Open Sorcery: Sea++

About

Open Sorcery: Sea++ is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Abigail Corfman and was released on January 25, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

In "Open Sorcery: Sea++," players assume the role of a sorcerer's apprentice who must navigate a procedurally generated sea filled with mysterious islands and ancient threats. Utilize a variety of spells and abilities to defend yourself and explore the world, while uncovering the secrets of the sea and its inhabitants. With a focus on emergent storytelling and dynamic gameplay, each playthrough offers a unique experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 46 reviews

story8 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The writing, worldbuilding, and storytelling are exceptional, creating a deeply immersive experience.
The game features challenging and satisfying puzzles that encourage exploration and critical thinking.
It offers a unique blend of magic and programming, with a rich narrative that resonates emotionally with players.

Some puzzles can be overly obtuse or frustrating, leading to potential confusion and reliance on guides.
The game can feel repetitive and lengthy, with certain areas lacking engaging content.
Navigation can be cumbersome due to the absence of a map and the complexity of some locations.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
The story of "sea++" is widely praised for its poignant themes of magic, beauty, and suffering, with a compelling protagonist whose journey resonates deeply with players. The writing and worldbuilding are noted as exceptional, creating a rich narrative that ties together various elements and character arcs, while also addressing deeper societal issues. Overall, the game is recommended for its heartfelt storytelling and engaging gameplay, making it a standout in the genre.
- “A poignant story of magic, beauty, and suffering.”
- “This game is awe-inspiring in its scope, heart, and creativity, featuring a protagonist whose story, struggles, and sense of humor resonated deeply with me.”
- “The story and the characters—especially the protagonist—are compelling, and the puzzles are quite fun.”
- “You gain access to a very useful 'hint' spell that helps you progress the main story, but its usefulness is hindered in some of the more frustrating puzzles/areas.”
- “You need to uncover all the secrets, map all the outcomes of your decisions, and plot a path that will allow you to achieve all the goals in a single run.”
- “The core of the story is as much about determining what sort of person she has been and will be, in the form of how she responds to the fixed events in her life (and in the game), as it is about her larger struggles against the forces of late-stage capitalism.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The gameplay is primarily text-based, featuring a straightforward navigation system that may feel limited but is complemented by engaging puzzles and a rich narrative. While some mechanics can be tedious, the game offers an enjoyable experience with intuitive controls and a well-developed story, making it a significant improvement over its predecessor. Overall, players appreciate the balance between gameplay and storytelling, with an estimated average playtime of around 30 hours.
- “The gameplay is intuitive and the puzzles are engaging, and the story and themes are really interesting.”
- “Well... this entry is a definitive improvement over and expansion of the mechanics.”
- “Good story, fun gameplay, very active dev!”
- “I'm not sure what I expected - this is very much a text-only game, with clicking on text and navigation 'go north' style being pretty much the only gameplay.”
- “I will also say that certain mechanics may be kind of tedious or frustrating to some people.”
- “As for the gameplay itself, while it strives to give as many options as possible, don't expect anything ground-breaking.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a deeply emotional experience, often leading to tears, as the game fosters a sense of connection and understanding of human feelings. The narrative's ability to evoke empathy and introspection, combined with the freedom to make selfish or selfless choices, enhances the emotional depth. Overall, the heartfelt story and engaging puzzles contribute to a profound sense of companionship and reflection throughout the gameplay.
- “I cried many times, and I always felt better for that.”
- “This game has made me feel less alone.”
- “I deeply enjoyed the emotional connections you were capable of forming in the first game, and the ability this creator gives you to be selfish or selfless with little to no reward at all, allowing you to decide what you consider to be a reward is really something I enjoy.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric quality and perfect alignment with different areas, enhancing the overall experience. Many players find it memorable and enjoyable, with some describing it as relaxing and effective in complementing the game's visuals and narrative.
- “The music is great and perfectly matched to respective areas.”
- “The final traversal section was really fun and the music has been stuck in my head all day.”
- “Music, on the other hand, is very good and very atmospheric.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is praised for its impressive blend of funny, memetic, and sarcastic elements, seamlessly intertwined with body and psychological horror. Players appreciate the protagonist's relatable struggles and sense of humor, which resonate deeply, while the writing's tonal shifts—from whimsical to deeply sad—enhance the overall experience. The story is noted for being both touching and humorous, with clever references that add to its charm.
- “The way the author managed to mix funny, memetic, and sarcastic elements with natural body and psychological horror in this unique game is truly impressive.”
- “This game is awe-inspiring in its scope, heart, and creativity, featuring a protagonist whose story, struggles, and sense of humor resonated deeply with me.”
- “This setting lends the writing a lot of freedom, allowing the tone to vary wildly from whimsical to deeply sad and then funny depending on where in the web the player is and what they are doing.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious and frustrating, particularly due to certain mechanics and word puzzles that can feel overly complicated or repetitive.
- “I will also say that certain mechanics may be kind of tedious or frustrating to some people.”
- “There are still issues in the game, particularly with a bit of moon logic in certain puzzles and the tedious word puzzles.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics in this text-based game are not photo-realistic, but the backgrounds are well-designed enough to create an immersive experience that encourages players to engage their imagination.
- “As for graphics, well it's a text-based game, so don't expect photo-realism, but the backgrounds are good enough to immerse you in the world with a little help from your imagination.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by excellent music that contributes significantly to the overall immersive experience.
- “The music is very good and creates a highly atmospheric experience.”
- “The game's environment immerses you completely, making you feel like you're part of another world.”
- “The sound design enhances the overall atmosphere, drawing you deeper into the game's narrative.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's high replayability due to the freedom of actions it offers, allowing for varied experiences in each playthrough.
- “Time-wise, this game has a lot of replayability thanks to the freedom of actions given to the players.”