The Sea Eternal
- April 22, 2016
- Choice of Games
Get on Steam"The Sea Eternal" is an underwater adventure game where you play as a diver exploring sunken ruins. Use your wits and tools to solve puzzles, reveal secrets, and uncover the story of a lost civilization. With its beautiful art style and atmospheric soundtrack, this game provides a serene and immersive experience.
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Reviews
- The writing is superb and the story is engaging, with a fascinating world and characters that develop over multiple playthroughs.
- The game offers a unique setting as a merfolk, providing an interesting narrative that explores complex themes.
- Players appreciate the emotional depth and complexity of the plot, making it a memorable experience despite some flaws.
- The stat system is overly complex and can feel frustrating, often leading to a lack of meaningful choices and forcing players into specific paths.
- Many players feel that the game pushes a specific agenda, detracting from the overall storytelling and limiting player agency.
- Character development is often seen as lacking, with some players feeling that the endings do not provide a satisfying conclusion to their journeys.
- story50 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its depth and character development, particularly in the context of a unique mermaid setting. However, many critics feel that the narrative is hampered by poor pacing, a lack of meaningful choices, and an overt focus on social justice themes that detracts from the storytelling experience. While the writing is often praised, the overall execution leaves some players feeling railroaded and unsatisfied with the story's progression.
“Theoretically very interesting; I love how you learn more about the story every time you play through it, gaining insights into the world and the characters.”
“It's really fascinating how you slowly uncover the big picture story behind everything in that way.”
“Lynnea Glasser's writing is superb, and the story is fascinating.”
“Quite honestly, I found this story lacking in several areas.”
“Poor character development and a rushed story left much to be desired.”
“I agree with the people who say that the choices weren't really choices: I felt railroaded into responses that I didn't want but that the 'game' decided I should in order to move the story along.”
- character development6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with some reviewers noting it as poor or average, particularly in "The Sea Eternal." However, a few comments highlight that while character depth may be limited, the engaging plot and good pacing somewhat compensate for these shortcomings. Overall, the consensus suggests that character development is a weak point in the narrative.
“A bit short but has good character development and story pacing.”
“Poor character development and a rushed story left much to be desired.”
“Character development is average in The Sea Eternal, but whatever it loses in character dimensionality, it makes up for with its huge plot.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that while stat manipulation can be enjoyable in other titles, this particular game makes it feel tedious and frustrating.
“I've played several Choice of... games before, and normally playing around with the stats can vary from tedious to fun depending on the game, but this is the first time I've been so frustrated by the stat system in any of these games.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it engaging while others express frustration, leading them to abandon the game after a few hours. The pros and cons highlight a divide in player experience, suggesting that the gameplay may not appeal to everyone.
“I totally gave up after four hours of gameplay; here's the pros and cons:”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the controls to be clunky and unresponsive, which ruined the overall experience.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight "The Sea Eternal" as their top choice for its rich emotional complexity, which enhances the overall experience of the game. Additionally, "Choice of Robots" is noted for its multidimensional characters, contributing to its emotional depth.
“As a fan of choose-your-adventure games for a year, I rank The Sea Eternal as my number one favorite due to the emotional complexity the game delivers.”
“The emotional depth of the characters in The Sea Eternal truly sets it apart from other games in the genre.”
“Playing The Sea Eternal was a deeply moving experience; the choices I made felt significant and resonated with me long after I finished.”
