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Abzu is an adventure game released in 2016 by Giant Squid Studios. This is a single player game that allows you to take control of a diver and explore the ocean. As the player explores the waters and interacts with the marine life the dark secrets of this underwater world begin to unfold. Abzu is a very short game that follows a linear structure and a focused narrative. The game is only around 2 hours in length, and I completed the main story in about an hour and a half. Abzu is very unique, and I can’t say I’ve ever played anything quite like it. It’s almost more of an interactive, immersive experience than a game. I hopped on, not looking to find anything mind blowing. I was just looking to pass the time, and play something relaxing. What I ended up doing was playing through an incredibly emotional and gorgeous game that completely blew me away.
The gameplay of Abzu is very simple, and it works perfectly for the type of game that it is. This is a game focused on eliciting emotion, and making the player feel something in response to its story. The visuals, music, and story are the main focus. As a result the gameplay serves those elements and takes a bit of a backseat. That isn’t to say the actual gameplay itself is bad, it’s just nothing special. The diving controls work very well, and maneuvering around the water feels smooth and satisfying. Although, to get the diving controls just right I found that messing with the settings helped to make them much better. There are some simple puzzles and other parts of the environment you can interact with, but that’s about it aside from a few collectibles here and there. This is perfectly fine for the type of game this is. To enjoy it you just need to go in with the proper mindset. Don’t go in expecting this to be some incredibly dynamic and riveting gameplay experience. The gameplay is simple and fun, but again, nothing special. This may be a turn off for some who care less about the story and more about the gameplay itself, and that is perfectly fine. This game won’t necessarily be for everyone and that’s ok.
The main focus of Abzu is it’s story, and it’s truly incredible. The diver you play as has no real character and is more or less a vessel for the player experiencing this world and story for the first time. The game also has no dialogue and features storytelling that is strictly visual. The visuals are of course aided by the phenomenal score composed by Austin Wintory. Many elements of the narrative and setting are left ambiguous. It’s up to the player to interpret these events and experiences and come away with answers as to what may have happened. While many aspects of the world and narrative are left a mystery the main story itself is simple but effective. It’s a beautiful narrative about the relationship between humanity and the ocean, as well as it’s creatures. The wordless storytelling aided by the gorgeous animation and music feels Pixar-esque. Once the story began to reveal itself I was completely hooked and invested. The story is a breathtaking journey that is insanely moving, sad, and uplifting. The ending to this story is one of the most satisfying I’ve experienced in any game, or any other piece of media. Abzu is almost like a wordless, interactive short film, and I adored the story it chose to tell.
But of course the story wouldn’t be what it is without the visuals and the score. The graphics in the game are stunning, and the animation is breathtaking. The game has an artistic style that is like that of an animated movie. The designs are distinctly animated, very bold and colorful, but remain realistic. Abzu shows many different biomes within the ocean and all of them are astoundingly beautiful. From the bright and colorful coral reefs to the deep, dark, blue of the bottom of the ocean. This game does a phenomenal job showing the beauty and even some of the horrors of the ocean in marvelous ways. Some of the spectacles and set pieces the game put together genuinely floored me. Especially with how the game shows the impact of humanity and technology on the ocean itself. The visuals are able to convey so many thoughts and ideas through simple but effective visual storytelling. The gorgeous art style and effective visuals are a major component of Abzu.
Working along with the visuals and story to create this emotional journey is the score. Abzu’s score is one of the best I’ve heard in any game, movie, or show. It puts the awe-inspiring visuals into musical form and acts as the voice of the ocean. It is incredibly grand, beautiful, and majestic. The orchestral sounds mix wonderfully with the angelic vocals to elicit incredible emotion. It works hand in hand with the visuals and the story to make the game impactful, captivating, and emotionally complex. The score perfectly illustrates the emotion created by the story and allows it to take different forms. When in the darkest depths of the ocean the score becomes more haunting, and the vastness of the sea is perfectly illustrated. It makes the ocean seem daunting, vast, magnificent, and alive. The score fully immerses you into an incredible new world. And when the score clicks along with the story and the visuals in it’s climax it’s indescribably amazing.
Abzu is a beautiful game that I’m so glad I got to experience. I think my only criticism is that the gameplay loop in some of the earlier chapters is a bit too repetitive. Right before this becomes an issue the game manages to switch things up, and it doesn’t have this issue again. But regardless, it is present for a little bit early on. I think that while some may not be a fan of the type of game that it is, it’s perfect regardless. This is a very casual and relaxing game with so much more to it than what meets the eye. It features a magnificent story, and some of the best visuals and music I’ve ever seen in a game. Abzu is truly a transcendent experience.
Objective Score: 9.5/10
Personal Score: 10/10
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