Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas

 Xbox One
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 39
  3. Negative: 6 out of 39

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  1. judegronberg
    Sep 9, 2016
    9
    This is the best Zelda-like for Xbox One. Lovely colorful art style. No too serious, very lighthearted. I want to have more of this. I hope there will be a sequel for this someday. Would love to know what happens to the boy! :)
  2. SuperkenGaming
    Sep 11, 2016
    8
    Oceanhorn – Monster of Uncharted Seas
    A Great Adventure
    Ocean Horn is a Legend of Zelda Styled Adventure Game where you play as a boy who finds his father has left to slay the oceanhorn.. You then set out on an adventure to help him... The gameplay and level design is quite simple… You have a sword, shield and magic… Before you can defeat the oceanhorn you must find the emblems of    Oceanhorn – Monster of Uncharted Seas
    A Great Adventure
    Ocean Horn is a Legend of Zelda Styled Adventure Game where you play as a boy who finds his father has left to slay the oceanhorn..
    You then set out on an adventure to help him...
    The gameplay and level design is quite simple…
    You have a sword, shield and magic…
    Before you can defeat the oceanhorn you must find the emblems of the Earth Ocean and sun
    and to get to these locations you need information…
    You run around each island looking for new information to send you to the next… this is a bit of a goose chase… and such an enjoyable goose chase
    As you run around there will be enemies trying to stop you, treasure to collect, bloodstone to find… new equipment and magic to help you in other locations…
    Spots you can’t get to yet…
    There is such a great feeling of discovery here…
    It’s so fun to explore and figure out how to get to different areas…
    Leave an island to search for a different item to reach an area you can’t quite get to…
    This treasure collecting and environmental puzzle solving is the majority of the game…
    Its 12 hours of the same thing from start to finish, but the pacing here is so well balanced that it never gets tiring.. there’s a perfect balance between adventure, combat, and problem solving…
    When it is finally time to go after one of the 3 emblems, there is a boss there guarding it…
    And this unfortunately is when the bad of the game starts to show…
    Don’t get me wrong... I loved the bosses in this game…
    They are challenging in their own way…
    But the mechanics of the actual game hinders this otherwise great experience…
    For starters... the camera is atrocious, especially during the ocean emblem boss battle…
    The camera will lock onto the boss, cause the camera to go underneath your character, in front of your character, to the side…. Instead of sticking with you…
    I’d much rather let the boss run around and do his thing while I set up to take him out…
    It adds an unnecessary layer of frustration to an already tough to deal with situation…
    Another annoyance I have here is that when you do die... which you will, a lot…
    Your inventory of bombs, arrows, mana, and health does restore…
    The health is the biggest slap in the face as no matter how many heart containers you’ve found, if you die you respawn with only 3 health… witch btw only takes one hit from a bomb in the 2nd to last boss battle to kill you… Sure there are tricks like going out of the room to break containers for drops, but it’s an annoying hassle to have to go out and manually restock your items and health…
    It’s like you did so great the first time when you died going in with full health magic, and 10 bombs, try again with 33% of your health no magic and no bombs
    And to make it worse, despite the game remembering the progress of your item usage.. It completely forgets the damage you did to the boss…
    He gets to start full health…
    Garbage rules and camera aside
    Each and every boss fight is enjoyable and insanely satisfying when you take that punk down…
    Ocean Horn is a great game…
    So much adventure, so much content…
    I couldn’t put it down…
    I give Oceanhorn Monster of Uncharted Seas
    an 8/10    … Expand
  3. osprey
    Oct 12, 2016
    9
    This game costs $15 and is a total bargain. I am playing it instead of Mafia III because I am waiting for that game to be fixed. I am realizing that money spent on these little cheap games is a better investment than the hyped games that never deliver ( except for Doom, Wolfenstein and Saint's Row games, those never disappoint.) I loved this game and had tons of fun playing it. HighlyThis game costs $15 and is a total bargain. I am playing it instead of Mafia III because I am waiting for that game to be fixed. I am realizing that money spent on these little cheap games is a better investment than the hyped games that never deliver ( except for Doom, Wolfenstein and Saint's Row games, those never disappoint.) I loved this game and had tons of fun playing it. Highly recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  4. marysavage
    Sep 9, 2016
    10
    Really loved this game. The graphics are colorful and the music is great. Gameplay is easy and relaxing. Boss fights are really engaging. Definitely a recommended buy!
  5. GamesXtreme
    Sep 9, 2016
    8
    One thing that really does stand out in Oceanhorn is the aesthetic design of the whole game, it's gorgeous and it looks really nice on the One. The islands and characters are vibrantly designed, unless they're creepy scary islands full of ghosts. The enemies have that Zelda-like JRPG-like aesthetic that sets them apart from their Western (serious) counterparts. For such a dark story, theOne thing that really does stand out in Oceanhorn is the aesthetic design of the whole game, it's gorgeous and it looks really nice on the One. The islands and characters are vibrantly designed, unless they're creepy scary islands full of ghosts. The enemies have that Zelda-like JRPG-like aesthetic that sets them apart from their Western (serious) counterparts. For such a dark story, the game's a pretty, and fun-looking one.

    I've had a lot of fun with Oceanhorn, the puzzles are good, the combat is pretty fun, a little tricky now and then, but workable. The boss battles have been interesting, with the typical design of such things - usually requiring a rinse-repeat tactic to take the bad guy down. Again though, nothing too taxing. There's even a little fishing mini-game if you want, and stuff to collect for rewards.

    Mainly though: It's been smooth, crash-free, and engaging.    … Expand
  6. AceoHearts
    Sep 7, 2016
    8
    Cornfox + Bros have just released their action adventure game Oceanhorn - Monster of Uncharted Seas to consoles. This game places you in the shoes of a young adventurer that must sail the seas, discover new islands, and rid the world of the evil Oceanhorn.
    If the game sounds familar to you, it will look familiar as well. Oceanhorn bears more than a passing resemblance to Legend of Zelda    Cornfox + Bros have just released their action adventure game Oceanhorn - Monster of Uncharted Seas to consoles. This game places you in the shoes of a young adventurer that must sail the seas, discover new islands, and rid the world of the evil Oceanhorn.
    If the game sounds familar to you, it will look familiar as well. Oceanhorn bears more than a passing resemblance to Legend of Zelda - The Wind Waker - and that is not a bad thing. If you have been missing the adventures of the boy in green, you now have a viable option on a different console.
    You play the part of a young boy, who must find out what has happened to his father and try to save the world. To do this you must assemble the 3 lost runes, grab some upgraded gear, arm yourself with legendary weapons, and learn powerful magic spells to help solve puzzles and vanquish your foes. You will have to journey to various islands in the Uncharted Sea to gather your supplies and then revisit them as you get new gear so you can access all the areas in the game.
    The game features an interesting story line that will keep you engaged, even if there are a few holes here and there. Unfortunately it lacks some basic direction. You can wander around for a bit trying to figure out how to advance the story, or where to go. There are also a few spots where you have to do some serious back tracking to complete an area. Dungeons come equiped with some pretty interesting puzzles and bosses. Most bosses have a similiar scheme when it comes to defeating them, which is a bit of a disappointment, but they are very well designed.
    The graphics in the game are stunning. You are treated to beautiful locations and a wide variety of monsters to battle. The graphic design also causes one of the biggest issues in the game. Because of the 3/4 top down view, and inability to really rotate the camera, you are often unable to see doors or paths that you need to follow. This will lead to some frustrating running in circles until you hit the right wall. The game features a sweeping and emotional soundtrack as you trek across the ocean and discover new lands.
    There is a fair amount of content in the game. Besides the main story line, there are also 3 optional quests that you can try to complete to 100% the game. These will require you to search for 2 different sets of collectables and do a fair amounting of fishing. It will take some time, effort and exploring to grab everything and fill in all the blanks of the story.
    Oceanhorn - Monster of Uncharted Seas is available on XB1, PS4 and Steam for $14.99. You can also grab it on iOS if you are looking for something to play on the go - for a lower cost of course.    … Expand
  7. joedane
    Sep 9, 2016
    10
    + Super fun old school gameplay
    + Nice graphics style
    + Music from my favorite composer(s)
    + Story
    + Boss battles
    - Would be nice to have more islands...
  8. HoneyedToast
    Dec 27, 2016
    3
    Remember playing Wind Waker and thinking: You know what the best part of this game is?? The Boat!!

    You don't do you? Because that was the worst part. There is so much backtracking in Oceanhorn that I honestly stopped playing because of the **** boat. You can't even use the boat ride as a chance to go to the bathroom because you have to still shoot at things while your boat is moving    Remember playing Wind Waker and thinking: You know what the best part of this game is?? The Boat!!

    You don't do you? Because that was the worst part. There is so much backtracking in Oceanhorn that I honestly stopped playing because of the **** boat. You can't even use the boat ride as a chance to go to the bathroom because you have to still shoot at things while your boat is moving along it's fixed course. And then you get to an island, only to grab one small item, and it's back in that damn boat.

    This game borrows heavily from Zelda games but I'm sure most people knew that, however as a clone it's a very poor one. The puzzles involve pushing a box onto a button. . . the end. You can't even do that much exploring because you can't even jump. The islands are designed to try to push you on as linear a path as possible and honestly it was pretty tiresome.

    If you want a better zelda clone/copy for the xbox I'd suggest ittle dew instead.    … Expand
  9. GBHBL
    Sep 14, 2016
    8
    Most gamers will instantly feel at home playing Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas as its gameplay is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda series. Explore dungeons, fight enemies with a sword & shield, fish, sail, throw pots & cut bushes to find coins? Sounding a bit familiar, right? Even visually the game draws comparisons to The Wind Waker.

    Not that any of this could be    Most gamers will instantly feel at home playing Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas as its gameplay is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda series. Explore dungeons, fight enemies with a sword & shield, fish, sail, throw pots & cut bushes to find coins? Sounding a bit familiar, right? Even visually the game draws comparisons to The Wind Waker.

    Not that any of this could be considered a negative as what it lacks in originality it makes up for with a thrilling story, exciting, pretty locations & some really memorable music.

    Oceanhorn: Monsters of Uncharted Seas was first released on iOS in November of 2013 with console ports finally arriving in September 2016.

    The story places the player in the shoes of a young boy who sets out on a quest to find his lost father & defeat the mechanical monstrosity, Oceanhorn. To do this players have to explore islands & the dungeons that reside on them picking up weapons & upgrades to make the journey to the final boss that much easier.

    There are three major dungeons with three fun boss battles before you’re able to take on the sea monster & with cursory exploration the game can be wrapped up in about 8-10 hours. There are a number of islands to explore, ones that house towns & NPCs while others are just home to a number of nasty beasts for you to destroy.

    There you can collect coins for spending in shops, open treasure chests, find heart pieces (find 4 to gain an extra piece of life) & uncover secrets. Early on, exploration on some islands is limited & you’ll find you have to return later when you’ve got a specific upgrade (such as a pair of boots that allow you jump over small gaps).

    It’s not a taxing game but there are times where it’s not clear just where you need to go next. Dungeons tend have a few puzzles to try & trip you up but they mostly relate to pushing blocks, hitting switches or blowing up walls (once you get bombs). There really isn’t much variety in the puzzles.

    There are a few different enemy types that require different approaches with experience gained once they have been defeated. Experience leads to levelling up, with each new level giving some form of upgrade. It’s simple stuff really, reach a new level, the game will prompt you to push the button & you’ll get some text describing what you’ve gained. No stat building or balancing needed here; the game does it for you.

    Travelling between islands is done via a boat. From an overview screen an island is selected & then the boat travels there with no control via the player. This is disappointing as all you can do is shoot a gun to destroy any obstacles that might get in your path. The lack of variety in this ensures that after a few trips you’ll be bored shooting pellet spitting octopuses & mines. Thankfully it’s rarely a long journey.

    The islands differ in size & complexity but a mini-map in the corner helps keep you on track. The controls could do with a bit of tweaking as movement feels a bit stiff & the sword swing comes up way short. That really takes some getting used to & will see some early damage taken regularly.

    Where the game really excels is with its musical score, created by some fairly large names within the business (Kalle Ylitalo, Kenji Ito, Nobuo Uematsu). It’s relaxing & uplifting during exploration while urgent & oppressive during conflicts. Its memorable stuff that really helps drive Oceanhorn’s story along.

    Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas has its flaws & it is a pretty blatant rip-off of the Legend of Zelda series but it is a game that is well worth playing. Its gameplay is rewarding, the story is interesting, its boss battles are fun, it looks lovely, it has some great voice acting & even better music.

    Hopefully the sequel (Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realms) can improve on the small issues here such as the controls & on the rails sailing.    … Expand
  10. CarolPaladini
    Dec 23, 2016
    10
    Wonderfull game, nice puzzles, beautifull music, nostalgic Zelda atmosfere in a great way! Full of surprises and secret dungeons, nice statistic board so you can track your achievements. Good and smooth gameplay and controlls. Good price! I shall be waiting a continuation! I Recomend!

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2016
88
#88 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. GameCritics
    Nov 9, 2016
    55
    Gamers who absolutely need a quick, harmless Zelda fix can safely download it, but anyone else should probably take a pass on Oceanhorn.
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  2. DarkStation
    Oct 24, 2016
    80
    It is so blatantly similar to Nintendo’s Zelda series in every possible way, I’m surprised the game didn’t catch much flak. Those without any personal connection to Zelda adventures will enjoy a solidly built adventure that just so happens to have an amazing soundtrack from maestros of the industry. This is the sort of game that’s perfect for people who, for one reason or another, completely missed the Zelda train and are looking for a chance to see what the fuss is about.
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  3. Gaming Age
    Sep 22, 2016
    75
    I am highly impressed with Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, it is a very enjoyable game built in the spirit of one of the greatest puzzle adventure franchises ever built. An added bonus here is the musical styling. From start to finish, the music stands out and sets itself above other games in this genre.
    Read full review
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