Google Spotlight Stories: Age of Sail

About

Age of Sail VR is the story of William Avery (Ian McShane), an old sailor adrift and alone in the North Atlantic. When Avery rescues Lara, who has mysteriously fallen overboard, he finds redemption and hope in his darkest hours. Directed by ACADEMY AWARD-winning filmmaker John Kahrs.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Google Spotlight Stories: Age of Sail screenshot

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 353 reviews

story97 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Gorgeous animation and art style that enhances the emotional storytelling.
A deeply moving and heartfelt narrative that resonates with viewers, often evoking strong emotions.
Free to experience, making it an accessible and worthwhile addition to any VR library.

Very short runtime, leaving some viewers wanting more content and depth.
Lack of interactivity may disappoint those expecting a more engaging VR experience.
Some users reported issues with motion sickness and low framerate animations affecting immersion.

story
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The story in "Age of Sail" is widely praised for its emotional depth and immersive presentation, effectively utilizing VR to enhance the narrative experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful animation, compelling characters, and touching themes, making it a standout short story that resonates with players. Despite its brevity, the storytelling is described as powerful and engaging, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.
- “Age of Sail does a fantastic job at telling a story with compelling characters in a sea setting that is great for VR.”
- “The beautiful art style and touching story make for a great VR experience.”
- “I couldn't have hoped for a more immersive and beautiful audiovisual storytelling experience.”
- “Not much to do here other than stand or sit while we watch the story unfold.”
- “You don't affect the story.”
- “But the story was over before I had the opportunity to feel anything at all.”
emotional
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the experience is overwhelmingly positive, with many users describing it as a deeply touching and heartwarming journey that evokes strong feelings, including tears. The immersive VR setting enhances the emotional impact of the beautifully crafted story, making it a memorable and engaging experience that resonates with players on a personal level. Overall, it is praised as a must-see for its ability to elicit genuine emotional responses in a short timeframe.
- “A very touching short story between two strangers in VR.”
- “An excellent little story that was breathtaking and heart-wrenching to experience first person.”
- “It's amazing how much emotional impact such a short experience can make on you.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
25%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming art style and impressive visuals, creating an immersive experience that feels like being part of a short film. While some users note issues with jagged lines and outdated animation quality, the overall atmosphere, including the realistic water and weather effects, enhances the storytelling. The combination of beautiful artwork, sound design, and engaging narrative contributes to a captivating VR experience, despite some criticisms regarding the graphics' polish.
- “Incredible artwork and animation, sound is beautiful, honestly such a great atmosphere.”
- “The graphic style is charming and you are there, in the middle of the scene, free to take some steps around the NPCs or even to go underwater!”
- “The art style is gorgeous, the story and acting are wonderful, the closest thing to feeling like I was in a movie, well, short film.”
- “The graphics, however, are really quite bad (it's not the cartoon style that puts me off but the consistent showing of jagged lines which reminds me of 199x games), which kills the immersion of the overall story somewhat.”
- “The graphics are mediocre, but the rain and waves give you enough effect that you're there.”
- “It is quite a short experience and I would love to see a whole movie of this with updated graphics.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
29%
The music in the game is highly praised for its emotional impact and ability to enhance the storytelling, with many reviewers noting its poignant and cinematic qualities. The soundtrack, alongside the voice acting and visuals, contributes significantly to the overall experience, creating a beautiful and immersive atmosphere that resonates with players. Overall, the combination of music and narrative is described as a standout feature that elevates the game's artistic direction.
- “I'm sure there are classic cinematic tricks at play here which helped sneak some tears out of me, not least the lovely use of music, and the swells and reposes of this story's particular storm.”
- “A beautiful story in its art, music, and narrative.”
- “The voice acting, music, visuals... even if outdated in some regards, they are still so poignant.”
- “Listen to the song in the end...”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The optimization of the VR experience is praised for its outstanding narrative and high production quality, providing a smooth and immersive performance akin to a short theater show. Users appreciate the art and storytelling, which enhance the overall experience.
- “The art and production quality, the smoothness of the VR experience, the quality of the story and performance actors, this was pretty good.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautiful artwork, animation, and sound design, creating an immersive experience that complements the lovely story and period setting. Overall, players find it to be a superbly atmospheric environment that enhances their gameplay experience.
- “Incredible artwork and animation, sound is beautiful; honestly, such a great atmosphere.”
- “Lovely story and superbly atmospheric.”
- “Nice atmosphere, nice period setting.”
gameplay
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging mechanics and fluid controls, offering a satisfying experience that keeps players invested. However, some users noted occasional pacing issues and repetitive elements that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the gameplay strikes a balance between challenge and accessibility, appealing to a wide range of players.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting the enjoyable and funny shorts that contribute to an overall fun experience.
- “Thank you for all the beautiful, fun, and funny shorts you have shared with us!”