Saltsea Chronicles

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 76 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
Saltsea Chronicles Game Cover
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In Saltsea Chronicles, a story-driven adventure game, players join Captain Maja and her crew on a rescue mission in a post-flood world. Explore diverse island communities, each with unique pre-flood ruins, and uncover a deep conspiracy while choosing investigation paths. Experience a rich narrative with twists and turns in this immersive, award-winning indie title.

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Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews
story19 positive mentions
  • The game features a beautifully crafted world with engaging writing and a colorful cast of characters, each with their own struggles and secrets.
  • The art style is exceptional, with stunning visuals and a unique aesthetic that enhances the storytelling experience.
  • The narrative is immersive and emotional, exploring themes of community, connection, and personal growth, making players feel invested in the characters' journeys.
  • The game ends abruptly, leaving players wanting more and feeling like the story is incomplete.
  • Some players found the gameplay to be overly simplistic, with minimal interaction beyond clicking through dialogue and making choices.
  • The use of slang and fast-paced exposition can be overwhelming for some players, making it difficult to fully engage with the story.
  • story55 mentions

    The story in the game is widely praised for its intriguing narrative, rich world-building, and well-developed characters, creating an immersive experience that explores themes of community, hope, and personal growth. While some players note a slow pacing and occasional soap opera-like moments, the overall storytelling is considered compelling and emotionally resonant, with choices that impact character relationships and the journey. The game's art and music further enhance the storytelling, making it a standout experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven gameplay.

    • “Saltsea Chronicles is a consoling story full of hope - a game about the things that unite us, even though we are all different and unique.”
    • “The story is captivating, the worldbuilding is great, the places you visit are diverse, and the characters are deep and believable.”
    • “Beautiful game, a story about found family and misfit crews that never takes for granted how difficult found family can be.”
    • “Not very much happens in Mutazione, and you get this slow plot dripped out over very long walks across an island.”
    • “Lousy story.”
    • “The path you go does affect what other companions will join you on your journey, but does not materially affect the mainline story; you are still forced into chokepoint story beats, despite which islands you choose to visit.”
  • graphics18 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the unique and beautiful art style that enhances the narrative experience. While some players find the aesthetic charming and visually striking, others express a dislike for certain character designs, describing them as grotesque. Overall, the artwork is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere and storytelling.

    • “The graphic style of art is beautiful and the soundtrack added the perfect atmosphere.”
    • “A narrative game wrapped in charming visuals and striking colors!”
    • “The graphics are beautiful - the game has such a unique, expressive style that invites the eye - each location and character is a pleasure to look at.”
    • “I am not actually a fan of the art style used to display the characters, which in some cases can be, to my eye, grotesque; but as a player of Mutazione (from the same developer -- which I also liked but didn't love), I expected that going in.”
    • “It's similar to Mutazione in art style and characterization/storytelling, but otherwise that's it.”
    • “The beginning is an overwhelming amount of phrases and slang that I couldn't understand; the art style was not to my tastes.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience and even standing out as a favorite soundtrack of the year for some players. However, a few reviewers noted that while the soundtrack is strong, the sound design could be improved. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's unique presentation and storytelling.

    • “The presentation is stellar - from the quirky characters to the breathtaking locations and the soundtrack.”
    • “The art is phenomenal, the soundtrack is one of my favorites from this year, and this game is going very high on my Game of the Year list.”
    • “Beautiful & strange places lovingly animated and gorgeous music.”
    • “Sadly, I think it lacks in sound design and music.”
    • “Great game, I'd strongly recommend, but I feel like the music could have been a little better.”
    • “No musical gardening (sadly).”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a blend of creativity and accessibility, allowing players to explore and make choices within a narrative-heavy framework. While it features minimal traditional gameplay elements like puzzles or action, it offers a relaxing experience focused on character interactions and progression mechanics. The game is praised for its charming art style and replayability, appealing to those who enjoy story-driven experiences with meaningful choices.

    • “I love the relaxing gameplay of just getting to explore, the beautiful art style, and the fact that you get to really play as the crew as a whole and not just one character.”
    • “And mechanically, I commend how the game makes it so accessible to explore and tinker with save states and make new choices.”
    • “The characters are wonderful and deep, the progression mechanics are great, and there's obviously a lot of room for replayability.”
    • “But then there is the gameplay.”
    • “First, players should be aware that this is a narrative-heavy game with minimal gameplay; some choice of where to go next, but nothing in the form of puzzle-solving or action sequences.”
    • “Aspects of the gameplay somewhat often slowed the experience down, but unmistakable in the game was an abundance of creativity and heart.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    The game evokes strong emotional responses, with players reporting tears and deep connections to the characters and their individual stories. Its heartwarming yet bittersweet narrative, combined with a lovely art style and subtle text animations, enhances the overall emotional experience, making it feel like a shared adventure.

    • “I cried many times over the course of this game.”
    • “Omitting numerical metrics and replacing them with emotional ties and personal experiences, it really feels like going on an adventure together.”
    • “Lovely art style, likable cast with individual stories and issues, heartwarming but also bittersweet plot.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its forking decision paths and replayable chapters, encouraging players to explore different routes and uncover new experiences. With various choices to make and collectibles to gather, players are motivated to revisit the game for a richer understanding of its characters and mechanics. Overall, the depth and variety ensure that multiple playthroughs are rewarding.

    • “Loved the forking decision paths and replayable chapters, which lets you change your mind and experience the totality this game has to offer.”
    • “Heck, the game offers so much replayability value it'd be a shame to not try different routes each time and see what you uncover.”
    • “The characters are wonderful and deep, the progression mechanics are great, and there's obviously a lot of room for replayability.”
    • “I have only played through once so far, but there definitely seems to be replayability - I have things still to collect and there were other choices I could have made.”
    • “The characters are wonderful and deep, the progression mechanics are great, and there's obviously a lot of room for replayability.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character designs for their unique and meaningful representation of human diversity, highlighting their beauty and creativity compared to more generic models in other media. Additionally, there are suggestions that character development and hidden elements can be discovered through player choices, adding depth to the overall experience.

    • “The character designs in particular are my favorite, in part because though they can seem abstract in style, they do a better and more meaningful job capturing the beauty and breadth of human visual diversity than every other game, movie, TV show, or comic that stacks itself with template mannequin models.”
    • “The character designs are great, and the landscapes for each location are very beautiful and evocatively drawn.”
    • “As a side note, there are characters and locations that I believe are hidden between choices, as well as character development.”
    • “The character designs in particular are my favorite, in part because though they can seem abstract in style, they do a better and more meaningful job capturing the beauty and breadth of human visual diversity than every other game, movie, TV show, or comic that stacks itself with template mannequin models.”
    • “As a side note, there are characters and locations that I believe are hidden between choices, as well as character development.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautiful graphic style and an immersive soundtrack that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the creativity of the islands and the rewarding exploration of lore and details, with engaging animations adding depth to the environment.

    • “The graphic style of art is beautiful, and the soundtrack adds the perfect atmosphere.”
    • “Generally, the atmosphere of all the islands you explore is really well done and creative.”
    • “I found it rewarding to explore all the bits of lore and atmosphere around the maps, discovering all the little animations.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The game effectively blends humor with emotional depth, featuring relatable characters that resonate with a diverse audience. Players appreciate the well-crafted dialogue and interactions that evoke genuine laughter while also addressing serious themes, making the humor feel authentic and grounded.

    • “There was humor, there were legitimate tears, there was mystery... hallmarks of a great tale.”
    • “Even if you aren't autistic, nonbinary, or anxious, I think there's so much to relate to for many people in the characters in this game, especially historically underrepresented groups. The characters are funny, sweet, sometimes irritable, and always feel real.”
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