Isles of Sea and Sky
- November 21, 2019
- Cicada Games
- 16h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Isles of Sea and Sky " is a fantasy open-world puzzle adventure game, where players solve block-pushing puzzles, uncover a mysterious narrative, befriend charming characters, and collect items while unlocking extraordinary powers. The game is created by Jason Newman, with music by Craig Collver and QA/Producer Dan Collver. Players who enjoy the game are encouraged to join the game's Discord for updates and announcements.
Reviews
- Great variety of puzzles that gradually increase in difficulty, providing a satisfying challenge.
- Charming pixel art and enjoyable music create an immersive atmosphere.
- Open-world design allows for exploration and non-linear progression, giving players the freedom to tackle puzzles in their own order.
- Some puzzles are unsolvable on first encounter, leading to potential frustration and wasted time.
- Lack of clear indicators for which puzzles can be solved with current abilities can cause confusion.
- Certain areas and puzzles feel incomplete or inaccessible, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay94 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this puzzle game is characterized by its challenging yet rewarding mechanics, which gradually introduce new elements as players progress through various islands. While the puzzle design is praised for its creativity and depth, some players express frustration with the non-linear structure and occasional lack of clarity regarding solvable puzzles. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of sokoban-style block pushing and innovative mechanics, though some later puzzles may feel less polished compared to the earlier stages.
“Great puzzle design, very pleasing mechanics.”
“The puzzles are well designed and have creative mechanics that stretch the limits of sokoban-style block pushing.”
“Amazing sokoban puzzle game with unique mechanics.”
“The game doesn't explain its mechanics other than the ability to undo a step or reset the room.”
“A big however—I honestly hated the fact that through its non-linearity, some puzzles look very much possible to solve but aren't yet, as some mechanic necessary to solve it found much later in the game hasn't been unlocked yet.”
“Don't be fooled by the graphics and music, the gameplay has glaring flaws that make this game extremely hostile for newbies to the genre.”
- music80 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its enjoyable and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a relaxing and immersive soundtrack. While many players appreciate the variety and thematic ties of the music to different zones, some have noted instances of repetitiveness and abrupt pauses that could disrupt the flow. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
“The music is incredible and very well tied to the themes of the islands and their deities.”
“The visuals and soundtrack are both extremely lovely, and despite often being on the same island for hours, I never got to the point of either of them being tiresome.”
“The art, music, and overall vibe is phenomenal.”
“The music can be a little too repetitive; some variety in each zone wouldn't hurt.”
“Another thing that is unacceptable is the music.”
“The high-definition music completely mismatches the pixelated rendering.”
- graphics48 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro aesthetic, vibrant colors, and engaging animations, creating an immersive exploration experience. Many reviewers highlight the appealing pixel art style and the overall visual clarity, which complements the gameplay and enhances the puzzle-solving atmosphere. However, some criticism arises regarding the authenticity of the pixel graphics, with a few players feeling that they appear "fake" and detract from the overall experience.
“The art style is :chefkiss: , the learning curve is pitched just right, the self-tutorializing the game does is so subtle and well balanced.”
“The graphics are simple, yet full of character with art and animations for any action you can think of.”
“All-in-all, it's an extremely well-thought-out game wrapped in a consistent and endearing art style.”
“It has 'pixel' graphics but they're not actual pixel graphics. The pixels are fake and behave in impossible ways. Always feels chintzy and sloppy to me.”
“The menu visuals and cutscenes look pretty bad but otherwise I really like the art.”
“Don't be fooled by the graphics and music, the gameplay has glaring flaws that make this game extremely hostile for newbies to the genre.”
- story19 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story is conveyed through visual storytelling and wordless cutscenes, allowing players to uncover the narrative organically as they progress. While some players appreciated the minimalistic approach and found the story intriguing, others felt it lacked depth and context, leaving them wanting more backstory and character motivation. Overall, the narrative complements the puzzle-solving experience, creating a captivating atmosphere that encourages exploration.
“The game offers no verbal explanation about the story or puzzles at all, which I really enjoyed as it allowed me to discover by myself how each element works and what the story is about.”
“Isles of Sea and Sky is one of the closest experiences I've had while playing a video game to being told the story of a myth, and without a word of dialogue or narration, I'm swept away into a captivating world.”
“Every piece of story that the player receives feels as intriguing as the game's puzzles, and while this game would be great as an aimless puzzle game, having a greater overall mystery to uncover through the progress the individual puzzles grant you makes it all the more so harder to put this game down.”
“The story is dialogue-free and I didn't fully understand it or look into it too deeply.”
“As for the story of this game, there are no words outside of the title screen and save file select (that I have encountered so far), with little pieces of what I assume to be a backstory granted as you progress through the islands.”
“The unobtrusive story is told through occasional cutscenes with no dialogue.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's responsiveness to feedback, noting that it effectively balances difficulty and progression without feeling overly tedious. While the majority of puzzles are engaging, some players find certain aspects, like searching for breakable walls and revisiting areas after upgrades, can become frustratingly repetitive. Overall, the grinding experience is generally well-received, with a few caveats regarding subtle interactions.
“Eventually you figure out that the secret walls and tiles have an indication to let you know they are near, but it can be frustrating when you have to tediously search for breakable walls like in the bad old days.”
“It can be tedious having to revisit old areas after you get an upgrade, because most of the tiles that you can newly interact with are subtle and blend in well with the un-interactable tiles.”
“The puzzles in this game are mostly phenomenal, but a few here and there feel tedious or obscure.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its impeccable design, featuring soothing music and charming art that create a distinct and immersive experience. Each area is filled with character, enhancing the overall feel of the game and making it particularly appealing to fans of puzzle games reminiscent of classic titles. Overall, the combination of captivating visuals and atmospheric soundtracks significantly contributes to the game's charm and appeal.
“The atmosphere is impeccable, with soothing music and charming art.”
“Really strong atmosphere that pulls you in from the start.”
“It results in every area having a distinct atmosphere, which truly builds the character of the game and makes every screen feel full of character.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have some bugs, but the presence of instant undo and reset options mitigates the impact of these issues, making them less problematic for players.
“The game is buggy.”
“Sometimes some of the elements felt a little buggy, but considering the instant undo and reset options, this didn't feel like a problem at all.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its cool graphics, which are complemented by amusing little animations that add a lighthearted touch to the overall experience.
“The cool graphics are complemented by funny little animations that keep the gameplay lighthearted.”
“The humor in the game shines through its quirky character designs and hilarious dialogue.”
“I love how the game balances its challenges with moments of pure comedy, making every playthrough enjoyable.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game offers replayability, particularly after a sufficient break allows players to forget puzzle solutions, enhancing the challenge and enjoyment of re-exploration.
“The game offers multiple endings and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
“I love how the random events and character interactions change every time I play, keeping it fresh.”
“There is replay value, in my opinion, once you let enough time pass for the puzzle solutions to fade a bit.”
“After completing the game once, I found little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players report that once familiar with the mechanics, puzzle-solving performance is optimized to take no more than thirty seconds, indicating a well-tuned gameplay experience.
“Once a player knows what to do, the actual performance of solving the puzzle should never be more than about thirty seconds, tops.”
