![]() ![]() My comprehension of the latter sequence revolved solely around what I saw. I had the full story in mind, fed to me word-by-word, earlier in the game. Once the big reveal happened, all of the preceding events held more power.Īs I had played through a similar sequence with the dialogue on earlier in the adventure, I was able to compare the two experiences. Without the dialogue, I could focus solely on what was on screen, allowing me to soak up all of the little details and interpret what was unfolding through visual cues alone. Then I watched him interact with another monster, and almost immediately knew what was going on. I was in the dark about the monster’s origins and identity, but his volatile actions told me the only critical details I needed to know. A strange thing happened when I encountered a new monster. There’s no denying that some story beats are lost when the dialogue is turned off. You get the full picture of character backstories from the dialogue. During its most critical moments, dialogue from Kay and other monsters is persistent. The loving attention to detail is what convinced me to turn off the dialogue. ![]() From the way calm crystal clear waters fade into darkness to the gameplay mechanics used during encounters, each piece of Sea of Solitude‘s metaphorical world comes together to evoke a cohesive and wide-ranging array of emotions. That picture is so moving because of how beautiful Sea of Solitude uses its cartoon-like imagery. But it works because it paints such a vivid picture of Sea of Solitude‘s themes. Sure, the gorgeous world is an illusion, a sometimes dream, sometimes nightmare that works to pull you away from reality long enough to show the world around you in a new light. Wordless emotionsĭespite being relayed as one grand metaphor for loneliness, Sea of Solitude doesn’t try to trick you. It’s difficult to discuss the monsters and their relation to the story without spoiling it, however, I will say that I was rarely surprised by them. Others, like Kay, are monstrous versions of humans. Some of the monsters resemble animals, like a terrifying sea creature that lurks below the stormy waters. The world is inhabited by numerous monsters, both big and small, all portrayed in a shadowy black hue. Kay makes use of a solitary flare that is used in select monster encounters and can help you find your way if you aren’t sure where to go next. Still, it’s fun to play even with minimalistic mechanics that ask you to observe more than interact. If you’re looking for a game with deep gameplay mechanics, Sea of Solitude isn’t it. Throughout Kay’s journey, you explore, both by boat and on foot, the events that led Kay to this critical time in her young life.įrom a gameplay perspective, Sea of Solitude is largely comprised of breezy platforming sequences. Its direct focus is on Kay, a young woman who has turned into a monster after suffering from painstaking loneliness. Sea of Solitude takes place in and around a flooded city inspired by Berlin. In this respect, Sea of Solitude is an undeniable success. Though initially inspired by a tough breakup, Geppert told Digital Trends during an E3 2019 interview that the team tried to capture all of the manifestations of loneliness through the story of protagonist Kay and the people around her. Developed by a 12-person team at Jo-Mei Games in Berlin, Germany, Sea of Solitude has been brewing in the mind of CEO Cornelia Geppert for six years. If you’re unfamiliar with Sea of Solitude, it’s the latest game in the EA Originals lineup - Electronic Arts’ imprint supporting independent developers. ![]() Sea of Solitude is a harrowing, important experience no matter how you choose to play it, but it holds a story so universal that I found it doesn’t really need words to leave a lasting impression. Its striking visuals combined and the wordless ambiguity made the later scenes more powerful. It’s rather fitting since Sea of Solitude is an adventure game presented to players as a metaphor for what it’s like to struggle with mental illness and the overwhelming feelings of loneliness. ![]() Not because the writing or voice acting is bad, but because it says so much more through its environments and animations than it does with spoken words. Halfway through Sea of Solitude I muted the voice volume and turned off the subtitles. ![]()
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