Sword of the Sea Review: Is It Worth the Dive?
▼ Summary
– Sword of the Sea is an atmospheric surfing game developed by Giant Squid, set for release on August 19, 2025, and priced at $29.99.
– The game features exceptional surfing movement across varied environments like sand dunes, snowy slopes, and waves, offering a smooth and enjoyable experience.
– Using a DualSense controller enhances gameplay significantly through haptic feedback, providing tactile sensations of different terrains.
– The narrative involves awakening a sleeping kingdom by restoring water, transforming each area into vibrant aquatic landscapes with new traversal options.
– While praised for its beauty and movement, the game has simple, repetitive puzzles and is relatively short, with a main story completion time of under 4 hours.
Sword of the Sea delivers a breathtaking surfing adventure that excels in atmosphere and fluid movement, even if its puzzles and narrative remain relatively simple. Developed by Giant Squid, the studio behind The Pathless, this title refines the studio’s focus on kinetic traversal, offering players a visually stunning and meditative journey across sand, sea, and snow.
The sensation of surfing in this game stands out as its most compelling feature. Gliding across vast desert dunes with dolphins leaping alongside, carving through icy slopes, or skimming ocean waves creates a consistently satisfying flow. Movement feels intuitive and immersive, especially when using a DualSense controller, where haptic feedback adds a tangible sense of texture and terrain. The subtle vibrations as you slide over gravel or rattle across rooftops deepen the connection between player and environment.
While the trick system isn’t particularly deep, it complements the exploratory nature of the gameplay. Scattered skatepark-like challenges offer brief diversions where you can test your skills against a timer, but the real joy comes from freely experimenting with moves as you roam. This isn’t a game about complex combos, it’s about rhythm, flow, and absorbing the world around you.
The narrative follows a familiar archetype: a silent warrior awakened to restore life to a slumbering kingdom. Though the story itself is light, it serves as a elegant backdrop for the game’s true star, the world itself. Each area transforms as you progress, shifting from barren wastelands to lush, aquatic landscapes teeming with marine life. These changes aren’t just cosmetic; they introduce new pathways and opportunities for exploration, encouraging players to revisit earlier zones with fresh eyes.
Some may find the puzzles overly straightforward, often revolving around activating three objects to advance. While this repetition can occasionally dull the experience, the game’s spectacular set-pieces and gorgeous visuals consistently recapture your attention. It’s a title that understands its strengths and leans into them, offering one breathtaking moment after another.
With a playtime of roughly four hours, Sword of the Sea doesn’t overstay its welcome. The concise runtime feels appropriate given the simplicity of its puzzles, and New Game Plus offers added incentives for those interested in mastering its mechanics or chasing speedrun times. This is a game best enjoyed in a single sitting, a condensed burst of beauty and motion that leaves a lasting impression.
In the end, Sword of the Sea may not revolutionize puzzle design or narrative depth, but it succeeds magnificently as an atmospheric escape. Its fluid movement, striking art direction, and hypnotic soundtrack come together to create something genuinely special. If you’re looking for a short, serene, and visually sumptuous experience, this is one dive worth taking.
(Source: pcgamer)
