Hands-On Impressions of “Sword of the Sea” – PlayStation Blog

Sure thing, here’s a rework of the article. Let’s dive in:

So, there’s this buzzing new game called Sword of the Sea from Giant Squid and this dude Matt Nava. You probably know them if you’ve been paying attention to the gaming scene. They mashed up their previous work — think the wet wonders of Abzû, the wild vibes of The Pathless, and Journey’s sandy landscapes. It’s like they tossed all these into a blender and hit the "awesome" button.

I got a sneak peek at it and had some chat time with the folks over at Giant Squid. By the way, it’s dropping on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog real soon — August 19, if you’re marking calendars.

The Sands, The Sea, and Everything Between

Okay, so you start off as this mysterious dude called The Wraith. You’re basically an empty vessel. Not to sound dramatic, but your mission is to, uh, revive the ocean. Yeah, no pressure, right? You get this mystical surfboard (or maybe it’s more like a hoverboard for sands) and set off on an epic ride.

The starting area? Massive playground vibes. You can get comfortable with the board and try some cool tricks. There are these things called Ocean Seeds scattered around that help you restore the sea and, surprise, marine life. Playing a game and saving the planet? Dream combo.

And… the water isn’t just for show. Gliding on it makes you go faster, jump higher, and pull off more tricks. Plus, some sea creatures help out, like jellyfish acting like bouncy pads or seaweed for climbing. Watching everything transform around you is pretty dope.

Nava’s got this obsession with the spiritual buzz of surfing. He’s like, “Surging through waves? That’s where our world and the mysterious underworld meet.” Deep, man. It’s like he’s waxing poetic about extreme sports and how they’re not just about thrills but, you know, connecting with the universe or something.

Golden triangles, called Tetra, are scattered throughout, and they’re basically your currency. Trading them in reveals more tricks and new paths. Gotta wander off the beaten path to discover everything. It’s like life’s little detours, but digital.

Trick It or Leave It

Pulling off moves in this game? It’s a stroll in the park. Once you get the hang of surfing, hit jump again to unleash some sick double jump tricks. There are also advanced tricks that come after you trade your Tetra. Think grabs, flips, and other flashy maneuvers — all with specific button combos. Get it right, and you’re scoring some serious points.

Sword of the Sea’s always keeping tabs on what you’re pulling off trick-wise. There’s this mysterious Trick Attack thingy, but who knows what the real goal is? Guess we’ll find out later.

The game’s set in the desert, but it’s not all sand. Found some ruins, tile roofs, and friendly sea critters to grind on. And oh, the haptics? They really went all out. Feel the tiles, the sand, the water — it’s bananas. It’s like every surface speaks to you through the controller.

Nava highlights, “With the DualSense vibes, you feel everything differently. It’s all about realism, touching, and, uh, immersing you in the game world.”

And there’s a twist! As you wander, murals and environment bits hint at a story of loss and whatnot. Plus, there’s this other wraith character. Alien vibes? Mystery? You bet.

Even though Sword of the Sea might seem like it’s painting by numbers from Giant Squid’s old stuff, it really feels like a level up. Everything in the game just sucked me right in, and now I can’t wait to jump back into that world.

Nava’s like, “We have our art style and these moving stories with color and music. It’s all about the dance between nature and movement.” Digging it.

Oh, and if you’re hungry for more Sword of the Sea scoop, go check out the latest trailer and other goodies from State of Play.

And there you have it. If you got this far, hope it made sense! Who knows, maybe I missed some stuff. But hey, it’s all part of the ride.