While the PS5 may currently be leading when it comes to high-profile next-gen exclusives, the Xbox Series X and Series S are gradually amassing a number of games console gamers can only find on Xbox. One of the more interesting of these that’s been teased so far is Raw Fury and Out of the Blue’s first-person puzzle-adventure game Call of the Sea, and now that it’s finally out today, critics have weighed in on whether it’s any good or not.
Since its reveal back in May, the game has intrigued adventure game fans for its tone, evocative of classic 1930s adventure stories, and for its Lovecraftian influences. What’s been shown ahead of today’s launch has made it clear that the story of Norah Everheart, a young woman searching for her husband on a mysterious South Pacific island, will involve unraveling far more fantastical mysteries than one might expect at first glance.
There is no shortage of first-person puzzle games for fans of the genre to indulge in, with the likes of The Witness, The Talos Principle, and Portal to choose from, just to name a few. With that in mind, does Call of the Sea do enough with its own puzzles and its greater emphasis on story to stand out in a good way? Here’s what the critics have to say:
TheSixthAxis (Steve C)
Call of the Sea’s original setting, narrative, and overall feel totally hooked me – even when I wasn’t playing I found myself working over the puzzles in my head. If you’re a fan of emotional stories and challenging logical puzzles then you should dive straight into this adventure
Score: 9/10
Screen Rant (Rob Gordon)
Call Of The Sea is a real surprise. A perfectly-paced puzzle adventure that manages to pour more than the expected amount of heart into its story, it manages to combine a number of disparate elements into a hugely enjoyable game, and certainly not one to be missed.
Score: 9/10
IGN (Simon Cardy)
Developer Out of the Blue’s debut game is a gorgeous homage to the films and games that inspired it. Through engaging Myst-style puzzles and a captivating story, Call of the Sea triumphs in bringing its island alive, along with the characters that have explored it. It delivers a short-lived but engrossing experience through stunning art direction and an excellent voice cast, with the biggest of its minor annoyances being a slow movement speed. If a fun, but emotionally affecting adventure is what you’re searching for then Call of the Sea most definitely answers that call.
Score: 9/10
Noisy Pixel (Azario Lopez)
Call of the Sea is a puzzle adventure that should be played by all fans of the genre. Its writing and environments are strikingly immersive as the player and Norah find themselves traveling deeper down this rabbit hole of mystery. There are moments of confusion in its design, but all the tools are present to explore this beautifully charming adventure; my only wish is that it was longer.
Score: 8/10
GameSpew (Kim Snaith)
If you’re not a huge fan of puzzles, then you might find Call of the Sea‘s gameplay more frustrating than satisfying. But if you enjoy solving logic problems, there’s a lot to love here. The game looks beautiful, and the island you find yourself on, complete with all of its mysteries, begs to be explored. Its few bugs aside, Call of the Sea is a satisfying adventure that will keep you gripped from start to finish.
Score: 8/10
GameWatcher (Jack Trumbull)
Call of the Sea feels like a mix between a puzzle game and a 1930s pulp novel. It blends these varied genres to mixed success; the puzzles are largely solid but you can find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration for some, and the writing can be a bit campy but is carried by brilliant voice acting. While the game is decent, the visuals, the acting, and the setting are top notch. If entered with the right mindset, The Call of the Sea can be a good companion for an evening in.
Score: 7/10
Hardcore Gamer (Kyle LeClair)
Call of the Sea could benefit from having more substance, but otherwise it’s a solid adventure game that manages to put a unique spin on the traditional Lovecraftian adventure. Norah’s journey is a memorable one, thinks to some terrific dialogue and a breathtaking, surreal island full of fantastical mystery. It may not be the most challenging graphic adventure game, but it’s still one that players might want to take a look at sometime. After all, after so many sheer descents into madness, why not set out to find a welcome change of pace?
Score: 7/10
DualShockers (Peter Hunt Szpytek)
Call of the Sea’s biggest problem is that it can’t decide what kind of puzzle game it wants to be. On one side, it has puzzles that simply exist to break up the flow of collecting documents and examining photographs. On the other side, there are a few challenging puzzles that take critical thinking but stop the narrative’s pace right in its tracks. It feels afraid to pick a side, so instead, it doesn’t and leans on its story to do the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, Call of the Sea’s narrative has a solid start but fizzles out once the mysteries are uncovered.
Score: 6.5/10
Judging from the range of opinion in these reviews, it’s possible that the game might not mesh with what a lot of gamers look for in a puzzle game. Still, even the harshest critics so far seem to see the merits of what Out of the Blue tried to achieve with Call of the Sea’s gameplay, things that a lot of people who’ve played it have actually enjoyed a lot. All in all, the game appears to be a positive addition to the puzzler genre, rather than something most fans will probably want to avoid.
With most of the next-gen Xbox console exclusives not set to arrive until next year, including the highly-anticipated Halo Infinite, the game is in an advantageous position. The lack of competition at the moment should make it more enticing to early adopters of the Series X/S looking for console-exclusive content. Add to that the fact that Call of the Sea is now available on Xbox Game Pass, and it’s incredibly easy for interested players to try it out for themselves and see where their thoughts fall in the critical spectrum.
Call of the Sea is now available for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply