Sea of Solitude

Game Title: Sea of Solitude
Released: July 5, 2019
Game Length: 3 Hours
Grade: C

Expectations: So here comes a game from a German group in which the only thing they advertise is a giant underwater monster about to devour someone in a boat. I'm getting some big Sunless Sea vibes. I'm thinking I will be navigating through some sort of top-down underwater neighborhood while trying to escape this thing. I can't see much more than that in three or four hours. I hope the game isn't too scary.

Reality: Oh! So this game is like Gris. This isn't anything like I imagined in my head. You move around in a 3D-interface while shooting off light flares while venturing through some underwater town in your boat or on foot. There is an off-chance you'll also be removing a few "corruptions" from these shiny yellow orbs while tracing through some old memories. For some strange reason, there are also a large set of birds you shoo away and some floating bottles that generally repeat what was already said. Trust me, I only got maybe a dozen of each when there are a total of 32 birds and 39 bottles. The clear warning in the beginning about the game being too disturbing for some people isn't really helpful. Ironically, the monsters themselves - you included - is probably one of the lesser "disturbing" things you'll encounter. Each monster is something personified, whether it be your family or a part of your mind. It all depends on how you interpret the events laid out in front of you.

The Problem: Most of the fragmented memories cover ridiculous things happening from a highly-dysfunctional family. Your father openly talked about wanting kids before even going on a date with a woman he liked. Your mother suddenly bought a house without even telling her husband. At least the younger brother I can understand since his problems were all external. Your boyfriend suddenly becomes distant after being with you for two years. Then there is the protagonist, an oblivious self-absorbed flirty girl who I can't get behind at all. It isn't like she lashes out at people, but some of her troubles are her own fault. Maybe that's the point of the whole game. Maybe you are supposed to "change" into a better person. It is too bad that somewhere along the line the message was lost in translation.

Opinion: With very little interactivity, repetitive gameplay, and things I would never want anyone to experience, I don't see a reason why they made this game in the first place. The narrative is beyond brutal and there isn't a lot there that would benefit someone who might be going through some mental turmoil. So that's why I'm recommending people to steer clear away from this game.

 

11-18-2020