Aside from rotating between Ghost of Yotei and playing a couple of sessions in Street Fighter 6, I have been completely enamored by the strangely serene Sword of the Sea.
Developed by Giant Squid, makers behind the underwater exploration game ABZU, Sword of the Sea is their next big thing. ABZU players will find that it shares the familiar minimalist interface from Giant Squid, where you don’t see a lot of UI elements plastered all over the screen.
Aside from its comforting minimalism, there’s one major thing I adore about Sword of the Sea: Movement.
I have played games with some of the best movement options in the gaming space like Sucker Punch’s InFamous, and even outlier titles like Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (despite what people say, it has some of the best movement options in a videogame). Sword of the Sea is just another game that truly maximizes the seamlessness of video game movement.
The sheer immersion of Sword of the Sea’s navigation is putting my headspace in a tranquil zone, freeing me from worries and anxieties. As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true.
Sword of the Sea’s entire shtick is you basically surf using your Sword a la Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. But instead of grinding from skateparks, you breeze through an open expanse where the dunes move like tidal waves. Your mission? Transforming this desolate land to the paradise it once was.
Surfing across the deserts and doing heel flips are just like breathing in this game. You are never out of your Sword, so you’re constantly on the move. It doesn’t feel frustrating to always be moving. In fact, I’m actually compelled to just breeze through the sea of sands, doing 360 spins and marvel at the game’s gorgeous backdrops.
Combat is nonexistent in this game. Sword of the Sea is built around pure vibes alone similar to ABZU. You aren’t going to see bandit camps or Soulslike boss fights here. It’s just you and your unwavering quest to restore beauty into the world.
For the 8 hours or so since I’ve booted this game up, I have been wall surfing, unlocking skateboarding tricks and collecting mysterious coins in my adventure. Not once do I feel annoyed by doing the same thing again. Sword of the Sea’s level design changes every level, and you’re met with trickier biomes that will test your Sword-boarding skills later on.
There was one major sequence that really had me smiling. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t played it yet, but it involves a massive sea creature that you get to befriend. It’s a magical moment that I haven't felt in videogames in a long time since discovering the Ash Twin Project in Outer Wilds.
Sword of the Sea is currently free for PlayStation Plus Extra subscribers, but it’s also available on Steam and other platforms for less than $25 dollars. If you’ve been craving for a chill game, Sword of the Sea is for you.
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