This summer promises an exciting time for enthusiasts of skateboarding and surfing video games! In July, the classic skateboarding series, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, will receive a remaster, bringing it up-to-date with modern graphics and enhanced realism. Later in August, Sword of the Sea is set to launch, blending the core concept of skating or surfing around while performing tricks with gameplay mechanics similar to Journey or The Pathless, as it’s being developed by team members from those games.
This summer, we can look forward to improved versions of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 in July and a new game called Sword of the Sea in August, which will have similar controls for skating or surfing tricks but will play more like Journey or The Pathless. These games are being developed by teams who worked on those specific titles!
Without a doubt, I find myself drawn more towards “Sword of the Sea” compared to Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4. This year at Summer Game Fest Play Days, I had the pleasure of experiencing Giant Squid’s latest creation, and it was, in my opinion, the standout game from the event. The gameplay was straightforward yet captivating as I navigated a desert wave, gradually breathing life back into an arid landscape through surfing. “Sword of the Sea” has catapulted itself to one of my most eagerly awaited games this year, demonstrating the incredible possibilities that extreme sports games can achieve when they transcend traditional realism.
In “Sword of the Sea,” players guide a character known as the Wraith, who stirs to life from a solitary droplet of water. The Wraith embarks on an expedition through a deserted world, uncovering a civilization that has been submerged beneath sand. Equipped with the ability to revitalize this realm, players can interact with various items scattered throughout the landscape to bring water and vitality back to it. The Play Days demo seems to drop players directly into the game at the start, where the Wraith awakens and promptly embarks on this exciting journey.
Similar to games such as Journey, Abzu, and The Pathless, Sword of the Sea eschews dialogue or explicit storytelling methods. Instead, it relies on atmosphere to convey its narrative, inviting players to become engrossed in its world by delving into its every corner. After playing for approximately half an hour, I’ve already found myself captivated by the game’s environment. The beauty of witnessing life reawaken in a barren desert is striking and simple.
The enchanting ambiance of the Sword of the Sea truly shines through during gameplay, giving it an edge that’s reminiscent of extreme sports games. To put it simply, players glide around on their swords, making it a blend of skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding. The game environment is tailored to accommodate this style of play, with undulating sand dunes, natural half-pipes, walls, and grind rails. Players can effortlessly pick up speed, leap high into the air, and execute tricks mid-flight.
In a nutshell, the Sword of the Sea offers an exhilarating blend of action and sports, set in a world designed to accommodate the unique movement mechanics of riding a sword.
As a devoted enthusiast, I must clarify that comparing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 to Sword of the Sea might be a tad unjust due to their distinct gameplay mechanics. In contrast to the skateboarding challenge and time-bound exploration in THPS, Sword of the Sea invites players on an adventure focused on discovery and restoration.
During my immersive journey with this enchanting title, I followed two chains, tracing them back to their origins, and employed the Wraith’s unique ability to engage with various objects scattered around. This interaction miraculously restored the water, bringing back vibrant marine life teeming within it.
Experiencing Sword of the Sea with the DualSense controller was truly special. The vibrations subtly changed depending on whether I was traversing sand or water, demonstrating the meticulous care developer Giant Squid poured into the game’s design. When my session ended, I reluctantly had to step away from the controller, a clear indication of the game’s quality. Consequently, I can hardly wait to delve deeper into this game, and my anticipation for it surpasses that for any similar title currently.
On August 19, “Sword of the Sea” is set to launch on both PC and PlayStation 5 platforms. Excitingly, it will be available in the PS Plus Premium and Extra game libraries from the very first day!
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2025-06-14 20:39