Written by Joel Philip, August 9, 2016, at 9:17 p.m.
One of the biggest takeaways from gaming I need to have nowadays is a connection. Far too often I’ve purchased video games because the box art looked awesome, the trailer was too good to be true, or I let myself on the hype train too early and never got off.
With that said, I can be very apprehensive when it comes to unique looking arthouse-style games that look different from everything else available, because you never can be too sure what you’re getting. Thankfully with ABZU, I got everything I could have wanted out of this game, and more, due to its sincerely mellow tone and engaging atmosphere.
ABZU Review
From the very beginning, the vibe you’ll feel from ABZU will strike as something very similar to Journey. That, in part is due to creative director Matt Nava and music composer Austin Wintory, who both worked on Journey. Giant Squid, the developer behind ABZU, for whatever glorious reason, decided to use these elements in conjunction with their vision of underwater exploration.
The result is honestly hard to explain, but if I could sum it up with a challenge, it would be this: I dare you to play ABZU when you’re in a bad mood and not feel much better within 20 minutes. It might nearly be impossible.
Visuals
Graphically, ABZU is running on Unreal Engine 4, and however the developer made it possible to create such a lush, beautiful, and cinematic feel to the underworld environment, in my opinion they did it flawlessly.
I have never been scuba diving before, but to watch a video of underwater exploration and to put ABZU right next to it, you’d swear at times you could actually see things in the ocean as beautifully as you can in ABZU.
All of the creatures you encounter have their own motions, patterns, sounds, and even meals (yes watching one fish gobble another is awesome). From the beautiful underwater tunnels to the massive & mysterious structures, all of the detailed environments in the game are teeming with vibrant lights, colors, and presence. It really is hard to not get lost in swimming around just to see every nook and cranny.
Sounds
Speaking of presence, nothing takes your focus away quite like the music and sounds of ABZU. Just listening to the sounds of the game as you meditate, watching the fish rule the ocean is simply blissful. It is some of the most relaxing and rewarding music I’ve ever heard from a game, and truly fit the underwater vibe.
This would be the perfect kind of game to listen to with headphones on. All of the distinct animal noises made by the creatures you encounter, along with the refreshingly zen-like soundtrack create a sense of tranquility and awe-inspiring reaction that is truly hard to come by from most video games period. Each area, no matter how intense things get, brings along a song and sounds from the creatures of the sea that invoke the most calming of reactions one can have.
Gameplay
The controls are done extremely well, although be warned; the game is automatically inverted when you start. The controls are quite sensitive and will require you to adjust the sensitivity to your liking in order to get the best out of our character and the camera.
However, for the most part, you are free to roam around in any one of the games numerous locations without worries of being lost or frustrated. Naturally you’re just swimming and I will have to admit, these are some of the best swimming mechanics I’ve ever encountered in a game. Which is saying a lot, due to the fact that swimming in most games is like moving a tank.
Story
There is a story in ABZU. However, that is up to you to find. ABZU doesn’t hand hold you at any point in the game. You are merely given the basic control functions to maneuver your way around, and left to fend for yourself, which is clearly not hard at all.
As you progress in the game, the countless paintings, murals and structures you see piece the narrative together in a way that might not catch most people fully on their first playthrough. On top of that, there is one section in the game that may very well get you quite emotional if you aren’t already just by ABZU‘s natural presence.
Final Thoughts
In all, I have to say that there’s no good reason to miss out on ABZU. This isn’t even really a game, this is an experience. With a $20 price point, you’re honestly not doing any harm to yourself with this one. Yes, technically you can beat the game within two to three hours if you’re going straight forward, with maybe five hours, tops, if you’re exploring everything.
But you cannot beat or duplicate the excellent tone of this game or the feelings of curiosity it will bring out of you. However, after all is said and done, if you don’t believe me, then just watch my clips below and become a believer yourself. I dare you.