Review for Abzu. Game for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Network and Xbox One, the video game was released on 02/08/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 29/11/2018 The version for Xbox One came out on 06/12/2016
Abzu, a combination of two Sumerian terms, means "wisdom of the ocean". The title chosen by Matt Nava, among the minds behind the masterpieces Flower e Journey, and from his team it seems perfect to describe what this branded work represents Giant Squid: “A fresco of the sea and its depths to discover its innermost secrets”.
If, like myself, you have always felt a mixture of fear and reverentiality towards the giant expanses of water represented by the sea, initially you could approach with the "lead feet" towards ABZÛ, both for the atypical nature of this title and for the unpredictability of what could be hidden in the depths of the sea. Fortunately, these fears soon turn out to be unfounded as the Giant Squid title promptly reassures the player about what ABZ rappresenta represents: a journey yes, but without danger and dominated by an insatiable thirst for knowledge towards the marine ecosystem and towards a plot not revealed, yet it stretches out before our eyes.
At the bottom of the sea
As a strange diver we will find ourselves swimming deeper and deeper exploring ocean flora and fauna, without having to worry about oxygen or threats posed by sharks or other particularly dangerous fish. Indeed, just a dangerous specimen par excellence like the Great White Shark will be the guiding animal of the game: we will meet statues and frescoes that depict him and it will often be our only clue on which path to follow among the sea depths.
After the initial amazement for the myriad of beings we will meet, our journey will become much more intriguing with some simple but effective puzzles to advance through the eight chapters that make up ABZÛ. Having arrived this far it seems clear that there are no real glaring elements in the plot of the Giant Squid title but only so many clues that, scattered in the various environments, will lead us to follow our alter ego in the discovery of a natural pattern spoiled by discordant elements and mysterious, able to catapult us through unexplored depths and increasingly fascinating environments.
In the vastness called the Ocean
ABZÛ is designed as a really simple and essential title with a small number of commands. The advice, ours and of the developers themselves, is to use a pad (if played on a PC) with two analog sticks in order to take advantage of the free camera and move easily even in the most “excited” phases. The remaining commands are limited to swimming, sprinting and interacting with the environment and fish to swim on their backs.
The whole game experience is designed to make the player intrigued by the many elements scattered around here and there, from the most insignificant seaweed to the gigantic whales, without leaving room for dialogues, diaries and menus of any kind.
So do not be surprised if initially you want to spend the minutes turning around to discover the various specimens of marine fauna present, some of which can be unlocked by discovering hidden shells. The discovery of some statues depicting different types of sharks will also allow the player to "meditate". In this way it will be possible to pass, through a fixed camera, between the various specimens present in the area to observe their movements and, why not, notice some previously missed details.
Solving puzzles is not a difficult task at ABZÛ due to its strong propensity for exploration, but it will still be suggestive to unlock underwater portals or recover the strange robotic assistants that will help our lonely diver to go beyond some areas otherwise inaccessible.
Visually, Giant Squid's work is truly superb thanks to the inspired artistic direction of Matt Nava and the skilful use of Unreal Engine 4. With a graphic style that tends more to pastel than to realism but with beautiful colors and believable animations, ABZÛ will be a feast for the eyes of even the most demanding gamers.
The excellent work done on ABZÛ will be evident especially when we find ourselves whizzing in sea currents in a fluid and dynamic way, passing between various schools of fish, (able to increase our speed by interacting with them at the appropriate time), and without notice slowdowns or drops in frame rates, at least in the PC version.
If this were not enough and if you are looking for an even more enveloping experience from a game, ABZÛ will be able to satisfy your requests thanks to a soundtrack and a first-rate audio sector. The suggestion of ABZÛ increases wildly thanks to the splendid music able to envelop you, relax, and get excited at the most opportune moment and on several occasions, assisting the construction of this marine fresco.
Going to nitpick in the excellent work done by Matt Nava and associates one cannot overlook an important detail such as longevity: finishing the experience prepared for ABZÛ will take just a couple of hours. Each player will still be able to evaluate how long to stop to explore the various areas in search of hidden goodies or continue directly in the dive towards the end.
Far be it from us to consider it as a defect but we cannot even overlook the fact that ABZÛ is configured as a different title and not suitable for everyone: each player will have to evaluate based on his videogame taste whether to try this different gaming experience and first of all artistic.
A fresco of a touching and exciting vividness is what ABZÛ represents in the videogame panorama, a work that will make you discover the sea and make you love it madly. It is difficult to find faults in this title, exceptional both graphically and soundly if not in its meager longevity but, if you want to try an unforgettable and atypical experience, be sure that Giant Squid's work is first-rate.
► ABZÛ is an Adventure-indie game developed by Giant Squid Studios and published by 505 Games for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Network and Xbox One, the video game was released on 02/08/2016 The version for Nintendo Switch came out on 29/11/2018 The version for Xbox One came out on 06/12/2016
