Review #036 – Sword of the Sea

It’s hard to look at Sword of the Sea and not immediately think of Journey, especially with its glistening sand dunes and engrossing soundtrack. But I think there’s more to the game than just being an also-ran. Take its sword-surfing movement—gliding swiftly across the world like a champion snowboarder and pulling off flip tricks feels uniquely fun.

The game is very much in that “brief yet stunning audiovisual experience” mold made famous by Thatgamecompany and Journey, but it really nails what it’s going for. Skidding around the handful of environments, bringing water back to the otherwise desolate world, gives off a nice tranquil feeling—something akin to bringing colour back in Okami. The way the sand seamlessly transforms into water is a really cool looking effect.

Despite having a few non-linear explorable zones—which I really enjoyed—it’s a relatively concise campaign. But it’s fun, and I was able to easily finish it in just a couple of enjoyable sittings. I even went through it a second time to clean up any missed collectibles.