Sea of Solitude Xbox One X Review

Sea of Solitude starts strong, plunging the player into a vast ocean that house monsters and allies alike. With dark themes of loneliness that push the protagonist to confront unbearable truths. Unfortunately, while the story starts off strong Sea of Solitude cannot ride that wave, with much of its momentum quickly lost.

Sea of Solitude has you in control of Kay, a former human turned monster desperately trying to turn back. To accomplish this Kay much travel through beautifully developed environments and absorb corruption into her trusted backpack. Thanks to a handly flare you're constantly given a direction of where to go in this large world.

Kay is not alone in this world, which houses both monsters and supernatural humans. The 2 most recurring obstacles come in the form of a girl wearing a shell who conveys harsh truths about Kay and a humanoid fish that will eat Kay if she stays in the water for too long. 

There are not only hostile monsters but those Kay must help turn human again. These creatures are directly linked to Kay and provide context into how she deals with heavy relatable issues. Problems such as being distracted to the point that you ignore others close to you or taking on the burden for someone else's actions. Most importantly, Sea of Solitude doesn't attempt to provide a happy ending for every person Kay encounters but helps her grow as a person. Either accepting that she didn't act in the best way for those she loved or deciding not to shoulder the burdens of things she has no control over.

The presentation and monster design are phenomenal. Each of the monsters looks fantastic and easily become the most memorable parts of Sea of Solitude. With the world constantly complementing the current task being performed by Kay. 

The writing can be hit or miss. In one situation Kay was so distracted by her relationship that she completely ignores someone desperately asking for help. This subplot was excellently crafted as it was presented as something that could exist in reality. What made it really shine was the sinister tone of the school, where the children would chant an uneasy rhythm straight out of a horror game.

In another subplot, the marriage between 2 characters was bewildering. You see the progression of their relationship and eventual decay through changing desires that were the opposite of what they wanted from the start. 

Sea of Solitude doesn't offer much in the way of challenge. Those accustomed to platformers will easily navigate the levels. There are collectibles, one where you collect bottle notes left behind from past travelers who past through this world and another where you just scare seagulls for some reason.

Sea of Solitude tackles a lot of sensitives themes and while the platforming and puzzle solving is mostly generic, the incredible monsters and presentation kept breathing life into the adventure. Seeing and resolving the issues each of these massive creatures was facing did, for the most part, have unexpected results but by the end, the story's finale was easily predictable. Sea of Solitude starts strong but cannot hold on to that strong momentum. 
 

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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