Each chapter tends to have one large puzzle to solve in order to move onto the next area, and it’s surrounded by numerous smaller problems to solve in order to find the main solution.Īn adventure game is only as good as its puzzles, though, and in this regard Call of the Sea excels. As much as its story and aesthetic influences are clear to see, its gameplay is firmly rooted in classics such as the Myst series. It didn’t detract too much from me enjoying the story as a whole, but did at times leave little to interpretation or genuine discovery and what felt like it could’ve been an enticing open mystery sometimes became an expedition in exposition instead.Īn adventure game is only as good as its puzzles, though, and in this regard Call of the Sea excels. It occasionally feels unnatural, with the obvious stated on more than one occasion. It’s in these internal thoughts, however, that some of the writing doesn’t hold up. It’s very well written on the whole and concisely tells its story through internal dialogue, letters, and painted murals without ever becoming confusing or dull. Similar to Firewatch, Call of the Sea has a personal story to tell with a healthy dose of mystery thrown in. She’s expertly voiced by Cissy Jones (of Firewatch and The Walking Dead fame) who carries the story on her shoulders for almost all of its runtime with occasional support from Yuri Lowenthal (Marvel’s Spider-Man) as Harry. You play as Norah, a woman suffering from an unexplained illness, the cure for which is the reason Harry ventured to the south Pacific in the first place. There’s a genuine feeling of discovery as you follow in the tracks of your character’s explorer husband, Harry.
Wells as you travel to a mysterious location and unearth its history as well as the remnants of an ancient civilization. The more you invest in its characters and story, the more gratification you'll ultimately receive.Ĭall of the Sea is not without a sense of adventure, though, and borrows heavily from the 19th-century novels of Jules Verne and H. And like true love, Call of the Sea is reciprocal the more you invest in its characters and story, the more gratification you’ll ultimately receive when choosing between its equally affecting and poignant endings.
It’s fundamentally about the lengths we’ll go to for the people we love. In particular, The Shape of Water appears to have a big influence throughout – romance, fantasy, and well, water are big themes here. Never does it descend into pure horror, though, and stays firmly put in the more dreamlike elements of the Lovecraftian spectrum, with aspects of Guillermo Del Toro’s work also present. The shadow of Lovecraft hangs heavy over the island, with echoes of other-worldly creatures and pearlescent “The Colour Out of Space” tones littering the landscape at times. It’s clear from the get-go of this four to five-hour first-person adventure where its inspirations came from.
#Call of the sea organ puzzle full
The stunning island setting of Call of the Sea does exactly this as you’re led through each of its puzzle-laden areas, gradually revealing the answers to an engrossing story full to the brim with beauty and darkness. They take you to a mysterious place full of intrigue and the unknown, a place which by the end of your time there you’ve uncovered all of the secrets it held inside. All great puzzle games not only consist of lots of smaller problems to solve along the way, but one overarching conundrum to unpack on your journey.