Kay pilots her boat around or climbs exposed buildings to seek out globes of light or to purify things surrounded by negative energy, but it largely boils down to firing a “flare” which shows players which way to go, going to that point, listening to dialogue and the resolution of an emotional issue, and then repeating the process. In terms of mechanics, I appreciated that Sea of Solitude’s third-person adventuring incorporates no combat and that most play is of an exploratory nature.

If Kay and the cast aren’t feeling it, then players won’t either. Players in the heart, and at no point does Kay or anyone else sound like they’reįeeling raw. Of the dialogue are an obstacle to get over for a project that aims to hit None of them are native English speakers. The voice actors are professionals in their own country, but it’s obvious that There were brief moments that were distressing and difficult, but without being more tightly honed, none of Kay’s situations build enough emotional intensity. Having so many different emotional conflicts happening one after another gives Sea of Solitude a cluttered, unfocused quality, and it doesn’t manage to dig deeply into any of it. So it’s about the two of them? Fine enough, but then her brother is ‘fixed’ and her parents’ marriage takes center stage, and that’s not even the end of the story. In its opening areas, it seems as though it’s going to be an inner journey focused on Kay - and it is, in a general sense - but things shift and she focuses on the troubles of her little brother. Once past them, I found it to be a disappointingĮxperience that failed to connect or leave an impression. Seeing it prowling beneath the water’s surface is unsettling, and the sections when Kay needs to swim while it’s around made my stomach clench. Special recognition goes out to the large fishlike creature featured in trailers and promotional art. Most of them come in the form of monsters that are scarier and more imposing than she is, and seeing these large beasts is enough to give one pause. Kay’s bestial aspect is enigmatially interesting, and despite “solitude” being in the title, she constantly meets others during her journey. The character design is appealing as well. It’s almostĪs if chunks of Cinque Terre were turned into an adventure, and it’s lovely. Inviting, the sky is a crisp blue and the water shimmers magically. Textures are smooth, the colors are warm and Troubled straits, but she’s often in spaces that are happy and bright, and Kay’s sunken world is appropriately dark and gloomy when navigating

To give credit where it’s due, the visual style crafted by Jo-Mei Unfortunately, Sea of Solitude didn’t clear either of those bars for me. Feelings and emotion have to be communicated in a way that can connect with people who haven’t walked in the same shoes, and the act of playing has to reinforce the themes and keep interest up. It’s clear that the work here is personal, but there’s more to crafting an engaging, touching videogame than just sharing one’s experience. Sea of Solitude is the story of Kay, a furry monster girl adrift on an ocean that’s drowning a city’s worth of structures and buildings beneath its surface.

WTF So many people in dire emotional distress!

Sea of solitude play time