Sea of Solitude Reviews
Sea of Solitude is a gorgeous adventure that knows its way around mental illness, but doesn't make great use of the medium to tell its story.
A brief, frequently beautiful meditation on mental illness that can be overly blunt in its messaging.
Sea of Solitude gives you a beautiful world and an intriguing story but the gameplay fails to evolve enough to make this a compelling adventure.
A thoughtful exploration of the monsters people can unwittingly become, although it often struggles to offer a compelling gameplay experience.
Sea of Solitude provides an insightful look at mental health and its characters evolve in meaningful ways
For me, the story worked best when it wasn’t so loud and so blunt.
Sea of Solitude tells a poignant story about loneliness that's only let down by its tedious gameplay.
Not even striking art direction and sincere storytelling can save the unfortunate nature of Sea of Solitude. Marred by dull action and, at worst, frustrating sequences, Sea of Solitude ends up feeling like twice the length of its runtime. Those monsters and that world sure are gorgeous though.
Addressing more personal mental issues is novel in gaming and that much is admirable but trying isn’t always enough. Storytelling matters as much as — if not more than — the story you’re trying to tell and the game’s clumsy script and amateurish performances demonstrate how one side can spoil the other.
Sea of Solitude stands out as heartfelt, almost painfully sincere, so much so that I hesitated to actually put a score on this review at all. It felt almost crass to do so, like being allowed to read a relative's diary, only to give it a thumbs-up or -down. Though engaging gameplay and meaningful messaging aren't mutually exclusive in games, Sea of Solitude is squarely one of a growing number of titles that challenges the notion that "fun and entertainment" should be a game's main priority in every case.
Sea of Solitude is a game that, despite some flaws in its gameplay, gets to the players' hearts. Jo-Mei Games aims for the hearts and gets it just right, offering an experience that can trully make the players suffer in a heartwarming and, sometimes, even necessary way.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Clever, emotional and raw, Sea of Solitude is a personal journey that at times you feel like you're intruding on. It is resolutely truthful and, just as Kay turns aspects of herself inward and outward, you can't help but consider your own place, both amongst the people around you and inside your own head.
Trough a world of monsters and fantasy, Sea of Solitude tells a story about real problems that never get enough attention, specially in video games. It's like looking into the soul of another person.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sea of Solitude also tells the story of learning to confront one's own flaws and use them to grow into a better person. It isn't a very long game and outside of some collectibles, there isn't much reason to navigate these waters again. But it's a boat ride worth taking at least once given the gravity of its narrative.
Sea of Solitude is a personal journey inside the darkest paths of our existence. It can be a painful experience, but in the end we can find a heartwarming message: empathy will save us all.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sea Of Solitude is the perfect example that a small studio like Jo-Mei Games can develop a great title that sets a precedent and becomes an indispensable if a large company like EA reaches out. Emotional, intense and precious... depression can have a good ending, if you can discover your light.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While Kay's emotional journey of self-discovery does not pull punches as she learns why she has become a lonely monster, Sea of Solitude struggles to stay afloat at times due to unimaginative gameplay that struggles to evolve beyond the opening moments of the game.
Sea of Solitude is a powerful story of loneliness, perfectly complimented by a beautiful art style and score.
A wondrous world and keenly felt themes are slighted by unsubtle writing.