Giant Squid is one of the best developers in the biz when it comes to crafting beautifully breezy indie adventures. Sword of the Sea, its latest outing, will never escape the obvious Journey comparisons, but it still stands tall as the team's most refined game to date.

Without wanting to strip the title of its elegance, Sword of the Sea is basically what you'd get if you mashed Journey and ABZU together, and seasoned them with The Pathless. It's a delicate mix of meditative exploration and slick platforming, backed by simple but evocative storytelling.

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In a lot of ways, it feels like a true spiritual successor to both Journey and ABZU, and so if you're familiar with either, you'll already know exactly what you're getting into here.

Sitting at around 3 hours in length — almost certainly less on repeat playthroughs — Sword of the Sea provides a fulfilling trip across the desert sands and abandoned cities of a lost civilisation.

It all begins with the awakening of your voiceless character, who's capable of riding a large sword as though it's a surfboard. Gloriously smooth controls make traversal a delight, especially when you're zipping through the game's larger, more open environments.

Actually, Sword of the Sea is a surprisingly speedy experience, and as such, it requires a bit more finesse than something like Journey. As you progress, the platforming challenges get a little trickier, and you'll need to start thinking about hitting top speeds before taking on certain jumps.

That's not to say this is a difficult game — the only penalty for falling into an abyss is a brief reset back to solid ground — but it is more involved than its spiritual predecessors. The same is true of the puzzles, which, while simplistic in design, do make you consider your surroundings.

Our point here is that Sword of the Sea is more of a game than Journey or ABZU are — and this is further evidenced by the fact that you can rack up points atop your surfsword by pulling off tricks and flicks midair. Learning and mastering these techniques is entirely optional, but again, there's a certain degree of gameplay depth on offer.

Does that detract from the overall experience, though? Journey is such a masterpiece because it's so streamlined as a slice of interactive media; it doesn't get hung up on elements that would be considered 'traditional' game design, like scores or collectible currencies — or even text.

Sword of the Sea dabbles in all of these things, and we think, at least to some extent, that they cheapen the title's meditative tone. Don't get us wrong, so much of the game is masterfully pieced together — but it's a point that's worth pondering.

For instance, gathering that collectible currency we just mentioned, or stopping to read lore-related messages attached to obelisks, often disrupts the flow of each locale, pushing you to backtrack for the sake of unlocking new aerial tricks. There's no doubt that Sword of the Sea is at its best when you're just gliding between environments and soaking up the vibes with zero distractions.

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Indeed, as an audio-visual experience alone, this is something quite special. It's a sumptuous release to gawk at, packed with bold colour palettes spread across brilliant art direction.

Meanwhile, a mostly orchestral score from Journey composer Austin Wintory hits the spot on every occasion, with a mix of understated melodies and inspiring swells.

But what really sets Sword of the Sea apart is its use of contrast; the protagonist has the ability to restore water and aquatic life to their barren world, resulting in stunning moments where crystal clear lakes and rivers sprout from the sands, and all kinds of fish start gliding through the air.

Environments start to take on dreamlike, almost surreal atmospheres, and it all just adds to the game's already eye-popping charms.

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Once the credits have rolled, you're free to jump straight back into Sword of the Sea thanks to a New Game+ mode, which lets you replay the whole thing with all of your trick-based upgrades intact. It also introduces a few interesting bonuses, including the option to toggle extra HUD elements so that you can see your current speed and technique scores.

Because of its short length, we think this is a game that's well worth replaying at least once. Knowing exactly where you're going on a second or even third run gives the title an even more seamless feel.

Conclusion

Sword of the Sea certainly won't have the same impact that Journey did all those years ago, but in so many ways, it feels like a direct evolution of that legendary experience. It's a beautifully smooth game, set across a series of gorgeous environments that are a joy to explore. While its more game-y elements do feel a tad forced, they're not enough to distract from what is a sumptuous adventure.