Sword of the Sea, from Developer and Publisher Giant Squid, is an atmospheric game similar to the likes of Journey and Flower. It’s also directly comparable to Giant Squid’s previous titles, such as Abzu and The Pathless, and as such, it has a lot of expectations to fulfil in terms of quality.

So does Sword of the Sea excel at what it sets out to do, and is it worth playing? Let’s pull the sword from the stone and toss it into the sea to find out!

Sword of the Sea Trailer

Sword of the Sea

Players in Sword of the Sea will take on the role of a nameless statue that’s been awakened. Right at the start of the game, a singular drop of water falls from a stalactite and hits the statue’s head. This brings the statue back to life, and as the wielder of the titular Sword of the Sea, you set forth on your journey.

And since I used the word “journey”, it should be noted that the art director of Sword of the Sea has worked on Journey before, and it clearly shows through in the game’s overall aesthetic and vibe. Matt Nava and his team have created a true work of art here, and this shows through within the first few seconds of playing the game.

Once you’ve awoken and set sail on your sword, which doubles as a hoverboard of sorts, you’ll soon emerge from the caverns out into the game’s open world. A vast desert awaits, and this is where things get really interesting. Once you’ve reached a specific point, you’ll use your sword to bring life back to the desert in a spectacular fashion. The ocean will literally burst forth and break up the desert in such a beautiful way that it will give you goose pimples. It’s so freaking beautiful and a sight to behold.

This is also when you will realise exactly what makes Sword of the Sea so special. Just like Journey did in 2012 on the PS3, Sword of the Sea delivers the same sort of feeling. There’s a mystical sense of awe and curiosity to the game, which is extremely difficult to capture, yet here we are. Sword of the Sea dives right into the “Games are art” category and is a visual masterpiece of creativity and execution.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Sword of the Sea involves traversing the large open-world desert and bringing it back to life by activating relics and switches with your sword’s power. This brings the ocean and its accompanying sea life back into the desert environment, and you’ll have pockets of contrast that blend seamlessly together in a gorgeous manner. While Journey just featured a desert, Sword of the Sea brings in a lot of water, and this breath of fresh air, or rather water, makes an immense difference here.

Riding your sword like a hoverboard or skateboard/surfboard is surprisingly fluid, and the game plays out remarkably well. The controls are spot on, and even with the light puzzle platforming that takes place, you’ll easily be able to manoeuvre yourself around and up platforms with your swordboard. You’ll be able to collect “Tetra”, which can then be given to a merchant that you’ll encounter in exchange for upgrades like performing tricks.

Length & Experience

Sword of the Sea is a bit on the short side of things, coming in at around 4 hours to complete, but honestly, given how undoubtedly beautiful the game is, you’ll spend significantly more time just admiring its beauty and soaking in the visuals. The game also doesn’t punish you at all for missing jumps or surfing into walls or anything like that. It’s just fast, fluid and extremely fun with zero punishment. Consequently, the game feels incredibly relaxing to play, and you can just cruise around the desert or ocean bits to your heart’s content while making extensive use of the built-in photo mode, should you want to do so.

Audio & Performance

The OST of Sword of the Sea is composed by Austin Wintory, and just like he did with The Pathless, he’s crafted a masterpiece here once again. The soundtrack perfectly fits the game’s theme and visuals and is extremely well done. There’s no voice acting here, but the game doesn’t need it to succeed. It also runs flawlessly both on PC and PS5, which further sweetens the deal.

Is It For You?

Sword of the Sea might not be everyone’s cup of tea since this isn’t a non-stop action-fest. This is an extremely chill vibes exploration game with some very light platforming elements. You can easily spend an hour just hoverboarding around, taking in the sights, and the game relies heavily on its visual flair to deliver its message. The story is told by means of visual cues and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

The pure joy you’ll feel pulling off some tricks while looking at the ocean come to life in front of you is unmatched, and the game gave me the exact same feeling I got when I played Flower for the first time, lighting up the darkness with petals. Sword of the Sea captures that magic and is the type of game that will stay with you for a long time.

Conclusion

Overall, Sword of the Sea comes highly recommended from me. If you’re a fan of artistic games, games that have a deeper meaning based on their visual storytelling and games that speak to your creative soul with breathtaking visuals, Sword of the Sea is for you. The glistening waves, the shifting sands, the dusty horizons and the deep dark caves await, and their tale is one that’s well worth playing through. Give Sword of the Sea a chance. This game is absolutely fantastic and is a must-play title for 2025. Giant Squid have once again delivered a masterpiece.

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The game was provided to us for the express purpose of reviewing.