Call of the Sea

 Xbox One
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 81
  3. Negative: 7 out of 81

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  1. GamerGuysNGals
    Dec 13, 2020
    9
    I was interested in this when I saw it was coming to Game Pass. I was even more excited when I saw it pop up in my email before it was released on there. After putting about 6 hours in to it, I can honestly say I'm glad to have it in my collection. I thought it was a really quality adventure. I've read people say it is slow game. I think those people may have struggled with the puzzles, orI was interested in this when I saw it was coming to Game Pass. I was even more excited when I saw it pop up in my email before it was released on there. After putting about 6 hours in to it, I can honestly say I'm glad to have it in my collection. I thought it was a really quality adventure. I've read people say it is slow game. I think those people may have struggled with the puzzles, or were just used to action packed titles. To me it's a challenging puzzle solving game, that will really test your mind. Some puzzles can really stump you, and I enjoyed that. I loved spending a hour on a couple puzzles, and the rewarding feeling of finally figuring it out. I loved the story, as well as the time period. You play as Norah, a woman with a strange unexplainable disease. It leaves spots on her hands, and makes her feel very sick. her husband goes on a expedition to a island in the South Pacific to find a cure for her. he has yet to return so Norah goes to find him. She finds much , much more on this beautiful island. The story really changes as it goes, and towards the end really has a Lovecraft feel to it.

    The game is just so beautiful. From the lush island to the under ocean scenes, Even the Dark caves, and other creepy areas just look so great. I really enjoy the art style of this one a lot. The colors are so vibrant, and the areas are designed so well. It is some what linear, but yet still let's you have areas to some what explore for clues. I never got lost or felt like I only had one path. Looking for clues, and hidden items just gave me a really nice level of enjoyment. Each clue found, and puzzle solved just feels you with a high level of reward. I experienced no glitches, or areas that gave me issues as far as design. It all really works quite smoothly. That goes for the controls as well. The entire experience is just really well designed. I'd go to the point of saying maybe one of the best designed games this year. I was pulled in from start to finish, and only a few times felt repetition or like it was dragging on. I never felt like the game was rushed, or felt any design flaws. I actually felt quite the different. I felt that this one was sort of a hidden gem. I hope people take the time to play it on Game Pass, and then add to their personal collections.

    I can't end the review without talking about the voice acting and music. The sounds of this game may actually be the biggest reason to enjoy it. The music is just out standing, and fits right along into the adventure making it feel so epic at times. the sounds are perfect from oceans to the sounds the puzzles make as you solve them. It all just sounds amazing. The voice acting is also such positive point to the story delivered. Every one does an amazing job, but one performance just stands out far above the others. Cissy Jones. I believe, and yes this is my opinion. Cissy Jones is the best voice actor in video games today. She has done so many outstanding characters from Fury in Darksiders 3 to Delilah in FireWatch. Joyce Price in Life is Strange to Kelsey in The Wolf Among Us. Could go on and on like Norma in the Walking Dead or Sloane in Destiny. She is just a legend in the industry, and any time I see she is voice acting in a game it's a instant pickup because I know the quality of story telling, that will more than likely be delivered in game. If you don't know the name, and you enjoy quality story driven games check out more of her work. Call of the Sea is another one of her masterpieces, and the story is just unforgettable.    … Expand
  2. Joellemm
    Dec 13, 2020
    6
    It's a very straightforward, mostly linear puzzle game. Not necessarily easy puzzles, although this is highly subjective, as maybe I'm an idiot. There was certainly some satisfaction to be found from the challenging ones. I would say that the more open levels were the more frustrating, because at a point, success is driven by whether or not you found all of essential notes you'll need.It's a very straightforward, mostly linear puzzle game. Not necessarily easy puzzles, although this is highly subjective, as maybe I'm an idiot. There was certainly some satisfaction to be found from the challenging ones. I would say that the more open levels were the more frustrating, because at a point, success is driven by whether or not you found all of essential notes you'll need. Small gripes; the journal notes can be hard to read, so good luck if you actually have poor eyesight, and i found the ability to turn all notes over annoying, because it meant I had to do this every time, even though it was rarely worthwhile. Even so, it's a really good looking game, with a unique style and an interesting narrative. I feel that the narrative is overly explanatory, with discoveries not feeling as organic as the puzzles do, but it's overall a satisfying tale with good pacing.… Expand
  3. Xbox_Alive
    Dec 18, 2020
    8
    Call of the Sea is an otherworldly tale of mystery and love set in the 1930s South Pacific. It is a first-person adventure game where the story takes focus. Explore a lush island, as you'll solve puzzles and unlock secrets in the hunt for your husband’s missing expedition. In game, you are in a mysterious place full of plot. There are no monsters chasing you and there is no combat system.Call of the Sea is an otherworldly tale of mystery and love set in the 1930s South Pacific. It is a first-person adventure game where the story takes focus. Explore a lush island, as you'll solve puzzles and unlock secrets in the hunt for your husband’s missing expedition. In game, you are in a mysterious place full of plot. There are no monsters chasing you and there is no combat system. You follow in the tracks of your character’s explorer husband, Harry. You play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unexplained illness. You can walk around, interact with objects, and occasionally pick things up as Norah. You need to solve the puzzles and many of these puzzles will require a keen eye, looking around the surrounding area for clues and hints on how to complete them. Smaller puzzles will need to be solved in order to gather all the clues you need to tackle the larger one. As you follow Harry’s doomed expedition through the game’s six chapters, you learn what has happened to him and his crew, and it leads you to discovering your truth in the game’s excellent finale. In the end there could have been more meat and potatoes added to make this a truly amazing experience. It was very good, but fell short of great from a few small things that could have been added to flesh out the overall game. The ending is fabulous and worth the time and good gameplay to see it. Releasing for game pass and being able to acquire game pass for like trial for 3 months for almost nothing right now, you'd have to be silly to not give game pass and Call Of The Sea as your first download!… Expand
  4. Nervuz
    Jan 2, 2021
    8
    Call of the sea es un gran juego de puzzles, una gran ambientación y por lo general buenos acertijos (a excepción de alguno que otro que esta muy sencillo) es una de esas historias que te atrapan poco a poco y con un gameplay lento pero que es perfecto para apreciar toda la belleza del juego, tiene sus carencias en el ámbito y la fluidez en alguna partes se ve afectada con bajones de frameCall of the sea es un gran juego de puzzles, una gran ambientación y por lo general buenos acertijos (a excepción de alguno que otro que esta muy sencillo) es una de esas historias que te atrapan poco a poco y con un gameplay lento pero que es perfecto para apreciar toda la belleza del juego, tiene sus carencias en el ámbito y la fluidez en alguna partes se ve afectada con bajones de frame rate, pero es una gran juego indie que sin duda es una gran adición al Game pass. Pruebalo, quizá te atrape.… Expand
  5. Gokusondbz
    Dec 27, 2020
    9
    Personally I love the art style and for some reason I get a sort of the witness feel from this game. Plus I like some of the HP Lovecraft Vibes I get. If you like walking simulators with nice art and puzzles you enjoy this.
  6. GameIsDiarrhea
    Dec 15, 2020
    1
    I played this game all the way through, and let me tell you. Never once did the Sea Call me Out. I'm very disappointed and will be calling Microsoft for a refund.
  7. ArsenJaSenKo
    Dec 16, 2020
    7
    Generally great game - both graphics and music are astonishing! You literally love to just hang around in all surroundings and wonder, how long did it take to draw that stuff.

    The puzzles are quite good, but not perfect - some of them are interesting and hard, but the other ones are easy and in some ways illogical. The story is interesting, keeps you on the edge until the end, but    Generally great game - both graphics and music are astonishing! You literally love to just hang around in all surroundings and wonder, how long did it take to draw that stuff.

    The puzzles are quite good, but not perfect - some of them are interesting and hard, but the other ones are easy and in some ways illogical.

    The story is interesting, keeps you on the edge until the end, but sometimes it’s unnecessarily dramatic and naive. Looks like the authors haven’t decided whether this game should be for adults or 10-year-olds. Moreover, the end of the game is disappointing. I expected that everything would be logically or beautifully explained, but it wasn’t even nearly of that feeling. The words that are suited the end are “just accept it, this should be like that”. In other words, you are left with thoughts like: “What was that?”. In my opinion, such thoughts after a “story game” are the last thing you want to hear as a developer.

    Well, the main problem of the game is the ending of the story. But if you want to just play a game with a good atmosphere and beautiful surroundings, Call of the Sea is for you.    … Expand
  8. AfricanWhitey
    Dec 28, 2020
    7
    just an average game with a simple storyline. at least it's not overly long.
  9. Pablofilho14
    Dec 9, 2020
    5
    Eu amei a história do jogo, é incrível como o jogo nós faz quer ler cada página do diário para entender o que está acontecendo e assim querer saber mais sobre a história tanto da protagonista e de seu marido.
  10. flamingo4688
    Jan 1, 2021
    10
    One of the best games on gamepass, enjoyed every single part of it. 100% recommended.
  11. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 10, 2020
    7
    Call of the Sea
    Crashing Waves
    Call of the sea is a first person adventure puzzle game where you play as Norah who sets out to find her boo Henry on an island and uncover the secrets of an illness she had.. and overall the story is the best part of this 5 and a half hour long journey, ontop of that the puzzles are just challenging enough to feel like a little enough of a nussance to kind    Call of the Sea
    Crashing Waves
    Call of the sea is a first person adventure puzzle game where you play as Norah who sets out to find her boo Henry on an island and uncover the secrets of an illness she had.. and overall the story is the best part of this 5 and a half hour long journey, ontop of that the puzzles are just challenging enough to feel like a little enough of a nussance to kind of be enjoyable to solve, and the world and its art style is so vibrant and pretty.. great environment, great story, decent puzzles… but the problems come with this games pacing and overall performance… Letspretend everything ran smooth.. call of the sea gameplay wise just never gives you a break to let you stop and smell the roses, youre constantly trying to solve a chapters bigger puzzle to open a gate and progress, youre thrown into an era, figure out how you have to arrange things to unlock a door just do it again, its non stop, I get it’s a puzzle game but still, spread it out a bit, give me a brain break… otherwise I feel overwhelmed trying to play through your game… but call of the seas biggest issue other ttan pacing is its performance, ive never played such an unstable game in my life… l tested across multiple high end gaming pcs with xbox game pass, I had issues with crashing going into chapters 2 and 6.. I eventually got chapter 2 to work, but I only got to see the beginning moments of chapter 6.. call of the sea just refuses to load leading me to have to watch the remaining 40 minutes on youtube to get this games ending… and the issue isn’t expclusive to what is admittedly a beta system in xbox game pass for pc, after looking into it, there are reports on all of the sea causing console crashes as well, there was also a bug where I would be shown a giant white blob where cinnmematics were supposed to b shown throughout the entire game!
    If you can get through Call of the Sea, this is a really interesting and pretty straightforward puzzle game.. but if you do decide to give this one a go, don’t do it through xbox game pass for pc
    it probably wont work
    I giv Call of the Sea
    a 7.5/10    … Expand
  12. Gamer2068
    Jun 30, 2021
    8
    Love the art style and I like the story but the puzzles are too hard. Like may be a lot of people are looking for hard puzzles but in this game I mean they are hard because there’s no good design to guide you in to what the puzzle is about. It’s hard to explain but like many times does not feel like a puzzle and more like a maze that you are just lost there with no clue of what to do next.Love the art style and I like the story but the puzzles are too hard. Like may be a lot of people are looking for hard puzzles but in this game I mean they are hard because there’s no good design to guide you in to what the puzzle is about. It’s hard to explain but like many times does not feel like a puzzle and more like a maze that you are just lost there with no clue of what to do next. Good puzzle games can be hard but they are design in a way that you at least know what the objective of the puzzle is. This puzzles many times feel like you have no clue what are even even supposed to be doing. Had to look for a walkthrough a few times because I was completely stuck. I don’t mind hard but smartly designed puzzles… Expand
  13. kvnd
    Oct 17, 2021
    5
    Call of the Sea is a beautiful looking game with an intriguing story and great voice acting (with some bad dialogue) and music. Unfortunately it was bogged down for me by needlessly obtuse puzzles that both broke up the flow of the narrative and frustrated me. At its core it is a puzzle game, so that's a bit of a problem. The Lovecraftian story kept me trudging through until the end butCall of the Sea is a beautiful looking game with an intriguing story and great voice acting (with some bad dialogue) and music. Unfortunately it was bogged down for me by needlessly obtuse puzzles that both broke up the flow of the narrative and frustrated me. At its core it is a puzzle game, so that's a bit of a problem. The Lovecraftian story kept me trudging through until the end but the pay off wasn't really worth it for me, making it pretty hard to recommend to be honest. It's available on Game Pass so I guess you could try out an hour of the it and you'll know if you love or hate this kind of game.… Expand
  14. Xplocion
    Jul 6, 2021
    9
    The good:
    Investment history. Challenging puzzles. Nice and colorful graphics. Realistic physics (despite the caricature of the designs). Only progression achievements are easy. It has a chapter selector (if you don't have to start the story from scratch to get the secret achievements). Lovecraftians references. It has two endings. On Xbox Series X it looks spectacular (although some    The good:
    Investment history. Challenging puzzles. Nice and colorful graphics. Realistic physics (despite the caricature of the designs). Only progression achievements are easy. It has a chapter selector (if you don't have to start the story from scratch to get the secret achievements). Lovecraftians references. It has two endings. On Xbox Series X it looks spectacular (although some textures and surfaces like water don't look as good). It's on Xbox Game Pass.

    The bad:
    Cryptic and challenging puzzles. It's not ideal for achievement hunters (unless you're trying to play it with a guide in hand). Something short.

    Lo Meh !:
    If they told me this is a Sea of ​​Thieves “explore an island” mission, I would believe it. With a guide all achievements are easy (so joke). Ideally, you should try to finish the game by yourself and then replay the chapters to get all the achievements. There are achievements that are absurd and if it weren't for someone already taking them out, they would not believe they are there (that includes achievements of seeing murals, having all the notes and per chapter there is a well-hidden object to find.). Personally I am up to the cap of the Lovecraftian references in this type of games they should work it more (I say this because I recently finished Moon of Madness and more of the same primal octopuses from outer space)    … Expand
  15. Danmaster91
    Dec 16, 2020
    9
    Really good narrative that made me get emotional at the end of the game, with good challenges varying between easy and head-aching puzzles. The game didn't crash at any moment in Xbox One, but could run a little smoother, as the FPS average is quite low in rich environments. Besides that, I had a problem or two getting stuck at some corners of the game, and even falling forever once whileReally good narrative that made me get emotional at the end of the game, with good challenges varying between easy and head-aching puzzles. The game didn't crash at any moment in Xbox One, but could run a little smoother, as the FPS average is quite low in rich environments. Besides that, I had a problem or two getting stuck at some corners of the game, and even falling forever once while crossing the bridge. Lastly, the plot is very good, with a story that made play the game for hours non stopping, rewarding the player for it curiosity.… Expand
  16. JeremusIntrepid
    Jan 30, 2021
    9
    This title is a first person narrative game where you progress by exploring an environment and gathering clues, then solving puzzles to move on. It is rather short, with just 6 chapters--but it is anything but short on story and flavor.

    Call of the Sea is the story of Norah, a woman from New England who is searching for her husband, who seems to have gone missing during an expedition    This title is a first person narrative game where you progress by exploring an environment and gathering clues, then solving puzzles to move on. It is rather short, with just 6 chapters--but it is anything but short on story and flavor.

    Call of the Sea is the story of Norah, a woman from New England who is searching for her husband, who seems to have gone missing during an expedition that he lead to investigate a certain small island in the vicinity of Tahiti.

    I won't spoil a thing for you, but I will say that this story is set in the weird universe of H. P. Lovecraft, as part of his Cthulhu Mythos tales. Despite its surprisingly bright and vibrant Polynesian setting, the story incorporates some dark and otherworldly elements that will be familiar to Lovecraft fans.

    It was, however, incredibly refreshing to see the Mythos used to great storytelling effect without leaning on the crutch of a dark and brooding New England town full secrets, which has been the trope of nearly every Cthulhu-based game out there.

    As to gameplay, it is very slow paced and narrative, rewarding thoroughness and attention. You get zero points for reaction time or reflexes, and as far as I can tell, it is literally impossible to die or fail a level. Instead, forward progress is gated behind solving puzzles.

    And the puzzles are pretty great. They mostly revolve around arranging symbols or manipulating machinery, and require taking into account all the visual and narrative clues that Norah finds as she walks around investigating.

    To that end, the game has an absolutely brilliant feature where anytime that Norah sees anything that could be important to either understanding the story or solving a puzzle, she automatically enters it into her journal, to be referenced again by the player at the press of a button.

    You can be trying to match up gears or recreate a pattern in a mechanical puzzle and have Norah's journal seamlessly available to reference the clues as you do it. Every puzzle game should be so considerate!

    The puzzles themselves are challenging enough that some take a bit of time and consideration, but I never found myself frustrated enough to look up internet answers or otherwise cheat--a perfect sweet spot of difficulty that made me feel smart and accomplished as a player who uncovered the truth all on my own.

    The story itself stands tall among Lovecraftian love letters. It certainly has the ominous, darkening feel of a Cthulhu mythos story, and yet has two key, engaging elements that are often lacking in Lovecraft's own work.

    The clear love that Norah and Harry share is a bright and guiding thread throughout, and it gives a real sense of emotional investment as we follow Norah's quest to find out what happened to him. There is never a time where we forget about the fact that Norah does all in a quest to find her husband and reunite.

    There is also a bright and intriguing quality to the more otherworldly elements that we encounter in Call of the Sea that helps us to understand why someone would be fascinated enough to risk madness by delving into the realm of forbidden cosmic knowledge. Lovecraft himself almost always leans into a "morbid curiosity becomes obsession" explanation that feels a bit stilted and stale. Norah's quest feels far more...personal.

    When the more supernatural elements of the story do begin to appear, there is more a sense of wonder and amazement than the simple (and often predictable) "descent to madness" that marks out most of Lovecraft's original works. I have read every single thing that Lovecraft ever wrote, and this story is one of an extreme minority set in that universe that feels more full of insight and discovery than horror and despair.

    All told, this game is absolutely a 10/10 in the Lovecraftian horror genre. It remains faithful to the source material, while somehow crafting an exceptional and emotional tale that exceeds that source material in many ways. There are also more than a couple Easter eggs if you are, like me, a well-versed Lovecraft fan.

    Though it only clocks in at 6-8 hours of gameplay, it satisfies on all counts. At the time of this review, it has a staggering 96% positive review rate nearly two months after its December 8, 2020 release date. It is also currently available for free download with a subscription to Game Pass Ultimate on either console or PC, making it an exceptional value.

    If you like puzzlers, narrative games, or just want to hear a "Weird Tale" in the Lovecraftian tradition, Call of the Sea is absolutely a must-play. I found myself completely immersed until the credits rolled...and a little bit beyond.    … Expand
  17. arash7201
    Oct 29, 2021
    7
    Stunning visual design with an acceptable story will bring you a heartwarming journey during this game
  18. CloudStrife05
    Aug 16, 2021
    9
    Call of the Sea is a straight up First Person Puzzle game. There is no action or fighting at all which means, FPS heads will hate it lol. Myself, loved it. Amazing graphics, a weird but good story. Do NOT go into this thinking its a true life story, although it does start out that way. You have to solve puzzles to move on to the next area/chapter and you must explore every area possible toCall of the Sea is a straight up First Person Puzzle game. There is no action or fighting at all which means, FPS heads will hate it lol. Myself, loved it. Amazing graphics, a weird but good story. Do NOT go into this thinking its a true life story, although it does start out that way. You have to solve puzzles to move on to the next area/chapter and you must explore every area possible to find hints and clues. If you are going to Google the answers then just don't play it. This is for those who need a break from violence or, like myself, JRPG's. You have a trusty Dairy with you and once you find a clue, it gets added there which you will need to solve puzzles. Those who say "games like that are dumb" are the same people that if they would get stuck in an island, would not last more than a week lol.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

28
#28 Best Xbox One Game of 2020
44
#44 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Video Chums
    Jan 30, 2021
    80
    As far as first-person adventure games go, Call of the Sea is a somewhat short and memorable one that you'll be glad you experienced.
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  2. App Trigger
    Jan 29, 2021
    100
    Call of the Sea is a visually beautiful story of a woman’s road to self-discovery and acceptance against a backdrop of Lovecraftian lore and storytelling. The great length and colorful graphics make for a medium-sized adventure, as long as you don’t rage quit from one of the puzzles.
    Read full review
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jan 23, 2021
    60
    An old-fashioned adventure with an intriguing setting and a challenging set of riddles, which however fails to distinguish itself from the rest of the bunch.
    Read full review
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