haber sido tan hermosa y tan pacifica, ABZU tiene un aire muy similar a journey, con cientos de momentos que te dejaran marcado y que muy difícilmente olvidaras.

    A nivel de gameplay y narrativo este título es muy simple, pero esto es un aspecto negativo, en este caso la simpleza hace que pueda resaltar en otros aspectos siendo el principal de estos el aspecto gráfico y el soundtrack de este título siendo como mínimo bueno, ABZU es precioso, muchas de las tomas que se pueden apreciar fácilmente podrían ser un wallpaper en el pc de cualquiera.

    Unos de los aspectos negativos que encuentro es la duración de este título el cual se puede completar en unas 3 o 4 horas, aunque en esas horas encontraremos en una gran variedad de escenarios y una inmensa cantidad de animales a los cuales según el tamaño podemos sujetarnos y dejarnos llevar un rato, de igual forma y un aspecto positivo que considero es la opción de "meditar", en cada uno de estos escenarios existen unas estructuras en las cuales nuestro protagonista se posa y podemos observar cómo los animales se dan vueltas mientras nos relajamos con el soundtrack de este título.

    ABZU es sin duda uno de esos títulos que busca ir mas allá de los videojuegos convencionales, enamorándonos con sus gráficos y la belleza de sus escenarios, llegando a ser considerado por mi como una obra de arte jugable.    … Expand
  5. opnyx
    Jan 16, 2021
    7
    The game is very beautiful and the music is enchanting. It's very impressive to see all the fishes swimming around you.
    But the game is very    The game is very beautiful and the music is enchanting. It's very impressive to see all the fishes swimming around you.
    But the game is very short (one hour), and quite laggy (on Switch) sometimes. The gameplay is very simple and the story is not very exiting. It felt more like a visual experience than an actual game.    … Expand
  6. adpaskhughes
    Aug 25, 2023
    6
    Abzu is tough to review, because it's definitely the kind of "game" which you either love or find boring. It's a walking (well, swimming)Abzu is tough to review, because it's definitely the kind of "game" which you either love or find boring. It's a walking (well, swimming) simulator with a nice soundtrack and nice visuals. But not stunning visuals; something like this would make a better VR experience. I also found the controls a bit unresponsive and dizzying, especially controlling the camera.… Expand
  7. Fusy
    Mar 12, 2021
    5
    It's a game where you hold R2 to move forward. You can boost and you do occasionally need to interact with objects, but for the most partIt's a game where you hold R2 to move forward. You can boost and you do occasionally need to interact with objects, but for the most part looking at the screen is optional. I didn't find it worth while.… Expand
  8. buddookan
    May 23, 2021
    0
    Słaba gra z papierkową, mało przekonywującą grafiką. Praktycznie zerowa interakcja. Gra na raz i to w dodatku maksymalnie na 2 godziny ! Za 72Słaba gra z papierkową, mało przekonywującą grafiką. Praktycznie zerowa interakcja. Gra na raz i to w dodatku maksymalnie na 2 godziny ! Za 72 zł ! Zdzierstwo.… Expand

See all 20 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

83
#83 Best Switch Game of 2018
77
#77 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
70
#70 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018