Game Review - ABZU

Game Review: ABZÛ by Giant Squid
Score: +5/-1

Discover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie forgotten and encounters with majestic creatures await.

ABZÛ is an epic descent into the depths of the sea, where players will explore beautifully rendered ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we all carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZÛ is a universal myth that resonates across cultures. The name references a concept from the oldest mythologies; it is the combination of the two ancient words AB, meaning ocean, and ZÛ, meaning to know. ABZÛ is the ocean of wisdom.

+ If you liked AER Memories of Old simply for the experience of literally flying like a bird, you'll probably like ABZÛ for the experience of diving in the ocean. You don't have to surface for air, and the flora and fauna react to you in what feels like a very natural but unfearful way, making it a magical and carefree experience. You can even hitch a ride on a dolphin!

+Initially you are in a lush ocean teeming with life, then you go to deeper darker waters, then even to a fully mechanical alien environment. This may not be what you signed up for, so know that you'll pass through such environments briefly before the ambiance changes again and you progress to an epic, exhilarating, finish.

+- There are interesting sequences that are out of your control, such as a long, winding, current that washes you through a scenic path. But at the same time, this undermines the earlier freedom to explore at your own pace.

+ The "game" portion that makes this more than empty swimming around are simple tasks or objectives that unlock the transition point to the next area. So mostly you are free to experience swimming around and exploring without any real skill required that might block your progress.

+ An even more relaxing screensaver-style "Meditation" mode, although it was not fully clear how to unlock all the tiles there. It probably has to do with side tasks in each dive zone but I didn't fully explore this. In meditation mode, the camera follows a type of sea creature, and you can swap which type of creature it follows.