SeaBed
- December 19, 2017
- Paleontology
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"SeaBed" is a single-player mystery visual novel with a gripping yuri-themed story, centered around three characters: Mizuno Sachiko, Narasaki Hibiki, and Takako. Each character has a unique perspective as they navigate their interconnected naphewd-wracked memories and relationships, seeking to distinguish truth from illusion. The game boasts an audio novel collection, ingenious music, and a highly emotional narrative. A 4th extra episode is unlocked with the purchase of the audio novel collection.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The characters are well-developed and relatable, making players deeply care about their journeys and relationships.
- The writing is exceptional, with a beautifully crafted narrative that combines mystery and emotional depth, keeping players engaged throughout.
- The game features a unique storytelling style that feels more like reading a novel, with immersive details and a slow-burn approach that rewards patient readers.
- The pacing can be excessively slow, with long stretches of mundane dialogue that may frustrate players looking for more action or plot progression.
- There are moments of confusion regarding character perspectives and dialogue attribution, which can make it difficult to follow the story at times.
- Some players may find the lack of choices and interactivity limiting, as the game is a kinetic novel with no branching paths.
- story171 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Seabed" is a deeply emotional and intricately crafted narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and memory through the lens of a yuri romance. While it unfolds at a slow pace, allowing for rich character development and atmospheric detail, it ultimately rewards patient readers with a compelling mystery and a satisfying conclusion. The writing is praised for its literary quality, making it a standout in the visual novel genre, though its complexity may challenge those unfamiliar with slower, character-driven storytelling.
“Profoundly moving story; an indispensable yuri visual novel on Steam amidst a marsh of inane releases with little depth and merit.”
“The story is rich like 'high literature,' but it's never pretentious or exclusionary.”
“At its core, it's a very powerful story of love between two women, their happiness, struggle, and loss.”
“Yes, this is quite possibly the slowest-paced story I think I have ever consumed, and perhaps will ever consume.”
“I wouldn't consider myself to be someone who can't handle a slow-paced, character-focused story, but Seabed needlessly delays relevant progression of its core idea too often, for too long, and for too little gain.”
“The story itself can get kind of confusing because not only does it change perspective between three separate characters, it also jumps between the past, present, and Sachiko's hallucinations.”
- music38 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and suitability, enhancing the storytelling experience with a nostalgic and ambient soundtrack that complements various scenes. While some users noted a limited selection that could become repetitive, many highlighted the quality and fitting nature of the tracks, with a standout original soundtrack that significantly contributes to the overall immersion. Overall, the music is considered a key element that elevates the visual novel, making it memorable and engaging.
“The music of the game is amazing.”
“The soundtrack is astounding; the developers really handpicked some of the most suitable and chill music of all time.”
“The music is catchy and always fits the overall feel of the scene well.”
“Sadly, even on DLsite, the readme only has the sites where the music came from, not the names of the used tracks.”
“Though none of the music really stood out except for the creepy music box sounding one that only seemed to appear in the tips section called Narasaki's Clinic.”
“The music tends towards simplistic, but is by no means bad or dull, and really adds to the whole experience.”
- emotional25 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from heartbreak to joy, often leading to tears. The storytelling is rich and immersive, fostering deep connections between characters and players, particularly through the exploration of love and loss. Overall, it is celebrated as a touching experience that resonates on multiple emotional levels, making it a standout in the visual novel genre.
“Everything from this story is expertly crafted to deal the most emotional damage.”
“A beautiful visual novel that was more than anything a very touching experience.”
“Expected a cute yuri story with a bit of mystery, but got a heart-wrenching drama about dealing with loss that totally destroyed me instead, and I loved every second of it!”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as a unique blend of dreamy and mildly tense, enhanced by detailed visuals, appropriate sound effects, and a captivating narrative. Users appreciate the ethereal quality and depth of the environment, which contributes to a serene yet engaging experience, making it feel both familiar and innovative. Overall, the combination of high-quality presentation and subtle audio elements creates a deeply immersive atmosphere that resonates with players.
“The backgrounds, pace, and prose all congeal together to form a dreamy yet mildly tense atmosphere I don't think I've experienced anywhere else; there are no better words for it than just 'it's a vibe and a half.'”
“Seabed is unique in many ways–atmosphere, story, themes, how it handles conventions and answering its questions–and is somehow familiar, not just in unlocking secret memories, but also in its high quality and presentation, like a golden age kinetic novel that time traveled years into the future.”
“An atmospheric and understated psychological mystery about grief.”
“If you're the kind of person that doesn't mind reading through text that isn't filled with action and things happening all the time, you'll be in for a captivating story with a serene atmosphere that I personally haven't quite seen anywhere else.”
“There's no voice acting of any kind, but it makes clever use of environmental sounds to enhance the atmosphere.”
“I really liked the sound effects, which help you get the feel of what's going on and add to the atmosphere like water running, stove cooking, eggs breaking, book pages turning.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as a mixed bag; while the artwork is well-drawn with a decent number of character graphics, it lacks the polish of more modern titles. The unique art style may take some getting used to, but it ultimately contributes to a charming aesthetic when paired with the atmospheric soundtrack. Overall, the visuals are serviceable and complement the immersive experience, despite not being groundbreaking.
“The music, visuals, and characters all coalesce to create a lively, immersive world that is simultaneously grounded and ethereal.”
“That, combined with the photographic backgrounds and the gorgeous BGM makes it a memorable time.”
“It's presentation is great in a lot of aspects, good visuals and an amazing OST that I will continue listening to from time to time.”
“The dialogue is a bit difficult to understand at times due to a lack of voice acting, and the visuals department is lacking compared to some modern titles we have today. However, being rough around the edges does not detract from the overall experience the game provides.”
“The artwork isn't brilliant, but it does what it needs to do well. The character portraits and CGs aren't ugly, but you've probably seen better.”
“As for the art style, I found it simple; there was nothing completely original about it, but it was nice to look at.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its cleverness, with even serious characters displaying a sense of wit, and specific sound effects, like the dishwashing noise, eliciting laughter. However, some users feel that the overall writing lacks humor, suggesting a mixed reception regarding comedic elements.
“The sound effect that was used for dishwashing always made me laugh when it came on.”
“There’s not a single flat character – even the super serious have a sense of humor.”
“Also funny seeing the controller_plugins folder.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly engaging, with players expressing emotional connections to the story, particularly in the final chapters. While some scenes may seem like filler, they contribute to the overall experience, and the character designs are noted for their expressiveness, enhancing the narrative impact.
“I ended up quite teary for the last chapter and a half and the final tips chapter as well; so engaging was the story and the character development. It took me about 45 hours to complete, and I'm definitely not complaining about it, thanks to the story quality.”
“I'm a fan of most of the character designs, and they are all very expressive.”
“In a traditional story, these scenes would be considered 'filler', as they don't push the plot forward in any way or offer substantial character development.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“While the character designs are visually appealing, the lack of meaningful growth or change throughout the game is disappointing.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in the game to be excessive, particularly when trying to revisit choices in the visual novel segments, as it requires repetitive skipping to reach desired points. However, the boss fights are noted as a highlight, providing some enjoyment amidst the grind.
“Unlike other types of games with visual novels, if you regret a choice or want to see a different ending, you don't get to do anything aside from press skip over and over until you get to that segment again and then pick a different option, which is really tedious.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay offers an engaging experience with a length of approximately twenty hours, featuring rich subtext and foreshadowing that keeps players intrigued. After eight hours, players report having a fantastic time, indicating a strong narrative and immersive elements.
“Expect a gameplay length of roughly twenty hours.”
“I'm having a fantastic time after about 8 hours of gameplay. There's a lot of subtext in every scene to explore, and I'm noticing a lot of foreshadowing for the future that I'm very excited about.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that the credits feature is prone to bugs and exhibits instability, leading to a frustrating experience.
“The credits seem to be buggy and flash.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
