Sword of the Sea

TheSixthAxisLaura Hill

10/10

You’ve probably never wondered what it would be like to ride a giant sea turtle across the roofs of a city, questioned if it would be possible to perform a snowboard rail trick along the fossilised spine of an Elasmosaurus, or asked yourself what kind of noise a shark would make if it were to swim through sand. You’ve probably never actually thought about any of these things (unless, like me, you have some pretty trippy dreams from time to time!), but once you’ve played Sword of the Sea, this will all change, and you’ll be pretty darnn happy about it!

Impulse GamerNay Clark

The desert sleeps, waiting for water to remember its name. Sword of the Sea is an adventure game developed and published by Giant Squid and released on August

XboxEraJon "Sikamikanico" Clarke

9/10

Can video games be art? It’s a topic that’s always been up for some debate but now developers Giant Squid are here with Sword of the Sea, and they make a pretty strong argument that games most certainly can be art. With gorgeous visuals, a great gameplay loop and an incredible soundtrack, Sword of the Sea looks to bring a little life back into the world.Let’s hit the waves in our spoiler free review for Sword of the Sea.

Game RantCameron Swan

9/10

Sword of the Sea is the epitome of short and sweet. All aspects of the game's presentation, from visuals to audio design to score, are the best they possibly could be, and they all go hand in hand with the game's exceptionally smooth and engaging traversal mechanics to deliver a peaceful, introspective experience that's more than deserving of just about anyone's time.

TheGamerRyan Thompson-Bamsey

Sword of the Sea is Journey for people who wanted to be marine biologists when they were kids.

Analog Stick GamingJeff Young

8.5/10

Sword of Sea, like previous Giant Squid releases, is more of an experience than a game, and for the reasons that allow the studio to flex its creative muscle. With some gorgeous spectacles that are punctuated by a flawless score by Austin Wintory, Sword of the Sea is a wild ride that, while brief, i

GamingTrendJoe Morgan

85/100

Sword of the Sea is a beautiful, almost-cozy experience that, like Giant Squid’s other titles, stands as a strong argument for games as art. The game has chill vibes and a gorgeous, atmospheric aesthetic while still delivering an eloquent narrative. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, Sword of the Sea is the low-friction adventure for you.

Final WeaponMatheus Nascimento

Sword of the Sea perfects Giant Squid's meditative adventure formula with stunning visuals, fluid hoversword surfing mechanics, and a masterful score from Austin Wintory. This beautiful three-hour journey is both the studio's magnum opus and hopefully its last iteration of this familiar formula.

TechRadar GamingBen Gilbert

Sword Of The Sea takes the vivid template drawn in previous titles Journey, Abzû, and The Pathless into boundlessly creative new territory. Across eight levels, you traverse landscapes ablaze with life and reawaken vibrant imagined worlds. It’s a majestic, immersive – and mostly convincing – celebration of extreme sports and a reflection on Earth’s disintegrating environment in an era of climate change.

GameLusterTim Jewett

8/10

While each playthrough might be short, the experience Sword of the Sea delivers and the many reasons it offers to play it again make for a spectacular experience. If you liked Journey, Pathless, or if you're a fan of skate and surf games, give Sword of the Sea a try.

DBLTAPRyan Woodrow

8/10

Every now and then, it’s nice to have a game that just washes over you for a few hours. I like a challenging boss or a head-scratching puzzle as much as the nex

AltCharAsmir Kovacevic

8/10

Sword of the Sea is a therapeutic gaming experience that shows us how game development can be so close to a real art using a gorgeous presentation, stunning music, and an amazing story told without a single word spoken.