"Sea of Solitude" is an interesting game. It takes players to a metaphorical world where people who have been overcome by loneliness, turn into monsters.
You play as one of these people who finds themselves transformed and in this strange world seemingly with no way out. "Sea of Solitude" is a somewhat lovely experience, but it’s not without its issues.
You play as Kay, a woman who has turned into a monster and finds herself in a flooded world that is not her own. After she awakens in this strange place, she sets off to find out how to become human again and also get back to her own world. The narrative features some relatable situations and for the most part, they’re handled pretty well. However, it can come across as a little forced thanks to some of the game’s writing.
The gameplay takes place in a third-person perspective and will have you exploring the world by running, jumping, swimming and sailing. It’s pretty basic and easy enough to get into, but unfortunately it never truly evolves as you progress further into Kay’s story. Even clearing the corruption throughout the world is done by holding down a button and it doesn’t feel all too satisfying.
One thing I did like is that the landscape changes depending on Kay’s state of mind, causing water to rise and fall. It’s a great way of making use of the same environment but opening up a brand new path to explore.
"Sea of Solitude" is a fantastic looking game with a fairly distinctive art style, which complements how the game plays with light and darkness.
The soundtrack is subtle and can be quite haunting. Sometimes all you can hear is the splashing of water in the environment, which suits the theme of loneliness nicely. The voice acting is mostly well done but there are little inconsistencies here and there.
The game can be purchased from online stores such as the PlayStation Store, Xbox Live or Origin