Sea of Solitude Video Review
Since its initial announcement at last year’s E3, Sea of Solitude has been a highly anticipated title that beautifully and honestly explores the themes of depression, loneliness and a whole host of our darkest emotions. It follows the journeys of Kay, a girl who is lost in her own mind and must battle her own demons. Sea of Solitude is a truly beautiful game which, in a short run time, crams every single nook and cranny full of impactful metaphors and somber, poetic imagery. To watch our full review of Sea of Solitude, hit play on the video below.
In Sea of Solitude, the monsters Kay encounters – while not explicitly named – are manifestations of her own self-loathing and that uncomfortable voice in the back of her mind, taunting her with insults, sneer remarks to end her own life and to give up on ever trying to help anyone. The imagery and dialogue blend together to create an unfortunately beautiful portrait of what it feels like to be locked in depression and entirely alone; the drab darkness, floating endlessly, being alone with only your thoughts, memories, and regrets.
The game is aesthetically gorgeous, but the gameplay component is a bit too simple. With little to no puzzle solving, the game breaks down as a glorified walking-sim, and while the storytelling, voice acting and subject matter are all an immaculate experience, we were left wondering if a video game was the best medium of choice for this visionary project. Overall, Sea of Solitude is a short but impactful and memorable experience that treats the subject matter of depression, loneliness, and mental illness with both respect and honesty. It is, however, only the game’s powerhouse storytelling that holds it together, as mechanically it’s simply a lot of walking with some minor platforming.
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