Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas

 Switch
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 63
  3. Negative: 9 out of 63
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  1. NickStuf
    Aug 19, 2017
    4
    The mobile version was fine. in fact, it was pretty good for $7. But it existed primarily as a Zelda substitute. Why, then, is it $20 on the Switch, a console that has such a high attachment rate with BOTW?
    If you have BOTW, do NOT buy this game. if you don't have BOTW, why do you own a Switch?
  2. DizavidHZ
    Dec 20, 2020
    3
    If someone offers to pay you to play this game, run as it's still too large of a price tag. When a games PR top bills the music producer, you're probably going to be playing a bad game.

    Oceanhorn is a Zelda clone in the same way a conjoined twin is a clone: All the DNA is there, but all anyone else can see is an unsightly mess. There's lots of good but absolutely plagiaristic things    If someone offers to pay you to play this game, run as it's still too large of a price tag. When a games PR top bills the music producer, you're probably going to be playing a bad game.

    Oceanhorn is a Zelda clone in the same way a conjoined twin is a clone: All the DNA is there, but all anyone else can see is an unsightly mess. There's lots of good but absolutely plagiaristic things here; the game not only does nothing original, but it so heavily copies its source that I'm shocked Nintendo's lawyers weren't all over this like an emaciated bull is all over people at a Spanish festival.

    You travel the world in a sail boat that, minus the personality giving talking head, could be a twin of the one in Windwaker. The entire world is nothing but islands and a lot of ocean.

    You collect quarter pieced heart containers. You use a bow, bombs, and a special set of boots. You get a shield upgrade that reflects beams (sadly way more on that later, the spoiler part). Your sword (eventually) fires beams of energy when at full health.

    So why is Oceanhorn so bad for me if it so closely rips off an extremely fun game? Implementation and abysmal controls/design. Whoever programmed this must be a team of savants who are good at art and exactly nothing else (the game *is* beautiful). Your character runs and moves as if his feet are encased in hardening cement at all times. It says something when someone can swing a large, heavy sword three times faster than he can move his legs encumbered only by the cheap cloth he begins the game in. You'd be forgiven for thinking your game is suffering a glitch and is moving in slow-mo based on how he runs, if it weren't for the enemies moving at normal speeds suggesting otherwise.

    The largest proof of design flaw is in the beam reflection of your mirror shield. They call it something else, but it's a mirror shield.
    Spoilers here. You use your beam reflection on the final boss. Sometimes the beam would go directly through me, despite having my shield up. The beam would reflect then cut out, almost as if I wasn't reflecting anything else but my hopes to be playing a better game. For the record, you have to reflect the beam at both legs of the boss, then run over to said legs in the *very* short time the enemy is down and destroy power cells on its body. Combine the short time thing with the slow run, crappy reflect mechanics, and you have lazy difficulty: where programmers reclassify their own shortcomings as difficulty. There were a few bosses and set pieces like this. I never felt a sense of accomplishment when I finally passed these things; I felt exactly the way a sane human being should feel after tirelessly fixing someone else's problem that they willingly made.

    In short, skip this even during one of its many sales. There are SO many good Zelda clones out there; it would be a travesty to throw your money at this aborted dumpster fire instead those titles.    … Expand
  3. FrankoAmmo
    Aug 17, 2017
    4
    I don’t know if people here actually played the game, but it is not very good on the Switch. I really tried to like it, but it did not have enough contents or nice gameplay to keep me going. I had to stop after 2 hours. The graphics are not bad, but it feels pretty basic. I understand it could be fun for a basic game on a cellphone, but not for a gaming console. It does not compete withI don’t know if people here actually played the game, but it is not very good on the Switch. I really tried to like it, but it did not have enough contents or nice gameplay to keep me going. I had to stop after 2 hours. The graphics are not bad, but it feels pretty basic. I understand it could be fun for a basic game on a cellphone, but not for a gaming console. It does not compete with the other games. Do not waste your money on this. You should try Kamiko if you are looking for a Zelda clone, but a good one.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2017
52
#52 Most Shared Switch Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Nintendojo
    Sep 14, 2017
    58
    Oceanhorn is an admirable attempt at taking a stab at the Zelda formula. There are plenty of islands to explore, puzzles to solve, and baddies to bonk. The controls are serviceable outside of a couple small hitches with running and a somewhat clunky interface. While imperfect, the presentation makes the world look like a stunning diorama and the music serves to enhance the experience even further. I genuinely had fun with Oceanhorn, and I hope that the upcoming sequel irons out of some of the original’s kinks. For those wanting a more traditional Zelda experience, I recommend giving this one a shot.
    Read full review
  2. SpazioGames
    Jul 19, 2017
    65
    Oceanhorn is a game that works well on Switch, mainly because of its similarities to Zelda, but it's really gameplay limited and lasts only 10 hours.
    Read full review
  3. Vooks
    Jul 17, 2017
    60
    The Switch is the best fit for Oceanhorn too. While it has issues, I just know the groundwork has been laid for a killer sequel and I can’t wait to see what Oceanhorn’s world will look like when we return in the years to come.
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