Swallow the Sea

About

"Swallow the Sea" is a free, surrealistic swimming game where you play as a growing egg cell in a sea of humanoid fish. To progress, you must consume smaller life forms to increase in size and strength, with the ultimate goal of being born. The game is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, and can be downloaded and played by following the instructions provided on the developers' Discord server.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,475 reviews

graphics58 positive mentions

monetization1 negative mentions

The game features a unique and visually striking art style that enhances the eerie atmosphere.
It's a short but engaging experience, providing a mix of fun and tension as players navigate the underwater world.
The gameplay mechanics are simple yet effective, allowing for a satisfying sense of progression as players consume smaller creatures to grow.

The game is very short, typically completed in under 15 minutes, leaving players wanting more content.
Some players found the controls clunky and the gameplay repetitive, which detracted from the overall experience.
The ending can feel abrupt and unsatisfying, leading to confusion about the game's deeper themes.

graphics
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
30%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and unsettling art style, characterized by grotesque pixel art that enhances the eerie atmosphere. Many players appreciate the combination of chilling visuals and a compelling soundtrack, which together create a memorable and immersive experience. Despite the game's short length, the striking aesthetics and creative design leave a lasting impression, making it a standout feature for players.
- “It's a short game, but its disturbing visuals and eerie soundscape are memorable, imparting you with a sense of unease even after the game ends.”
- “The art style is great, it really creates a freaky aesthetic.”
- “A unique, aesthetic style helps to propel Swallow the Sea to great heights while offering a fun, charming, and at times unsettling atmosphere with intriguing gameplay following a simple format: eat small things, get bigger, eat the once-bigger things that are now small.”
- “Not to mention, the unsettling visuals where the world seems to deteriorate more and more as you progress through the game certainly made me feel uncomfortable and have the looming feel of dread.”
- “O_o, the graphics are... weird, the designs are weird... at least the pixel art is... weird too.”
- “A simple but well made game with disturbing undertones and surreal, grotesque artwork.”
gameplay
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
52%
3%
The gameplay is characterized by simple yet engaging mechanics, reminiscent of eat-and-grow games like Agar.io, where players consume smaller creatures to grow larger. While the game is notably short, often completed in under 20 minutes, it offers a satisfying and immersive experience enhanced by its atmospheric art and sound design. Many players express a desire for a longer version, indicating that the core gameplay loop is enjoyable despite its brevity.
- “Love this game, for seemingly simple mechanics it is one of the most immersive I have ever played.”
- “Beautiful pixel art, smooth gameplay that turns from relaxing to terrifying and kinda tense pretty fast, great soundtrack - a real winner!”
- “The gameplay is fun and original; this should truly be a full game.”
- “After doing that for a few areas, it just abruptly plays the end cutscene and credits after less than 15 minutes of gameplay.”
- “Yeah, it's okay, did not expect to be such little gameplay to finish, took me like ~20 minutes.”
- “The gameplay's nothing special, extremely reminiscent of agar.io.”
story
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
59%
6%
The game's story is generally well-received, praised for its intriguing and thought-provoking themes, unique art direction, and unexpected twists, despite being short and open to interpretation. Many players express a desire for a longer narrative that could further explore the game's rich universe, while others note that the story, though interesting, lacks depth and could benefit from more development. Overall, it offers a compelling experience in a brief playtime, leaving players wanting more.
- “I actually think this deserves to be a longer game, the universe and world of the story are really intriguing, so much I just ended up wanting more.”
- “A short but very interesting story, with its own striking visual style and an unexpected ending.”
- “Very fun and equally intriguing story with great art and music.”
- “There is no real story here, just imagery, though there is an ending.”
- “Gameplay is unrewarding, plot - if you can call it that - is all edge, no substance.”
- “I wish the story was a bit more fleshed out, but overall definitely worth a play.”
music
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
22%
7%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its composition and how it complements the art style. The soundtrack is described as both beautiful and creepy, effectively contributing to the game's tension and immersive experience. Overall, players find the music to be a standout feature, elevating the gameplay and making it a memorable part of the experience.
- “Between the incredible atmosphere, soundtrack, and artwork, this is a must-play experience!”
- “Beautiful pixel art, smooth gameplay that turns from relaxing to terrifying and kinda tense pretty fast, great soundtrack - a real winner!”
- “Ehhhmmm... I am not sure what it was... also I'd rather not think about the fetus-like images that went through the entire game... and the creepy music... and the ending...”
- “Not much to say about the soundtrack and no complaints.”
- “The music was very fitting and helped with the anxiety I got trying not to get eaten.”
atmosphere
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
29%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, featuring crisp sound effects, a haunting soundtrack, and unique art styles that create a creepy and unsettling environment. Reviewers highlight the absence of jump scares, instead emphasizing a tense and eerie ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Many describe it as a must-play due to its captivating atmosphere, which effectively draws players into its surreal and grotesque world.
- “Between the incredible atmosphere, soundtrack, and artwork, this is a must-play experience!”
- “I love the creepy, unsettling, and surreal atmosphere of this game; the music is also pretty good.”
- “The game does one of the greatest works on creating an atmosphere since the beginning; I really enjoyed myself with this!”
- “Great design and I love how it doesn't rely on jump scares and other elements but just the eerie and disturbing atmosphere.”
- “This game is truly bizarre and accomplishes a creepy atmosphere without the need for jump scares.”
- “A very tightly constructed 10-15 minute game that made for a great little experience, even if it would have benefitted from being a bit longer to further solidify this enrapturing atmosphere.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its dark yet endearing elements, with quirky character names like "ubb" and "nooty" adding a unique charm. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend comedy with survival themes, describing it as a short, well-designed experience that is both funny and engaging, often highlighting its free accessibility. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay.
- “Yet, strangely, these creatures have endearing names like 'ubb' and 'nooty,' providing a touch of dark humor amid the horror.”
- “A very short and funny survival game.”
- “Short, funny, well-designed game that more or less teaches you to eat your siblings.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of unsettling visuals and a poignant narrative that evokes a range of feelings, from dread to heartwarming moments. Players report experiencing deep emotional responses, including tears and discomfort, highlighting the game's ability to resonate on a personal level through its storytelling and music. Overall, it effectively combines bizarre elements with touching themes, creating a memorable emotional journey.
- “Touching 'coming of age' story.”
- “It's a bizarre and unsettling narrative that manages to be both heartwarming and revolting.”
- “A perfect example of how one can make a truly great and emotional game using just music and some basic mechanics.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and worth revisiting for achievements and its short, engaging experience, others feel that the initial playthrough lacks depth, diminishing motivation for repeated runs. The game is praised for its immersive elements and design, but opinions vary on whether the replay value is substantial enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “The music is great, the art is great, the gameplay is great; it all works together very well. It's super short, very replayable.”
- “This game is very enjoyable, a perfect example of 'short and sweet', great replay value.”
- “Very short and very fun, has lots of replay value.”
- “I'd love to see the design iterations, in-world explanations, etc. It's not very replayable, and it's not supposed to be.”
- “Sure, there's a few challenging achievements to try to add some element of replayability; but when the initial playthrough was so underwhelming, the achievements aren't enough motivation to want to go through it again.”
- “Overall, it's a unique experience and it has some replay value for achievement hunters.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Character development is marked by a unique and trippy design that evolves as players progress, reflecting growth through gameplay. While the narrative is minimal, it effectively piques curiosity, encouraging players to explore further.
- “The character design is unique and trippy, and the small story really draws you in, making you eager to learn more.”
- “You experience growth through eating, which adds an interesting layer to character development.”
- “The combination of quirky character design and an engaging narrative keeps you invested in the characters' journeys.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, leaving me wanting more complexity.”
- “The character design is quirky, but the story behind them is minimal, which detracts from the overall experience.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of "Swallow the Sea" is minimal, as the game is designed to be completed in under 15 minutes, which enhances its suspenseful experience without overwhelming players with ads or in-game purchases.