Abzu (2016)

I saw this classified as an adventure game, but don't adventure games need puzzles? This doesn't have that. There are interactable objects that open doors, but there's no thinking required, it's no more a puzzle than pressing an elevator button to get it to move.

The vibes are sublime, the story hinted at is intriguing, and the music is gorgeous, but I feel like this could have been a FLOW-like animated film and been a better version of itself.

Abzu is a good game. The art is beautiful, the music and sound design are great too (except that I don't understand why they added so much echo and sound effects to the music. Makes it sound as though it was produced electronically, but no, there are actually musicians listed on the credits...)

The thing I enjoyed the most was meditating and looking at the fish do their thing. Also, I had my phone next to me so I could look at the real version of the fish. I guess I learned some stuff along the way while playing this game.

Now, why 2 stars? Well... to put it bluntly, the game is extremely boring. You don't have to worry about anything damaging you, the movement is slow, and the story is, well, simple and not very well explained. This is an exploration game where you get to hang out with fish. That's it. It did pick up during the last third of the game, which I appreciate.

I mean, if you are into relaxing exploration games, go for it. You will love it. I will admit that it took me a couple of days to finish because I would always fall asleep... I am not sure if that was the game's purpose.

Lit on the Spot - Review

Abzû, an adventure game developed by Giant Squid, has a similar proposal to the last title directed by Matt Nava, Journey: to tell a touching story almost exclusively through exploration, traversal, and interaction with the environment.

In Abzû, the player controls a mysterious diver (their face is hidden in shadows inside a mask) who is alone in the open sea, right at the entrance of the ruins of an ancient civilization. Your goal is to uncover the history of the place and discover information about the protagonist’s identity.

Nava faithfully follows the formula used in his previous game: Abzû uses a cel-shaded graphic style to present an environment rich in color, makes the path to the goal very linear to facilitate the inclusion of a very dynamic and orchestrated soundtrack, and develops a story that mixes mysticism and technology.

The game’s narrative creates a kind of symbiosis between the protagonist and the environment. There is a mutually supportive relationship between the aquatic animals and the protagonist: while one of the few actions available to the player is to “activate” small corals to “release” new fish into the ocean, bringing life back to it, the animals often return the favor, guiding the diver through the endless vastness of the ocean –there’s a moment, for instance, when the protagonist will swim alongside gigantic whales, following their path through the ocean.

The story is developed from the careful exploration of the environment. By finding pictures in submerged ruins and analyzing other elements of the scenery, the player starts to form their own theories about what happened to the place. The themes discussed here are the most varied, given the multiplicity of interpretations: the game leaves room for discussions about the cycle of life, the force and dominion of nature – which, after all, surrounds the remains of a dead civilization –, and even some more surprising subjects, such as the existence of souls in machines.

The dynamism of the soundtrack is one of the most important elements in the narrative since it keeps adding emotion to the protagonist’s journey. At a certain moment, after following a group of orcas, the protagonist jumps out of the water in synchrony with them, while the music reaches its peak. However, when they return to the water, the orcas disappear and the player finds themselves in an environment devoid of animal life, color, and energy: the soundtrack, then, accompanies the movement of the scene and disappears along with the orcas, intensifying the effect of sudden desolation.

As in Journey, Nava also deserves credit for working well with the surreal, creating impressive images: after crossing certain portals, for instance, the diver arrives at a mystical place, where animal spirits move by their side and the surface of the ocean is below them instead of on top. The character seems to float in a void, surrounded only by stars and spirits.

In contrast to these moments, there are those when the diver comes across technological devices that threaten them, despite dazzling the player with their alien look and functioning. There is one political commentary that stands out amidst the discoveries about the dead civilization in the game: without revealing details, it is enough to point out that their fall is thematically related to the attempt to control nature.

The dramatic core of Abzû is the war between technology and nature; a conflict that becomes even more complex as the player starts to understand the protagonist’s real motivations and identity, and the connection between the diver and a great white shark starts to strengthen.

Nava, however, fails to make the gameplay very engaging. The main problem is the contrast between the great attention given to marine life and the scarce possibilities of interaction with it. On the one hand, the player is encouraged to “meditate”, which takes the camera away from the protagonist, with the objective of observing the AI of the fish at work – they react to the presence of other shoals, eating each other back and forth. On the other hand, the only direct action that can be performed with the animals is to take a ride on some of the bigger fish, letting them take the protagonist around the locales. Therefore, by not letting the player work together with the animals not even to solve the few puzzles in the game, Nava ends up missing the opportunity to further explore one of the main themes of the story and reinforce the connection between the diver and nature.

By unnecessarily removing Journey‘s multiplayer component without offering anything in its place, the Giant Squid team also err by making even simpler a formula that has never been much complex to begin with. It’s true that that multiplayer element related much more to the theme of that game’s story than to this one, but its absence only reinforces the feeling that there’s something missing in Abzû.

Finally, it’s worth pointing out the notable difference regarding the connection between player and protagonist in both games. In Journey, the silent character serves as an avatar, since their narrative arc is built in general terms, and the character seems to learn about that universe alongside the player. The Abzû’s diver, on the other hand, is a mystery to the player from the very start: they have their own secret identity and distinct story. The diver doesn’t serve as an avatar to the player but is a properly defined character – even if a silent one.

Abzû follows Journey’s structure very closely, albeit with a much simpler design, and presents a story as fantastical and fascinating as the one in that game.

----> If you liked this review, visit us at Lit on the Spot for more!

If I've had a bad day, Abzu is the sort of game I should be playing. So simplistic but yet elegant in the way you move through the various underwater locales discovering all kinds of sea creatures and interacting with them. The soundtrack is soothing and gives you a relaxed feeling as you make your way through the games short but memorable journey.

Transcendental experiences are hard to fully capture by any medium, I find. It's not exactly an art that one can easily do, even when they have the right ideas in place. In that regard, I found ABZU to be pretty ok all things considered. It's beautiful for sure, soundtrack is pleasant, the sights and sounds certainly engage me for about an hour. But, maybe due to the limits this kind of shot in the dark is, or just due to my tastes alone, I was the opposite of 'gripped' past an hour in and all the way to the end of the game.

Even still, I certainly can say that if you think the concept of a beautiful underwater sim captivates you for quite a while, then there's no harm in picking ABZU up. I for one felt a very middling amount of enjoyment in this venture. (5/10)

A pretty game in the style of the Journey that somewhat fells short of it's spiritual predecessor.

There is no way to review this game without comparing it to the Journey. It's pretty much the same premise. There is not much game in a game - it is a very calm, beautiful experience that focuses on the journey of the main character rather than any particular story or puzzle solving.

Starting off with the setting. You're a some kind of diver travelling through an underwater world. So here's the first thing you need to know - the whole game is an underwater level. That gives you some additional movement directions but you're going to be swimming all the time. The good thing is the swimming does not feel sluggish like in some games and is pretty enjoyable. This however puts some limits on the level design. The areas need to be enclosed and because of that they feel more like a series of lakes or pools rather than open waters - although there are instances of that but are rather rare.

The graphics are stunning - very colourful and alive. Sometimes it feels like there's too much going on at the same time, but still it sets a very good relaxing feeling. Accompanied by a superb soundtrack it's a game to just chill and feed your senses.

The game however lacks a bit in the meat of the game. When played there's very little aside the visuals and great music. When playing Journey I had the feeling of going somewhere, discovering different ruins, wall paintings gave a sense of discovery and progression. There was this mountain in the distance I was going to reach and on my way I learned about the world through environment. This is missing here. You just swim from area to an area. Touch an underwater thing to release some fish. Swim with fish. Activate some underwater drone that will cut open a net in the way and swim again. There are some triangular things floating in the water but somehow they lack context. I never felt intrigued. Just swam from one area to the next.

Overall I kind of enjoyed the game. Though it felt a lesser experience when compared to Journey. It's definitely pretty and worth picking up if you know what you're getting into. If presented with choice - go for Journey.

"But the old man always thought of her as feminine and as something that gave or withheld great favours, and if she did wild or wicked things it was because she could not help them. The moon affects her as it does a woman, he thought.” -Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

Almost one year ago, I had the opportunity to write about a work of art which has made a lasting impression on me: Journey. When I began the review, I said: “Sometimes art transcends its own medium.” I hold that the same is true of today’s game in question, one which already shares a lot in common with Journey, namely Abzû. It’s been said that Abzû is Journey’s spiritual successor.

At this point, I’ll hold off on any more comparisons between these two games until reaching the Uniqueness grading below. Abzû may have been informed largely by its predecessor but that doesn’t make it a poor game. Not by a long shot.

Abzû was not developed by thatgamecompany but by Giant Squid Studios, a new group with an appropriate name founded by an art director from thatgamecompany. It is difficult to properly classify Abzû. Is it a simulator? Is it an adventure game? I think questions like that speak to its nature as an art piece leaning toward the symbolic, the abstract, rather than merely a video game which neatly fits into a genre category.

And yet Abzû somehow remains marketable. It attracted attention upon its release. Some of that of course was a current generated by the popularity of similar games before it, but this was a game many were excited to play. I was very excited to play it. It was one which generated a lot of discussion. It continues to do so, plainly because of the mysterious and mystifying story it tells.

There’s something to be said for the kind of striking impact such a small and peaceful game can have upon the industry. The world eagerly awaits the big name titles like Kingdom Hearts III, Breath of the Wild, Horizon Zero Dawn and whatever flavor of Call of Duty comes out this year, yet in the midst of a sea of games vying for the attention of the media and gamers, Abzû comes like a soft breeze, a scent of fresh air. Perhaps we need more games like this. Perhaps beneath the hunger for gratuitous violence, frenetic multiplayer, new tech, and , what a lot of us really want is something which sets all of that aside.

There are no sniper scopes in Abzû, no monsters or zombies, no game overs, no high scores, no time limits, no online multiplayer, no DLC (thank God!), no hopelessness, no dialogue, no gritty realism, no need for headsets and microphones. In the place of those things isn’t nothing.

Click here for the full review... https://thewellredmage.wordpress.com/2017/02/03/abzu/

PROS:

+ This game is absolutely beautiful to behold; the graphics are excellent.

+ Superb score from Austin Wintory.

+ It's very atmospheric and incredibly calming if you want something simple and gorgeous to unwind with. It's not stressful at all.

CONS:

- It does feel a little familiar following on from Thatgamecompany's titles; it feels like "Journey-lite" in a number of ways, and doesn't quite reach the same level of excellence.

- Objectives can feel a bit repetitive, especially near the end of the game. Honestly the puzzles etc are so easy they just get in the way of the amazing swimming.

- It's VERY short. You'll probably expect this but even so, I finished it in 70 minutes and wasn't really rushing at all.

- Frame rate does noticeably dip when there's a lot on the screen.

- Don't expect much in the way of explanation.

The cons outweight the pros here but that's not really accurate; what it does it does VERY well for the most part, though it's possible that Giant Squid might want to try something a little more daring and less familiar next time.

General storyline: You control a gender neutral character with no name as they swim through each area. The character can breathe underwater indefinitely, allowing you to do your things with little worry about air. As you continue into the game, you start unlocking areas and seeing bits and pieces of what is going on and who you are, though the story itself is very minimalist (think Journey's storytelling, it's very similar).

I was initially intrigued by this game because I have always found Journey and Flower to be great go-to games to destress. The footage also looked gorgeous, which is always a plus. It feels like few games really paint the ocean in a positive light, and for much of this game it really is a fun romp exploring each watery area, catching onto fish for rides, piecing together the story as it's presented, and finding secrets to presumably get achieves. A non-comprehensive run-through of the game is probably 3-5 hours long. Achieve runs will be longer, obviously.

...And that's really it to the game.

Mind you, I enjoyed the hell out of it (see high rating!), but please understand that if that doesn't sound interesting to you, this game will not be fun if you don't like chill artsy games. While it has plenty of tense moments, I am almost positive you can't die (though I am sure there's an achievement to be had for not getting hit by things, I got hit...quite a bit in one area LOL), which I know can be a turn off for some people. Honestly, if you liked Flower and Journey, you're set for this one. It's got that same sense of wonderment and color and fun.

The only real issue I ended up having was the controls can be a little rough at points. Make sure you press the Options button for the options in case you're not a fan of inverted controls (like I am), you can switch to normal if you like there. It still gave me some issues though, enough that I am bumping it a star. It didn't completely ruin the game experience for me, but the game does expect you to get through tight situations and it unfortunately became frustrating because I couldn't get the character to swim the way I wanted them to.

7/10

The obvious influence/comparison here is Journey, a game that Matt Nava was the art director for. It's impossible to separate oneself from that comparison because they're so alike in so many ways. The problem is: while Abzu certainly excels in a department or two, it lacks the other elements that made Journey a classic experience.

And let's just call a spade a spade: this is an experience. Some will scoff games like this, as they do walking simulators, because all you do is swim around and look at the pretty fishies. If that's not your thing then that's fine... but stay away from here. There's very little in regard to challenge or conventional gameplay, as you merely explore the areas and solve simple puzzles in order to proceed to the next area and ogle the environment and sea creatures.

The places that you traverse are the clear highlight here, as they are rendered with the beauty and expertise that an art director would be expected to provide. There's precious little to criticize when it comes to that, as the water is detailed and lively; the plethora of whales, sharks, fish and other animals that you encounter are gorgeous as well.

Accompanying you along the way is another soundtrack by Austin Wintory, who made waves with Journey. This OST is more the same, but it seems less inspired and important. It's there, and it's fine, but it's like a movie soundtrack that sums up the atmosphere well but doesn't go out of its way to amaze.

When you get past the aesthetics, then it's a pretty shallow game, despite delving into the depths of an unknown world. It's the swimming simulator that gives you diving that you can't possibly experience because (as far as we know), there are no ancient civilizations buried beneath that come alive once you find them. Maybe Rapture is down there, I don't know. Yet despite what it promises, it doesn't wow as it should. Sure, it was entertaining but the story never progressed in a meaningful way that begged to be furthered.

What distances this far away from Journey is how Journey incorporated multiplayer elements. I won't harp on about the magnificence of that game, but because there were other people doing the same weird things as you, there was a transformative and awe-inducing experience to be had. Plus, the world was just more interesting.

You're going solo here, unless you count the fish that occasionally join you, or the ones you ride, but it comes across as an afterthought. With that said, there are beautiful moments. I won't spoil them, but there are times when it all comes together. It's a short game, but these still seem too few and far between.

I was left feeling colder when it was all said and done, and that's extremely disappointing. I would recommend playing it, but taper your expectations because this doesn't reach the heights of the game that it most closely resembles.