Soul Searching

About

Soul Searching is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing game. It was developed by Kayabros and was released on February 15, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

"Soul Searching" is a narrative survival game where you sail to a world of islands, dragons, and magic. With no tutorialization, you can choose your own playstyle and explore stories of island inhabitants, catch fish, customize boats, and learn magic. The game tackles mature themes like isolation, depression, and suicide, as you navigate the challenges of growing up and leaving your homeland. You play as a peaceful protagonist, making your way in the world through fishing and exploration.

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 182 reviews

story34 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Soul Searching offers a deeply emotional and introspective experience, allowing players to reflect on their own lives while navigating a beautifully crafted world.
The game features a unique blend of serene exploration and meaningful storytelling, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack that resonates with players.
Despite its short length, the game is packed with rich content and thought-provoking themes, making it a worthwhile experience for those seeking a narrative-driven adventure.

Some players have reported frustrating gameplay mechanics, including bugs that can lead to repetitive death loops and a lack of conventional save options.
The story can feel disjointed at times, with characters and narratives that lack depth, leaving some players confused about the overall purpose of the game.
While the minimalist design is appreciated by many, others find the graphics and gameplay mechanics too simplistic, leading to a less engaging experience.

story
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The game's story is a blend of introspective themes and emotional depth, often resonating with players through its symbolic narrative and relatable experiences. While some find the main storyline short and lacking in depth, others appreciate the rich content and the additional short stories that enhance the overall experience. The gentle survival mechanics complement the storytelling, creating a peaceful yet thought-provoking journey that encourages players to reflect on their own lives.
- “Excellent game, well made main story that becomes very deep.”
- “Soul searching is beautiful and, though slow and slightly frustrating at times, is a wonderful story and very peaceful.”
- “Awesome story with rich content and great soundtrack.”
- “Except for that whole ordeal (bug or feature, no idea), the story and characters lack depth.”
- “I like the world presented in the game, but the cutscenes take you completely elsewhere that doesn't seem to belong to the main story of the game at all.”
- “The main story is short and very uneventful.”
gameplay
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The gameplay is characterized by a minimalist design that emphasizes exploration and narrative over complex mechanics, evoking feelings of loneliness and serenity. While some players appreciate the gentle survival elements and intuitive navigation, others criticize the gameplay as lacking depth and being overly simplistic. Overall, the experience is often described as more of an emotional journey than a traditional game, with a focus on storytelling and atmosphere.
- “The exploration is intuitive and the gameplay varied.”
- “Game really excels at evoking feelings of loneliness & serenity by the gameplay itself, which is simply sailing from one island to another by yourself and trying to stay alive while days & nights go by and nature throws interesting things at you.”
- “Gentle survival mechanics encourage narrative, rather than suppress gameplay and the navigation helps the confined, rich story feel like a real journey.”
- “Poor content, boring gameplay, f***ing waste of time.”
- “There's no gameplay; you just move from spot to spot reading drivel.”
- “The 'survival' mechanic is just badly thought out, as it forces you to go from A to B on the map.”
emotional
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its deep emotional impact, with players describing it as a heartfelt and moving experience that evokes strong feelings, including tears at the end. Many reviewers highlight the combination of a touching narrative, engaging gameplay mechanics, and a cinematic soundtrack that enhances the emotional journey. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a meaningful and contemplative gaming experience.
- “Incredibly heartfelt narrative with interesting survival mechanics and a great vibe and soundtrack to carry it through.”
- “If you are looking for an emotional experience that allows you to contemplate through a meaningful journey, then search no more.”
- “A big thank you to kayabros for creating a story this touching to a lone soul.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
19%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create a relaxing and emotionally resonant atmosphere, enhancing the overall narrative experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as beautiful and integral to the game's cinematic feel, with many noting its effectiveness in complementing the heartfelt story and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive quality.
- “Incredibly heartfelt narrative with interesting survival mechanics and a great vibe and soundtrack to carry it through.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “The music and game flow almost create a cinematic experience; it was touching at moments, for sure.”
- “It is beyond mechanics: the soundtrack, visuals, and audio are wrapped around a unique and compelling narrative.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The game's graphics feature an abstract art style that may not appeal to everyone, but they effectively create a compelling atmosphere enhanced by sound and music. While the visuals are simple and can feel somewhat empty in terms of mechanics, they complement a powerful narrative, demonstrating that engaging storytelling can outweigh the need for high-end graphics. Overall, the aesthetic is pleasing and contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “I think it's fair to say the graphic style might not appeal to everyone, but the overall atmosphere is pretty successful at luring you in once you start playing, with nice details and use of sound and music.”
- “It is beyond mechanics: the soundtrack, visuals, and audio are wrapped around a unique and compelling narrative.”
- “While the graphics are simple, the story is powerful.”
- “It shows that you don't really need fancy graphics, or expensive sound design in order to provide a good time for the players.”
- “I think it's fair to say the graphic style might not appeal to everyone, but the overall atmosphere is pretty successful at luring you once you start playing, with nice details and use of sound and music.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by detailed graphics, sound, and music, despite the graphic style not appealing to everyone. Players appreciate the thematic depth of solitude and self-discovery through travel and interaction with others, which contributes to a compelling emotional experience.
- “I think it's fair to say the graphic style might not appeal to everyone, but the overall atmosphere is pretty successful at luring you in once you start playing, with nice details and use of sound and music.”
- “I really love the atmosphere of the game: the idea of leaving your home, traveling alone, and finding yourself by meeting other people and overcoming new obstacles is particularly powerful.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users commending the exceptional performance achieved by the sole developer, who dedicated significant effort to create a polished experience.
- “A stellar performance from the sole developer who worked day in and day out to create a masterpiece.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the grinding aspect of the game is engaging and does not feel tedious, enhancing the overall experience alongside its heartfelt story.