Call of the Sea

Through engaging puzzles and a captivating story, Call of the Sea provides an excellent, poignant adventure.

A dazzlingly different debut with a haunting sense of place and adventure.

Clever puzzles and an engaging narrative make Call of the Sea a voyage worth taking

Carefully crafted puzzles and clues in the story give this game, set on a Polynesian island, the satisfying feel of a journey

If the writers weren't so eager to spoil their own surprises, I think we'd be looking at one outstanding narrative-driven adventure here. As it is, Call of the Sea is a pleasing piece of pulp fiction and a decent test of your puzzle-solving skills.

Aesthetically, the game looks really pretty and is totally evocative of its 1930s setting. The game is plagued with hammy dialogue that makes it feel totally campy and like an old B-movie, but not altogether terrible when coupled with the Lovecraftian influence it draws on. Call of the Sea is a mostly fun puzzle game that falls short on the mystery it tries to have you unveil. While it looks aesthetically pleasing and ticks a lot of boxes for its period setting, the story is lacklustre and predictable.

Call of the Sea is a gripping, interesting, and creative take on the Lovecraftian formula. It moves away from the oft-trodden horror roots and creates an imaginative and immersive puzzle adventure with none of the lingering racism you might expect.

Call of the Sea could benefit from having more substance, but otherwise it's a solid adventure game that manages to put a unique spin on the traditional Lovecraftian adventure.

While the puzzles could have been done better, the storyline in Call of the Sea is top notch with fantastic voice acting and atmospheric sounds.

Call of the Sea on the Nintendo Switch is not a flawless game, and may not be the best place to try to experience the heaviness and brevity of the story trying to be told, but you can still jump into this world just fine on this system. The flexibility of playing on a handheld and taking it anywhere is a major advantage that helps offset many of the game's shortcomings. It is a modest, heartfelt adventure that blends puzzles, story, and atmosphere into something earnestly memorable. While the Switch struggles to do justice to its presentation, the underlying experience is still worth a look, particularly for those eager to uncover what lies beneath the waves before the sequel surfaces.