Even the Ocean

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 162 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Even the Ocean Game Cover
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In "Even the Ocean," play as Aliph, a power plant technician for Whiteforge City, who must balance Light and Dark energies to save the city from a mysterious threat. Along the way, vous'll encounter various characters and explore diverse environments, all while managing your energy bar to overcome obstacles. The game is a narrative action platformer that explores themes of environmental issues and the power of balance.

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Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 162 reviews
story69 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The platforming mechanics are unique and engaging, with a clever light/dark energy system that adds depth to gameplay.
  • The game features a diverse cast of characters and a thoughtful story that tackles relevant themes such as environmentalism and personal identity.
  • The art style and soundtrack are beautiful, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • The pacing of the story can feel slow and drawn out, with some dialogue being overly verbose and preachy.
  • The gameplay may be too easy for experienced players, lacking challenging puzzles and obstacles as the game progresses.
  • Some characters and plot points feel underdeveloped, leading to a lack of emotional impact in certain narrative moments.
  • story254 mentions

    The story of the game is a central focus, praised for its thoughtful themes and diverse characters, particularly regarding environmental issues and human impact. While many players found the narrative engaging and meaningful, some criticized it for being predictable, heavy-handed, or overly preachy, with dialogue that occasionally detracted from the overall experience. The game offers flexibility in gameplay, allowing players to choose between story-focused or gameplay-focused modes, catering to different preferences.

    • “The story is rich with theme and humanity.”
    • “The story is engaging, and while it seems typical at first, there are a few points where it breaks from the mold.”
    • “An excellent puzzle platformer with tight, interesting mechanics, intelligent level design, beautiful artwork, immersive music, and a different, touching story.”
    • “The story is embarrassingly predictable, and at some point, I couldn't be bothered reading the dialogue anymore.”
    • “The story is high-minded and philosophical, but it often feels like the writers' attempts to sound artistic or sophisticated are getting in the way of the emotional impact they're trying to achieve.”
    • “The story ends up feeling hollow due to how much ground it attempts to cover without much depth.”
  • gameplay147 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its unique light and dark energy mechanics, which influence movement and create engaging platforming challenges. While many players appreciate the fluid controls and inventive level design, some feel that the mechanics are underutilized and the overall difficulty is too low, leading to a sense of missed potential. The game successfully balances its narrative and gameplay elements, offering a variety of mechanics that keep the experience fresh, though some players wish for more complexity and challenge throughout.

    • “The gameplay is solid and the story is amazing.”
    • “Everything feels so smooth and flexible, and the mechanics, though incredibly simple, are used to their maximum potential.”
    • “The platforming segments are really fun and inventive, with tight controls, a really unique light/dark energy mechanic that functions as both a health system and platforming tool.”
    • “Unfortunately, instead the game kept bombarding me with badly written, endless dialogue, and significant portions where you freely roam on a (rather ugly) map from point A to B in order to reach the actual gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is really solid but it starts too easy and only towards the end was it starting to feel like it was reaching its potential.”
    • “The core platforming mechanics feel very rough and unpolished, the size of objects in levels feels too large, the art, for the most part, feels as if it could have used another pass.”
  • music69 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a mix of melancholic and upbeat tracks. Composed by melos han-tani, the soundtrack is noted for its richness and variety, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic and emotional depth. While some players found the music to be relaxing and fitting, a few critiques mentioned instances where it felt disconnected from the gameplay.

    • “I think where this game shines most are the aesthetic and music, giving a good melancholic vibe, and the levels that either make fine use of its mechanics or occupy your mind with thoughts on solutions.”
    • “The real star of the show here, however, has to be the soundtrack, composed once again by Melos Han-Tani.”
    • “The atmosphere and music are incredible.”
    • “The sound (both effects and music) kept cutting out.”
    • “The music is not very good and, like many aspects of this game, does not fit with anything else in it.”
    • “Oh, and the music is mediocre and forgettable.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork, unique art style, and nostalgic retro aesthetics, which effectively complement the game's melancholic atmosphere. While some users noted minor graphical hiccups, such as seams on tiles, the overall visual presentation, including the character designs and landscapes, is considered top-notch and immersive. The combination of stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “Music and art are top notch with the artwork particularly being a huge selling point, simply a gorgeous game.”
    • “A puzzle platformer with tons of accessibility options, breathtaking visuals and an emotional story.”
    • “The graphics are really good though... I particularly like the parallax effect on the outdoor segments... and the gameplay is on the whole quite solid - very responsive and you never feel like you don't know what to do...”
    • “Occasionally there's some hiccups with the graphics, usually seams on some tiles showing when they shouldn't be (particularly on doors), but aside from that, my complaints are minimal.”
    • “I think it also would have benefited from proper visual novel-style text narration, as the graphics are very limited and it can be hard to tell what’s going on sometimes.”
    • “The game is very weird, with 80's pixel graphics and scenes; it has a weird vibe and atmosphere to it, kinda depressive.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its surreal, melancholic vibe, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and unique art style reminiscent of 80s pixel graphics and classic RPGs. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia while maintaining an eerie, immersive quality that complements its heartfelt narrative and quirky gameplay. Overall, the combination of atmospheric music and artistic design creates a beautifully unique experience that resonates with players.

    • “The world is drowning in a surreal melancholic atmosphere.”
    • “What got me hooked on this beautiful narrative platformer especially was the wonderful strange and somehow surreal atmosphere of the surroundings and the fantastic soundtrack.”
    • “There's a strong surrealistic vibe to the whole game that really creates a unique atmosphere and overall I did have fun.”
    • “The world is drowning in a surreal, melancholic atmosphere.”
    • “The game is very weird, with 80's pixel graphics and scenes; it has a strange vibe and atmosphere to it, kind of depressive.”
    • “Despite being a platformer, the atmosphere of the game reminds me of SNES RPGs about ancient civilizations like Chrono Trigger or FF6... there's even a Mode-7 style overworld which you will use to get from stage to stage!”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching story and character depth, evoking a range of feelings from laughter to tears. While some players found the narrative to be high-minded and occasionally preachy, others appreciated its heartfelt themes and the emotional rollercoaster it presents. Overall, the game is praised for its beautiful visuals and engaging gameplay, though opinions vary on the effectiveness of its emotional impact compared to previous titles from the studio.

    • “A puzzle platformer with tons of accessibility options, breathtaking visuals, and an emotional story.”
    • “Absolutely gorgeous little platformer with a really touching story and characters.”
    • “I had a ton of fun, I laughed, I cried!”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly in the final stretch, which detracts from overall engagement. While the platforming is accessible and enjoyable, the repetitive nature of certain tasks can lead to a lack of interest, especially when compared to more captivating titles.

    • “All in all, it is a nice and well-made game, it just didn't hold my interest as much as Anodyne did because it seems to become somewhat tedious in the final stretch.”
    • “I found myself playing while chatting with friends or just listening to the music after grinding on a AAA title game.”
    • “The story is very tedious and clunky.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game begins with an intriguing premise and unique mechanics but ultimately falls short due to a lack of complexity and challenge. While the dialogue and character arcs are not poorly executed, the story suffers from predictability and a lack of player agency, leading to a less engaging experience overall. Additionally, character designs are considered somewhat uninspired compared to the impressive landscapes and creatures.

    • “Story-wise, the game is flawed, not because of cheesy dialogue or bad character development, but because of the eventual inevitability and lack of forging your own story.”
    • “I found the character designs to be a little bland.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game features quirky NPCs, but the dialogue often comes across as stiff and lacking depth, which detracts from its overall effectiveness. While the developers aim to blend surreal art and humor with classic game elements, the execution may leave some players wanting more engaging and believable interactions.

    • “The game brilliantly blends surreal art and humor, creating a unique experience that keeps players engaged and entertained.”
    • “The quirky NPCs add a delightful touch of humor, making interactions feel lively and enjoyable.”
    • “The dialogue is filled with clever wit and amusing scenarios that enhance the overall charm of the game.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Overall, the game lacks significant replayability, with many players noting its short completion time and mediocre gameplay. While there is some post-game content available, it does not compensate for the limited engagement and lack of depth in world-building and lore.

    • “The game offers a wealth of post-game content that keeps me coming back for more.”
    • “Each playthrough feels unique, thanks to the variety of choices and outcomes available.”
    • “I love how the game encourages multiple runs with different strategies and character builds.”
    • “I don't feel there's a ton of immediate replay value for me here, but just as in Analgesic's other titles, there is post-game content.”
    • “Mediocre gameplay, zero replayability, an extremely short completion time, subpar world building, next to no lore creation save for that which is integral to the plot, no capacity for curiosity, and a woefully depressing and pointless story make for a regrettable purchase.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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