"Sword of the Sea": The Anti-Soulslike
In "Sword of Sea", Giant Squid takes players on an adventurous and dreamlike journey in which the conventional rules of the game are only a minor matter.
(Image: Sword of the Sea)
No challenge, no frustration, just amazement. For some years now, there has been something of a culture clash in the video game scene. On the one hand, there are video gamers for whom no game can be too difficult and who worship an "Elden Ring" almost like a cult. On the other side, those who just want to play. They would rather explore the worlds of games like "Journey" or "Abzu" than work their way through Sisyphean tasks. Sword of the Sea" has given the debate new impetus, as it is a game that does away with thumb acrobatics, tactics or speed of reaction.
Sword of the Sea (6 Bilder)
Sword of the Sea
)A world on the brink
Initially, there is only a spark of light that slips into the body of a nameless swordswoman. Giant Squid's head designer Matt Nava, one of the brains behind "Journey", and his team make it clear right away: it's going to be esoteric. No realism disturbs the proverbially fantastic world, there is no concrete information, everything remains hinted at. You can either like this or dismiss it as pretentious "art for art's sake". Nevertheless, the consistency with which it is implemented is particularly visually impressive.
So inspired, the swordswoman grabs her sword and – you'll be amazed – doesn't bash in the heads of any monsters, but surfs through the world on it. If she jumps or performs a few tricks, she moves even faster. This takes her through deserts or icy landscapes where she only ever has one goal: To revitalize the world. Soon she is no longer alone. She rides on dolphins or humpbacks and suddenly receives help from a stranger before she has to face the biggest threat at the end.
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What sounds like the premise of a typical action adventure turns out to be an alternative to conventional gaming expectations and principles. There is no fighting, no leveling up and loot is only available in the form of small pieces of gold or collectibles that serve no playful purpose. Only those who explore every last corner of the world will find enough gold pieces to buy new tricks for the so-called "Hoversword" from a merchant.
Adventure for explorers
The playful challenge is finding your way around this world. Often, the written panels that tell a little of the background story are found in remote locations. Players have to be a little observant. They then hop from one platform to the next, glide up seaweed or run along walls. Precision is not required. Curiosity is rewarded rather than skill on the gamepad.
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Sometimes the brain cells are also given a little workout. Then the swordswoman first has to use a few tricks to reach a switch or transport a small air bubble over obstacles. If that's not game enough for you, you can also go hunting for high scores in a kind of arena with a half pipe, in which the swordswoman strings together ollies, grinds and spinning tricks. In these moments, "Sword of the Sea" is still the closest thing to a conventional game that challenges players to achieve the highest score.
The rest is meditation, dreaming and amazement. Players experience the rebirth of a world in wonderfully colorful surroundings. Dreary dunes suddenly become rivers and lakes in which fish, whales and sharks frolic. No user interface disturbs the visual impact; the controls are simple and intuitive. What is annoying is that the story can only be guessed at from fragmentary information and the dream is over far too quickly. After just under four hours, we had seen and experienced everything. A "New Game Plus" is supposed to encourage you to continue playing, but the landscapes from "Sword of the Sea" no longer seem as impressive the second time around.
Conclusion:
"Sword of the Sea" by Giant Squid is a dream to play. An adventure in which exploration and smooth, frustration-free gameplay triumph over conventional game mechanics. Does that make it particularly original? No, players are already familiar with jumping and skateboarding tricks from the competition. Unfortunately, it's also too short. We would have liked to have seen more of this strange world in which physics and reality barely exist. In the end, we are left with more questions and answers. Sacrifices have been made, evil is gone, and where before there was a desert, fish swim in an ocean. This is surreal, undoubtedly visually impressive, but also a little unsatisfying when measured against the promise that this world holds for players.
"Sword of the Sea" has been released for Windows and PS5. It costs around €25 and is included in PSN Plus. We played through the PS5 version for our text.
(afl)
