SUNLESS SEA
- February 6, 2015
- Failbetter Games
- 22h median play time
Wonderful writing resting on top of infirm foundations. Almost a classic, Sunless Sea falls a few leagues short of its final destination.
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games StoreSunless Sea is a literary role-playing game set in the Victorian-Gothic world of Fallen London. As the captain of a steamship, you explore a vast underground ocean filled with mystery and danger. Your choices shape your story as you face hunger, madness, and the constant threat of shipwreck.
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Reviews
- Incredible writing and world-building that immerses players in a unique Lovecraftian atmosphere.
- Engaging and varied storylines with a rich lore that encourages exploration and discovery.
- Challenging gameplay that rewards careful planning and risk-taking, creating a sense of tension and excitement.
- Slow-paced gameplay with tedious travel times that can detract from the overall experience.
- Permadeath mechanic can be frustrating, forcing players to restart and repeat content after dying.
- Combat mechanics are simplistic and often uninteresting, leading to a lack of engagement during battles.
- story3,321 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story in *Sunless Sea* is widely praised for its rich, immersive narrative and exceptional writing, drawing players into a dark, Lovecraftian world filled with intriguing lore and character-driven quests. While the game offers a plethora of unique storylines and choices, many players find the gameplay tedious due to its slow pacing and the need to repeatedly complete similar quests after each character death, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these challenges, those who appreciate deep storytelling and atmospheric exploration often find *Sunless Sea* to be a rewarding and captivating journey.
“I cannot say enough good things about this game; the story and immersion are exceptional.”
“The story, the world, the graphics, the ambiance, are all top tier.”
“The writing is top-notch, and for once I am actually reading through what happens with each quest instead of just clicking through.”
“The game suffers from serious pacing issues because once you experience a story once, each retelling loses its thrill while waiting for the next morsel of new story as your reward for all your work.”
“You will inevitably ask yourself whether the few fragments of story are worth the painful boredom of all those trips.”
“The quests are vague, quest log is basically nonexistent, and I just couldn't bring myself to care about them.”
- gameplay1,634 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Sunless Sea* has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its slow pace and repetitive mechanics as significant drawbacks. While the game excels in storytelling and atmosphere, the core gameplay often feels tedious, involving long sailing trips between ports with minimal action and simplistic combat. Players appreciate the rich narrative and unique world but express frustration over the grindy nature of resource management and the punishing permadeath mechanic, which can detract from the overall experience.
“Has a very satisfying gameplay loop, great writing, and appeals to my taste in roguelikes a lot.”
“The gameplay nails the concept of elusive storytelling: you are given bits of information about this world as you travel, and figuring out the puzzle of the world itself becomes an element of the gameplay.”
“Deeply satisfying gameplay, incredible music, gripping writing.”
“The gameplay is just too slow and clunky, the interesting world and writing don't quite make up for it.”
“The gameplay is lacking but the narrative is fantastic.”
“The gameplay is painfully slow and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
- atmosphere1,295 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Sunless Sea" is widely praised for its immersive, eerie, and richly detailed world, drawing heavily on Lovecraftian themes and Victorian aesthetics. Players appreciate the haunting soundtrack, compelling writing, and the sense of exploration and dread that permeates the game, making it a unique experience despite its slow pacing and grindy gameplay. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its strongest asset, captivating players and enhancing the storytelling throughout their journeys in the Unterzee.
“The atmosphere is amazing, downright bone chilling at times.”
“The atmosphere is incredible and it motivates your stories and gameplay.”
“Sunless Sea is a game dripping in atmosphere and story.”
“The atmosphere is dark and menacing, very lovecraftian.”
“The atmosphere, the writing, and the world-building are amazing and overshadow any issues individual players might have with pacing or the concept of roguelites.”
“The atmosphere is completely engrossing, the world feels very unreal but in a very real way, and the story is just.”
- music725 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in *Sunless Sea* is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively enhancing the game's immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke a sense of dread and wonder, with many noting that it complements the game's dark, Lovecraftian themes beautifully. While some players wish for a greater variety of tracks, the existing music is often described as memorable and integral to the overall ambiance, making it a standout feature of the game.
“In addition to the game world and story writing, the soundtrack of this game is nothing short of a masterpiece.”
“The music matches the game's atmosphere so perfectly that it further immerses you into the game, and many of the songs are genuinely pleasant to listen to while you're sailing to your next destination or hunting that zee-beast you need for a story quest.”
“The music is haunting and mood-building.”
“The music is droning, repetitive, and boring.”
“The one problem is after this, I can't play Fallen London anymore after playing this; the level of absorption and atmosphere just isn't the same without graphics and music.”
“The soundtrack is currently a little repetitive, but the developer seems to be working on that.”
- grinding595 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of "Sunless Sea" is widely criticized for being clumsy, tedious, and repetitive, often detracting from the otherwise rich storytelling and atmospheric experience. Many players find the slow pace and resource management frustrating, especially during the early game, where progress can feel painfully slow and reliant on grinding for money and supplies. While some appreciate the depth of lore and world-building, the overwhelming consensus is that the grind can overshadow the enjoyment of exploration and narrative, making it a challenging experience for those who prefer more dynamic gameplay.
“Ultimately, games should be fun and not tedious unless you find tedium to be fun.”
“The game, if played correctly, is not grindy at all.”
“It's great, if not grindy.”
“The grinding is inescapable; throughout the game, you are under constant lack of resources like money, food, and fuel.”
“Their worldbuilding is superb, their wordcraft is incredible... and they insist, time after time after time to lock the best parts of their game behind punishing, grindingly slow, dull, and uninteresting gameplay.”
“The game is ultimately a stat-raising simulator, and it does eventually become grindy, but in the end, the true friends are the stories we make along the way.”
- graphics549 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Sunless Sea" are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn art style that effectively captures the game's dark, atmospheric themes, reminiscent of Lovecraftian horror and Victorian aesthetics. While some players note that the visuals can be simplistic or inconsistent, many appreciate how they enhance the storytelling and immersion, creating a captivating experience despite the game's text-heavy nature. Overall, the combination of stunning artwork, atmospheric music, and engaging writing contributes to a unique and evocative gaming atmosphere.
“The game's graphics are gorgeous and intricate, creating a sense of depth and realism that immerses you in the world of the Unterzee.”
“The artwork is beautiful, bringing this eerie and mysterious world to life, and the piles atop piles of lore will keep you invested in the universe.”
“The graphics are simple but elegant, and the combat not too challenging if you're paying attention.”
“The graphics are minimal, but what there is is very polished.”
“However, at the same time it feels unexciting where it takes mid-2000s flash game aesthetics with a splash of pseudo grim-darkened Victorian-esque color palettes.”
“If not for its distinct art style to draw attention from its numerous shortcomings, 'Sunless Sea' would have gone totally unnoticed.”
- humor184 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Sunless Sea" is characterized by its dark, witty, and often absurd writing, blending elements of horror and comedy seamlessly. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke laughter amidst unsettling scenarios, with many finding the narrative's macabre humor both charming and engaging. While some critiques mention that the humor may not resonate with everyone, particularly those who prefer lighter tones, the overall consensus highlights a unique and immersive experience filled with clever, often gothic humor.
“Everything about this game oozes personality from its gorgeous art to its antiquated style of darkly humorous writing.”
“The writing is superb with dark humor and genuine horror.”
“It's a lovely balance of darkness with that shred of humor.”
“If you're looking for fun with this game, you might find cannibalism, and believe me, it's not funny.”
“It's not funny at all.”
- replayability167 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability due to its random map generation, diverse storylines, and multiple character backgrounds, encouraging players to explore different paths and outcomes. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to provide a fresh experience with each playthrough, despite some concerns about potential repetitiveness after several runs. While some players note limitations in replay value, the combination of rich storytelling and varied gameplay elements keeps many returning for more.
“The world is comprised of tantalizing snippets all hinting at something greater; there is a wonderful offbeat vibe, esoteric and fantastical places, you can overthrow several different governments, and dang does it have a lot of replayability.”
“All in all, this will always be one of my most favorite games I've ever played for the sheer amount of choices and ways things can play out. It has almost infinite replayability, and every playthrough and choice leads to a very fascinating side of the world you haven't seen before.”
“The shifting map ensures that every new character will have a different exploration experience, ensuring replayability.”
“In the end, this may be a 'power through it once' kind of game, but it's not what I wanted or how it's advertised as a highly replayable trade/exploration sim.”
“I don't know if the replayability works out as well as the designers hoped, since although you can pick up with a new character after you die, you still have to spend hours grinding through the exact same stories you went through the first time, and that can be a bit soul destroying.”
“While there are frustrations with replayability from permadeath, I invested a lot of time into Sunless Sea, and would happily do so again.”
- emotional33 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its ability to evoke a wide range of feelings, from heartwarming moments to deep sorrow, particularly when facing unexpected losses. The narrative and atmosphere are described as immersive and impactful, often leading to tears and a sense of attachment to characters and stories, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. Overall, it offers a unique emotional roller coaster that resonates with those willing to navigate its challenges.
“10/10 would cry again.”
“It's one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played, and can, in the space of a few hours, be horrifying, beautiful, heartbreaking, and surprisingly funny.”
“Permanently losing a captain is heartbreaking, and although that is an impactful message through gameplay, it really kills your will to keep going.”
- stability27 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs, including issues with save/load functionality, random freezes, and interface glitches that hinder gameplay. While some users experienced no crashes and noted smooth performance on certain platforms, the overall consensus suggests that the game feels unfinished and still exhibits numerous stability problems, leading to frustration among players.
“Oh and as always, the game runs great on Linux.”
“Runs great on SteamOS.”
“The game looks and runs great in general, but for some reason it just seems to struggle at max settings even on a very good computer.”
“The game immediately confronts you with bugs - the main menu is buggy to the point where any button you click in a submenu will cause a misclick, either prompting you to quit the game, or resetting tutorials, or otherwise making it difficult to use the menus.”
“This game is a buggy mess.”
“Ultimately felt buggy, unfinished, unpolished.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for feeling exploitative, with concerns about microtransactions and premium content overshadowing the gameplay experience. Reviewers express frustration over the lack of transparency in advertising, suggesting that the game should be marketed as a visual novel rather than a traditional game. Overall, the monetization approach is perceived as a cash grab, detracting from the enjoyment and value of the game.
“The whole pacing feels like they are going to railroad you with microtransactions, time-saver DLCs, and premium content any second.”
“Seems like a lazy cash grab and nothing a couple of computer science grads couldn't make in a few weeks on Unity with the help of an artist and musician.”
“At the end of the day, if a game is advertising itself as a game, then it has to be fun to play, and I honestly can't recommend it as such.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization aspect of the game is described as a gradual process that benefits from player knowledge and strategy, with strong performance and stability. Players can achieve better results by avoiding overly optimized approaches, allowing for a more engaging replay experience. The game's stat system adds depth to challenge completion and combat performance, enhancing the optimization experience.
“Performance and stability are great.”
“It's a slow, steady process which may require some foreknowledge and optimization to really pull off.”
“There's lots of room for replay here as long as you don't decide to Google answers for optimized playthrough.”
“- a stat system with both a % chance to complete challenges, and ship combat performance based on your stats.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding character development, with some players feeling that the game lacks depth and memorable characters, while others appreciate the strong development of various NPCs encountered throughout the story. Overall, the consensus suggests that character development is insufficient for a robust RPG experience.
“The strong character development of the different people that you will inevitably meet adds depth to the game.”
“I believe the game has too little content and character development to be a real RPG.”
“It's just that none of that matters, and very little character development occurs after that point.”
“There is a strong character development of the different people that you will inevitably meet.”
