Call of the Sea Critic Reviews

Call of the Sea is proof that “Lovecraft” doesn’t have to mean “darkness and tentacles”. This is a positive, sometimes even cheerful adventure and it’s only the undertones which are ominous, and that works surprisingly well. Also, the puzzles are great, as are the graphics and the quietly moving story.

It is a delightful indie game. They have known how to choose each tool to create an adventure of exploration, mystery and with a variety of puzzles that will undoubtedly leave you hooked.

My only real complaint is that there’s very little replay value outside of getting the second ending (though it’s just a final choice you make, so you could just play the final chapter again), searching for hidden collectables and cleaning up missing achievements. The setting and narrative are fantastic and it’s an adventure I’m glad to have been a part of. You can tell that Call of the Sea was made with much care and love as it’s one of those games that simply has a lot of character and heart.

Call of the Sea is a enjoyable first person puzzler that lays on said puzzles thick and fast. That it also looks stunning didn’t hurt my time with it. Having access to the journal is a great touch, and the story kept me hooked and keen to see what was next throughout.

A thoroughly enjoyable first-person adventure brimming with mystery, intrigue and intricate, well-thought-out puzzles, Call of the Sea is a journey into the unknown that proves both rewarding and memorable.

Who said that single player games were dead? Call of the Sea on Xbox was made for Game Pass: a fantastic story stunningly told, full of well-pitched puzzles, with almost zero replayability. It’s one of 2020’s most surprising genre-reboots, taking Myst and transplanting in a heart, and we’re all for it. You’d do well to buy a ticket to its shores.

Call of the Sea is a great starter for Out of the Blue. The game brings together the best of the puzzle classics of the 90s and combines it with the macabre monster stories of H.P. Lovecraft with a certain cinematic touch. A very successful Xbox debut. Of course, if you don't like puzzles, this is not your game.

Like any good puzzle game, there is special satisfaction in working out a solution to a conundrum that has stumped you, and that’s the best reward in the game. Call of the Sea ramps up the story towards the end, but I cared far more about the clues than Norah and Harry’s tale. It frustrates as the best puzzles often do, but no solutions feel unearned or gimmicky. This is definitely one for the pencil-chewers to check out.

With a style reminiscent of the great classics, it left a great taste in my mouth.

What a surprise Call of the Sea was! Out of the Blue’s debut title shows off its own well-defined personality through a very accurate artistic direction and attention to details. All puzzles have their own logic and the idea of ​​proposing them in blocks, separating the adventure into sealed chapters, helps to focus attention on a limited number of elements. With its crazy atmosphere and an eight-hours duration, which prevents any kind of fatigue, Call of the Sea is a highly recommended game for adventure’s (and Lovecraft’s) lovers.

Call of the Sea gives that warm, almost nostalgic feeling of wonder. This six-hour puzzle adventure is filled to the brim with beautiful environments, occult mystery and unexpected plot twists. As a player you get the feeling that you have rediscovered a long forgotten fairy tale. But be warned: Call of the Sea plays anything but smooth and requires a lot of patience.

Narrative and gameplay come together in a perfect symbiosis.

Call of the Sea is an enjoyable adventure. The story and setting are refreshingly different from what you’ll find in other games this season, and the puzzles are challenging enough to require some thought but not so much so to be frustrating. If you enjoy puzzles, you’ll enjoy your trip to the South Pacific.

The Call of the Sea is one of the better Lovecraftian games in recent memory, thanks to its art, writing, acting and subtle defiance of some well-worn mystery conventions. In general, its puzzles are accessible yet challenging and the story is well told and set in a refreshingly unfamiliar environment. Less passive than a typical walking simulator but still not an action game, The Call of the Sea should appeal to gamers that appreciate beautiful art and an engrossing mystery.

Call of The Sea brings us a classic lovecraftian adventure: puzzles, a mystery that must be unveiled and realities abeyond ours. Despite not bringing anything new, it's pretty fresh enjoying a non-horror take on Lovecraft novels. You won't be disappointed.

Intriguing and fascinating, Call of the Sea is a worthy new addition to Xbox Game Pass.

Call of the Sea has left a good taste in our mouths, a modest adventure of puzzles and narrative that poses some good puzzles and a very simple and unoriginal story, but that never takes on too much prominence and is followed with pleasure, achieving a good balance between all its parts. If you like riddles in their proper measure, without needing to leave you mentally exhausted, surely you are going to enjoy it.

Out of the Blue's debut game manages to pack in some complex puzzles set amongst some beautiful environments, and has a story that keeps you hooked throughout.

If the writers weren't so eager to spoil their own surprises, I think we'd be looking at one outstanding narrative-driven adventure here. As it is, Call of the Sea is a pleasing piece of pulp fiction and a decent test of your puzzle-solving skills.

Call of the Sea fascinates thanks to great environments and an intriguing story, helped by a good narrative and puzzle structure. Some puzzles feel a bit too cryptic and the story could have expanded more especially towards the final hours, but it's definitely a game to try and a successful debut for developer Out of the Blue.