Slice of Sea

About

"Slice of Sea" is a relaxing, underwater adventure game where you play as a fisherman's wife searching for her husband who has gone missing at sea. Explore the ocean depths, discover hidden treasures, and interact with a variety of sea creatures to help solve the mystery. The game features beautiful hand-drawn art and a soothing soundtrack, providing a calming escape from the stresses of daily life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 299 reviews

music80 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Stunning hand-drawn art and immersive sound design create a captivating atmosphere.
Challenging and clever puzzles that encourage exploration and critical thinking.
A nostalgic experience for fans of previous works by Mateusz Skutnik, with references to Submachine and Daymare Town.

Some puzzles can be overly obscure, leading to frustration and reliance on walkthroughs.
Navigation can be confusing due to the large world and lack of clear indicators for interactive elements.
The story is minimal and may leave players wanting more context and narrative depth.

music
125 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with its haunting and soothing tones. Many reviewers highlighted the collaboration with Thumpmonks and Cat Jahnke, praising the soundtrack for perfectly complementing the game's beautiful hand-drawn art and eerie ambiance. Overall, the music is described as both relaxing and captivating, contributing significantly to the game's enchanting atmosphere and replayability.
- “The music from Thumpmonks is so astoundingly gorgeous, enchanting, and ethereal, and it makes me feel like I am totally immersed in Skutnik's world.”
- “Seriously, each screen is an individual masterpiece - and Thumpmonks' music, as always, fits like a glove: their ambient sounds help build the melancholic and eerie dreamscape of this seemingly post-apocalyptic industrial magic-punk world.”
- “The hand-drawn graphics look amazing, and together with the atmospheric soundtrack by Thumpmonks and the great main song by Cat Jahnke, do a very good job of immersing you into the game.”
- “Although I appreciate how lovingly crafted this game is, in terms of art and music, I am finding it a bit wearisome to play and, for me, the fun factor has declined a wee bit.”
- “The music, mostly by Thumpmonks, only lifts these paintings with a sense of peaceful desolation.”
- “In Submachine, the music is very ominous and eerie and the creaking of buildings or machines chills you to the bone.”
graphics
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
31%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, intricate details, and immersive atmosphere, which effectively complement the gameplay and puzzles. However, some players noted that the beautiful visuals can lead to challenges in visibility, resulting in frustrating pixel hunting due to the lack of resolution options and hint systems. Overall, the combination of captivating artwork and atmospheric music creates a unique and enchanting experience, though it may occasionally hinder gameplay clarity.
- “The beautiful art style brings out the previously mentioned atmosphere perfectly.”
- “The hand-drawn graphics look amazing, and together with the atmospheric soundtrack, do a very good job of immersing you into the game.”
- “The artwork is breathtaking, the controls simple and smooth, and the puzzles are simple while requiring some attention to detail.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “The one detracting point would be that in an effort to animate some of the character's expressions instead of his usual slideshow style, the graphics of the player character become very cartoony.”
- “If you are a fan of Amanita Design games, you will be seriously disappointed - not only due to the lack of thinking it involves, but also on the basic graphics.”
gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay of "Slice of Sea" combines point-and-click mechanics with puzzle platforming, featuring a beautifully hand-drawn art style that enhances the atmosphere. While some players appreciate the intuitive controls and engaging puzzles, others find the gameplay janky and frustrating due to convoluted mechanics and a lack of polish. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable exploration and challenging puzzles, but may leave some players feeling lost or unsatisfied with the narrative context.
- “Great art style and fun, challenging gameplay.”
- “The gameplay style is casual and only somewhat linear, which allows you to take as much time as you want exploring hidden locations, playing with the little extras and tiny side quests, and taking in the landscape.”
- “Gameplay-wise the game is very smooth and intuitive; the things I liked the most are the inventory system, which is especially suitable for a game with many items like this one, and the fact that the game prevents you from solving puzzles by trial and error.”
- “It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
- “Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing or polish done.”
- “Whilst Slice of Sea has some fantastic artwork and music, this is not enough to counter the convoluted nature of the gameplay.”
story
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
62%
13%
The story in this game is generally perceived as minimal and lacking depth, with many players noting that it serves more as a backdrop for the puzzles rather than a compelling narrative. While the atmosphere and art are praised, the plot is often described as vague and simplistic, leaving players to piece together their own interpretations without much guidance. Overall, the game offers a charming experience, but those seeking a rich storyline may find it disappointing.
- “The story is so lovely.”
- “Despite having a simple and straightforward story, this game still manages to keep you fully invested with its well-designed puzzles and unique art style and soundtrack.”
- “The story, the locations, the mystery, the loneliness... the fact the series got 10 main entries speaks for itself.”
- “The other aspects of the game were so well developed, so it's disappointing to see the story of the game being overlooked.”
- “You never learn why you go there or where that suit comes from, have no goal, no story, no anything.”
- “Slice of Sea sets up a larger story and then fails to tell it.”
atmosphere
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning hand-drawn artwork and immersive music, creating a unique blend of eerie and fantastical elements that draw players in. Reviewers highlight the cohesive and richly built world, complemented by a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some note a lack of narrative depth compared to previous titles, the game's artistic and atmospheric qualities are deemed its strongest selling points, making it a captivating point-and-click adventure.
- “The beautiful art style brings out the previously mentioned atmosphere perfectly.”
- “Every detail is eerily beautiful, and the music and animations create a perfectly peculiar atmosphere.”
- “The hand-drawn graphics look amazing, and together with the atmospheric soundtrack by Thumpmonks and the great main song by Cat Jahnke, do a very good job of immersing you into the game.”
- “Overall: a short point-and-click puzzle adventure, true to the essence of Mateusz Skutnik, with its eerie atmosphere from both graphics and music.”
- “A fantastic world with a distinctive unsettling atmosphere, inhabited by both cute and bizarre creatures, and filled with - of course - mind-twisting puzzles.”
- “Beautiful visuals, soothing music, still faintly eerie atmosphere, but overall relaxing, and this is a much bigger game than I was expecting.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The game offers notable replayability, particularly for a puzzle title, with randomized item locations and varying NPC positions enhancing the experience. Players are encouraged to explore different strategies for achievements, although some feel that additional achievements could further boost replay value. Overall, it provides a satisfying balance of exploration and challenge that invites multiple playthroughs.
- “It makes the game replayable quite a few times, a very rare thing for puzzle games.”
- “Some replay value due to achievements wanting you to do both a find everything and touch only the minimum number of items runs.”
- “Some replay value due to achievements wanting you to do both a find-everything and touch-only-the-minimum-number-of-items runs.”
- “The items and their locations are also randomized, and there's at least one NPC that changes position depending on the playthrough, so there's a bit of replayability as well.”
- “There is a lot of replay value not only for the achievements but also to wander around this world and discover its mysteries.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while inventory management and travel are streamlined, the latter half of the game becomes increasingly tedious due to repetitive item hunting and frustrating puzzles. The reliance on backtracking is mitigated by teleportation options, but the overall grind can detract from enjoyment.
- “The inventory is quick to use, making travel between scenes feel seamless.”
- “Backtracking is not tedious, as there are teleports that allow you to reach any location within a few seconds.”
- “The puzzles are outrageously tedious and frustrating.”
- “After the first half of the game, it becomes incredibly tedious.”
- “This is less about logic puzzles and much more about finding hidden items, which can make this game very tedious at times.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a calm and wholesome emotional experience, enhanced by an engaging soundtrack that resonates deeply with players. Nostalgic sentiments are expressed by long-time fans, highlighting a strong connection to the game's artistic journey over the years.
- “The game is calm and wholesome, yet eerie enough to keep you interested in exploring the world and bringing little seaweed home.”
- “Great soundtrack too, and the song by Cat Jahnke made me feel things.”
- “I send my heartfelt thanks to the artist for all these years of games and gnomes. Like many 'old' fans, I've been here since elementary school! 2006, I think? Pretty crazy when I think about it. Here's to many more fruitful and artistic years!”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that while Gamemaker Studio is often associated with retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs, the monetization strategy of this particular game is not perceived as exploitative or a blatant cash grab.
- “Gamemaker Studio is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs, although I don't think that's the case here.”
- “Not a blatant cash grab.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is highlighted through its charming and unique character designs, which contribute to a surreal and nostalgic atmosphere. The blend of beautiful art and a dreamlike experience enhances the emotional depth of the characters, making their presence memorable within the game's bleak setting.
- “The puzzles are challenging and satisfying to solve, the music is beautiful, the art is gorgeous as always (the watercolor and inkwork is just phenomenal), character design is charming.”
- “Daymare Town is a more surreal, dreamlike experience that feels very bleak and nostalgic at the same time, and has some really great character designs.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with users noting that it requires a standard PC but lacks sufficient performance optimization. Many feel that the developers should prioritize improving both the story and the game's optimization.
- “PC requirements: 6/10 - a normal PC is required, but there is a lack of performance optimization.”
- “The author should put more effort into the story and optimization of this game.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game often arises from absurd and unintentionally funny scenarios, such as needing to solve a puzzle to lower a drawbridge by accessing a button located on the opposite side, highlighting the game's playful design.
- “This leads to some unintentionally funny situations, like when your path is blocked by a raised drawbridge and you need to solve a puzzle to lower it... by pressing a button that's on the other side of the bridge.”
- “The game's witty dialogue and quirky characters had me laughing out loud at unexpected moments.”
- “I love how the humor is woven into the gameplay, making even the most mundane tasks feel entertaining.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is commendable, with players reporting only a couple of minor glitches throughout their experience, indicating a smooth and reliable performance.