Sunless Sea

An oldie but a goodie. Worth a buy.

If so - you're in for a treat as that's where the strenghts of this game lies. It's beautifully and sometimes frighteningly written - writer clearly understands how Lovecraftian game should 'feel'. Graphics are meh - nothing special although they do produce a decent mood. Music is great, atmospheric, wet. Gameplay itself is a painfully slow grind as you swim from port to port to earn an echo (currency) here and there. At first it didn't bother me as I've enjoyed stories and sounds. But progression is so slow that it killed my interest. Also it's a huge misunderstanding that the best tactic in the game is to run away from every threat as even when you 'fight' (press one icon on your screen when it) the losses will be almost always bigger than gains therefore you go bored or you go to start screen to start everything again with blackened map. Shame, I've enjoyed it for a while but only cause I like reading and Lovemakercraft.

Sunless Sea does well at everything that isn't simply "fun". The gameplay is unforgiving tedious and not very rewarding when you're a beginner but the more you get to read, learn and experience in this masterfully crafted world the better it gets. The game punishes your lack of knowledge about it but rewards discovering mechanics and opportunities. Many games will maintain a cookie cutter learning curve that makes sure you can overcome the next incoming obstacle. Here, learning about the game on your own is part of the gameplay which means that just as much as your player character gains experience and levels up, you go through something similar as you, the player. become a better "zee captain" that knows how to traverse the dark waters. This makes Sunless sea one of the most immersive RPG experiences out there. What's even better is that this text heavy game is also one of the best written RPGs out there, comparable to what Interplaay, Black Isle, Obsidian or CDPR produce. Although more esoteric and interestingly abstract in the use of language then the listed studios.

Sunless Seas has a wealth of stories. I'm a hundred hours in and still finding new events; there are still things hinted at that I haven't found; there are still possible endings I'm looking for. The gameplay is less involved, but hardly lacking. Ship combat is simple but effective; and there's plenty of options for changing your ship's equipment. Knowing when to fight and when to flee is important. Resource management is an important aspect of the game; I reckon there are seven different "life bars" that will kill you if they empty. Trading is a minor aspect of the game, but still useful on occasion. If there is one big criticism I have, it's that it is often unclear what you are supposed to do. Plus, while the game keeps track of some goals and objectives for the different side quests, others lack details. Be prepared to either take a lot of notes, or make heavy use of the wiki.

Love it