Lost At Sea

About

Lost At Sea is a single player survival action adventure game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by Studio Fizbin and was released on July 15, 2021. It received neutral reviews from players.

What are the most important moments in your life? Lost At Sea is a game about life. It's about the journey we all take and the monster we all face. Set on a beautiful island, you will fight death and fear to remember the moments that connect us all and make life worth living for everyone of us.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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55%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

story6 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a touching narrative that explores themes of memory, loss, and personal growth, resonating deeply with players.
Visually, Lost at Sea presents a beautifully stylized environment that enhances the introspective nature of the story, creating an immersive atmosphere.
The emotional weight of Anna's journey is conveyed through sincere voice acting and poignant interactions, inviting players to reflect on their own lives.

Gameplay is limited and often monotonous, with simplistic puzzles that lack depth and challenge, leading to a tedious experience.
Navigation can be cumbersome due to unclear objectives and environmental guidance, resulting in moments of disorientation and frustration.
The narrative feels fragmented, with disjointed transitions between life stages that detract from the overall emotional impact of the story.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The game's story centers on Anna's introspective journey through her memories, presented in a surreal and emotionally charged environment. While it aims for a poignant narrative about loss and reflection, many players find the storytelling disjointed and lacking depth, with simplistic puzzles that detract from the overall experience. Despite its beautiful visuals and heartfelt themes, the narrative's execution leaves some players feeling frustrated and disconnected.
- “The island becomes a manifestation of her memories, a surreal landscape that constantly shifts between beauty and melancholy as you uncover fragments of her story.”
- “It doesn’t rely on grand plot twists or dramatic revelations; instead, it builds emotional weight through quiet introspection.”
- “Lost at Sea follows the story of Anna, who looks back on the phases of her life and reflects on her own personal life story.”
- “The game’s story feels like it’s scattered, rather than flowing cohesively from one moment to the next.”
- “While the story is heartfelt, the gameplay and structure leave much to be desired.”
- “Not only this, but the story itself can be told out of order which also loses any sort of emotional impact it was gathering.”
emotional
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Lost at Sea" is characterized by its focus on introspective storytelling and symbolic exploration, effectively addressing themes of loss, memory, and personal growth through a heartfelt narrative and Anna's sincere narration. While the game successfully evokes empathy and reflection, its fragmented structure and simplistic gameplay may detract from the overall emotional impact, leaving some players desiring a more cohesive and immersive experience. Despite these shortcomings, it resonates with those open to emotional storytelling, offering a brief yet poignant journey.
- “It’s a first-person experience that abandons conventional gameplay complexity in favor of emotional storytelling and symbolic exploration.”
- “Each part of the island feels distinct and purposeful, as though designed to reflect a different emotional state.”
- “Lost at sea tackles heavy themes such as loss, death, aging, and dementia, offering an emotionally charged narrative.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The gameplay is characterized by a focus on emotional storytelling and symbolic exploration rather than traditional mechanics, resulting in a limited and often tedious experience. Players engage in simple action and reaction tasks, primarily involving memento-hunting, which lacks depth and meaningful challenge. While the narrative is heartfelt, the gameplay mechanics, including a shadow obstacle, feel disconnected and repetitive, detracting from the overall impact of the experience.
- “It’s a first-person experience that abandons conventional gameplay complexity in favor of emotional storytelling and symbolic exploration.”
- “These puzzles are modest in design—often revolving around memory association, spatial awareness, or simple logic—but they serve more as emotional triggers than mechanical challenges.”
- “It’s evident that the developers prioritized storytelling and theme over mechanical complexity, and while that choice may alienate players seeking more traditional gameplay, it aligns perfectly with the project’s artistic intentions.”
- “The gameplay itself is limited, and much of the experience involves slow movement across large areas with little interactivity.”
- “The lack of meaningful gameplay, the repetitive memento-hunting mechanic, and the fragmented narrative prevent the game from being as impactful as it could have been.”
- “From its extremely poor performance, lackluster story, repetitive fetch gameplay, and unattractive environment, there are no real redeeming qualities.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the immersive and aesthetically pleasing visuals, while others criticize them for being inconsistent, overly bright, or reminiscent of a children's game. Despite some texture issues and frame dips, the overall presentation is described as cozy and well-optimized, though certain visual effects, like excessive bloom, can be overwhelming.
- “These elements combine to immerse the player in a space that feels deeply human, even when the visuals drift into surreal abstraction.”
- “A beautifully immersive and aesthetic game <3”
- “Puzzle game/walking simulator with very good graphics and optimized well.”
- “Its graphical presentation is modest, with some texture inconsistencies and occasional frame dips.”
- “Visuals were pretty to look at, but the tan bloom was too much for my eyes after an hour.”
- “Slow, tedious, and obtuse puzzler/walking sim with some very mediocre graphics and half-baked game mechanics.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The optimization of games varies significantly among titles; while one puzzle game/walking simulator is praised for its excellent graphics and optimization, "Lost at Sea" is heavily criticized for its abysmal performance, blurriness, and overall lack of polish, leading many users to recommend avoiding it until significant patches are released.
- “Puzzle game/walking simulator with very good graphics and optimized well.”
- “Lost at Sea is an extremely unoptimized, blurry, and confusing mess.”
- “I was shocked at just how unoptimized it is and recommend avoiding the game at all costs, at least until the performance issues are patched.”
- “From its extremely poor performance, lackluster story, repetitive fetch gameplay, and unattractive environment, there are no real redeeming qualities.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its evocative sound design, featuring ambient ocean waves and a haunting orchestral score, which together create a captivating sense of space. Visually, the island is beautifully rendered with a dreamlike quality, though some lighting effects can obscure important details. While the overall atmosphere is solid and complements the introspective narrative, some players desire a darker tone and improved tutorials.
- “The sound design reinforces this atmosphere beautifully—ambient ocean waves, distant whispers, and a gentle orchestral score weave together to create a haunting sense of space.”
- “Visual presentation: the game does a good job visually, with a solid atmosphere that complements the introspective nature of the story.”
- “The island you'll spend roughly three hours exploring looks very pretty, with a bloom-heavy lighting model giving a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere.”
- “There should be a better tutorial and not such a kids' atmosphere; a bit darker and less colorful would be great.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's music has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the overall soundtrack, others feel it lacks engagement and could benefit from a more captivating selection. Additionally, a specific mini-game involving music was criticized for being overly lengthy and tedious, detracting from the overall experience.
- “I love game music, so this game also attracted me.”
- “I would have chosen a different and more engaging soundtrack.”
- “I found some musical chairs mini-game, but it dragged on for way too long and was so boring to finish that by the end of it, I knew there was no way I could play any longer.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game is noted for its impressive stability, with users reporting a bug-free experience that stands out, especially for those who typically enjoy quirky, glitchy titles.
- “The game appeared to be bug-free, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
- “I was impressed by the overall stability; I didn't encounter any crashes or major issues.”
- “The performance was consistent throughout my playtime, making for a reliable gaming experience.”
- “I usually love weird and buggy games, but this one just isn't it.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be slow and tedious, often feeling like it is implemented solely to extend gameplay duration. The experience is further marred by mediocre graphics and underdeveloped mechanics, contributing to a frustrating overall impression.
- “Just to make the game longer and more tedious?”
- “Slow, tedious, and obtuse puzzler/walking sim with some very mediocre graphics and half-baked game mechanics.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that there is no incentive to play through it again after completing the initial run.
- “Adding to the lack of value is the fact that this title will offer zero replay value once you play through it.”
- “I tried lowering the settings in hopes it would become more playable - it does not.”