TESTED GAMEShen you think of EA, you
think of chart-dominating
behemoths like FIFA and
Battlefield. But the explosion of
indie gaming inspired the California
giant to launch EA Originals, a
platform for smaller developers
to showcase their skills. And the
latest game in this venture is Sea
of Solitude, a personal reflection
on trauma and loneliness.
You play as Kay, a young woman
who has turned into a red-eyed
monster and finds herself lost
in a predominantly sunken city.
With nobody else for company
(clue’s in the name), Kay spends
large chunks of the game in a
wooden boat, paddling through
the waters and trying to piece
together what’s happened.
Initially, it’s all bright blue skies
and pastel-coloured buildings, a
veritable postcard in motion. But
you quickly realise that much of
this place is enveloped in darkness,
and Kay’s inner demons are often
literal rather than metaphorical.
A-to-B platforming sections are
made genuinely nerve-wracking
as you attempt to swim from onerooftop to another without being
eaten by the huge sea creature
hunting you from below.
The game’s emotional weight
comes from liberating those closest
to Kay from monster form. Each
chapter acts as a flashback to a
traumatic period – your brother
being bullied at school, your
parents fighting. As Kay tries
to free them from the darkness,
other creatures will whisper taunts
in her ear, blaming her for what
happened. Resolving these
conflicts is about acceptance,
rather than violence.
Sea of Solitude is never less
than visually striking, but the
game itself often falls flat. Stealth
sections soon become tedious,
the platforming lacks polish, and
the puzzles are neither challenging
nor clever. And while Kay’s internal
monologues keep you informed,
they’re wonkily acted.
Still, this is a commendably
ambitious addition to EA’s Originals
library, and one of a number of
recent indie titles that tackle
mental health with real maturity.
Matt TateSTUFF SAYS A unique and affecting experience marred by uninspired gameplay +++,,
Sea of Solitude
The latest EA Original has imposing monsters aplenty, but don’t expect
to run around clobbering them all – this is not a traditional video gamePS4, Xbox One, PC / stuff.tv/SeaOfSolitude
W
You can also do
river cruises
in Berlin, but
they look
quite different
to this.The flooded
city is inspired
by Berlin. You
can get great
kebabs in
Berlin.