Sea of Solitude is the first console release for developer Jo-Mei Games, who until now had focused on browser based games KOYOTL and Brave Little Beasties. It follows in the footsteps of A Way Out and Fe as part of EA’s Originals line and set out to tackle some real world issues that aren’t usually addressed in video games.
Sea of Solitude is beautiful and bursting with colour. The style instantly reminded me of Firewatch, which is in my opinion one of the most photogenic games ever. Even in the games more somber moments it remains vivid. My only issue was that the lack of variation in the world building led to you feeling lost occasionally when searching for the next objective or collectible.
The story is told to you by the main character Kay. As you progress through the games platforming sections Kay and others close to her take you on a journey into the mind of someone struggling with mental illness. Voice acting shines throughout and helps evoke some strong emotions as you play.
Gameplay is where the game takes a bit of a hit. It isn’t terrible by any means but it certainly can feel basic at times. Move, jump and interact are pretty much all you have at your disposal here and at times there appears to be a slight input delay which can lead to some frustrating platforming.
The game comes with a highly obtainable platinum. A mix of story related checkpoints, collectibles and a few misc objectives. Nothing is missable as you have a chapter select at your disposal post game, although I would suggest using a collectible guide first time around as in a baffling decision the game doesn’t track what you have and haven’t collected.
This is a hard one to quantify. On one hand you have a game that you will finish in around 3-4 hours with very little replay value. But on the other if you connect with the story and theme surrounding the game it may well be an experience you remember for a long time.
Sea of Solitude is a beautiful, powerful experience that I would recommend. The gameplay is basic at best, but this is more about the story and the experience. It tackles issues that we don’t often see addressed in gaming and it’s refreshing to see.
Reviewed on PS4 Pro. A review code was provided by the publisher.
