Mitchell Demorest
Slant Magazine'Sword of the Sea' Review: A Fantastical Surfing Adventure
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
60
-27 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalCritic Atlas
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PC / PS5 - 8/19/2025
Sword of the Sea
Sword of the Sea is an action-adventure game developed by Giant Squid, the studio behind Abzû and The Pathless. Set in a vast desert landscape, players control a character known as the Wraith, exploring ruins and uncovering a lost world. Movement is centered on the "Hoversword," a tool that combines surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding mechanics. The game emphasizes fluid traversal, atmospheric exploration, and light puzzle-solving.
- Developer
- Giant Squid
- Publisher
- Giant Squid
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Critic average
87
Average of 16 scored external reviews.
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Exploration-drivenDefining · Curated baseline
Cozy / low-pressureDefining · Curated baseline
Atmosphere-driven / aesthetic identityDefining · Curated baseline
Whimsical / playful / lightheartedStrongly · Curated baseline
Reflex / execution-heavyStrongly · Curated baseline
Systems / mechanics-drivenStrongly · Curated baseline
Side-content richStrongly · Curated baseline
Unconventional / experimentalStrongly · Curated baseline
Show 12 more descriptors
Highly replayableModerately · Curated baseline
Story / character-drivenModerately · Curated baseline
Loot / progression-drivenModerately · Curated baseline
Serious / dark / groundedSlightly · Curated baseline
Strategic / planning-heavySlightly · Curated baseline
Combat / action-focusedSlightly · Curated baseline
Puzzle / logic-focusedSlightly · Curated baseline
Punishing / high-pressureSlightly · Curated baseline
Buildcraft / customization-heavySlightly · Curated baseline
Run-based / proceduralNot present · Curated baseline
Multiplayer / socialNot present · Curated baseline
Short / focusedNot present · Curated baseline
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Review coverage
Critic signal strength
Numeric critic scoring uses full scored reviews once available. Review-in-progress scores act as temporary early signal only until full review scores exist. Unscored reviews still count as coverage, but they are not included in the critic average.
High confidencePolarized
Critic avg
87
16 scored reviews
Total coverage
16
All coverage currently scored
Score range
60–100
Lowest to highest scored review
Signal shape
Polarized
Score range is 31+ points
Critic landscape
The critic average is 87 across 16 scored reviews, with a 40-point spread. Critics are far apart on this one.
How to read this
Treat the average carefully. A polarized landscape is where reviewer match, review text, and score deltas matter more than the headline number.
Most scored reviews currently sit in the 90–100 band.
Score distribution
Shows how included scored reviews are clustered across the normalized 100-point scale.
16 included scored reviews
90–10010 reviews · 63%
80–893 reviews · 19%
70–792 reviews · 13%
Below 701 review · 6%
Showing 11-16 of 16 matching critic reviews. 16 total critic reviews. Page 2 of 2.
Ryan Thomas Bamsey
TheGamerSword Of The Sea Review: An Emotionally Stunning Adventure
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
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Score
90
+3 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalRachel Watts
GamesRadar+Sword of the Sea review: "Joyous, fluid hoverboarding connects together everything I loved about Journey and The Pathless" | GamesRadar+GamesRadar+GamesRadar+Total Film
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
80
-7 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalKyle Hilliard
Game InformerSword of the Sea Review - Beauty For The Sake Of Beauty - Game Informer
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
85
-2 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalRavi Sinha
GamingBoltSword of the Sea Review – Echoes in Still Sands
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
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Score
70
-17 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalJoe Morgan
GamingTrendSword of the Sea review — Everybody’s gone surfin’
Published 8/18/2025
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Scoring alignment
—
Score
85
-2 vs critic avg
Review
Read originalPlayer reviews
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