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ABZU (Switch)

Release Date:
80
Metascore
 21 reviews
7.9
User Score
 68 ratings
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Developer: Giant Squid
Publisher: 505 Games
Game Details: Discover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie
Discover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie forgotten and encounters with majestic creatures await.

ABZU is an epic descent into the depths of the sea, where players will explore beautifully rendered ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we all carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZU is a universal myth that resonates across cultures. The nameDiscover a lush hidden world as you descend into the heart of the ocean, where ancient secrets lie forgotten and encounters with majestic creatures await.

ABZU is an epic descent into the depths of the sea, where players will explore beautifully rendered ocean environments with fluid swimming controls. The experience draws inspiration from the deep innate narrative that we all carry within our subconscious: the story of ABZU is a universal myth that resonates across cultures. The name references a concept from the oldest mythologies; it is the combination of the two ancient words AB, meaning ocean, and ZU, meaning to know. ABZU is the ocean of wisdom.… Expand
Developer: Giant Squid
Publisher: 505 Games
Genre(s): Adventure 3D Third-Person
Number of players: No Online Multiplayer
Cheats: On GameFAQs
Rating: E

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Critic Reviews
(21)
80
Metascore Generally favorable reviews
17 Positive Ratings 80%
4 Mixed Ratings 19%
0 Negative Ratings 0%
Based on 21 Critic Reviews View All
90
Nintendo Insider
Dec 27, 2018
"It’s one of the most captivating and moving experiences one can have with a video game." ... Read full review
90
Nintendo Life
Nov 29, 2018
"Those of you who appreciate casual adventures like taking a walk in a forest will be sure to enjoy what Abzû has to offer, as the dreamlike visuals, entrancing orchestral score and deliberately sedate pace do a fantastic job of drawing the player into this alien world. We’d give Abzû a high recommendation to anybody looking for something a little more gentle for their Switch; it’s not a game about winning, but about the journey (no pun intended) you take getting there." ... Read full review
90
NintendoWorldReport
Dec 5, 2018
"Gorgeous scenery and a thoughtful, engaging story make Abzu memorable and spectacular." ... Read full review
80
Eurogamer Italy
Nov 29, 2018
"Abzû is a short but intense, aesthetically inspired experience. Its message has multiple levels of reading and says a lot, without a single word. Journey's inspirations are present and evident, but the title manages to maintain its own identity." ... Read full review
80
God is a Geek
Dec 17, 2018
"Playing on the Switch allows you to appreciate the game’s elegance whilst on the move, and playing ABZÛ on public transport can seriously chill you out and bring a wonderful calm to a busy day. It plays excellently, with no lag or compromises as far as the visuals go, and having headphones in is the best way to experience the catharsis of such a noteworthy game." ... Read full review
75
Nintendojo
Dec 21, 2018
"So is Abzû worth it? That’s not entirely easy to answer. In an era when games can deliver potentially hundreds of hours of entertainment, $20 seems a bit high for a 90-minute game. But, in an era when people also routinely pay that amount for a Blu-ray or digital copy of a movie, an experience like Abzû might be worth the trip for some people. And for players itching to go swimming, this is one of the best options currently out there, especially on Switch." ... Read full review
50
FNintendo
Jan 17, 2019
"ABZÛ is not proposing to be an action packed experience and there's nothing wrong with that, the problem is ABZÛ delivers very little in terms of gameplay experience, no matter what angle is used to look at it. Beyond its marvelous looking environment and absolutely mindblowing soundtrack, ABZÛ leaves all its promises unfulfilled, aggravated by the fact that it becomes obvious this game could have delivered so much more." ... Read full review
User Reviews
(19)
7.9
User Score Generally favorable reviews
44 Positive Ratings 64%
17 Mixed Ratings 25%
7 Negative Ratings 10%
Based on 68 Ratings and 19 Reviews View All
10
B-Bog
Sep 25, 2019
INCREDIBLE. It almost feels wrong to call this a game, this is an experience. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing. Jaw-dropping. The most gorgeousINCREDIBLE. It almost feels wrong to call this a game, this is an experience. Beautiful. Stunning. Amazing. Jaw-dropping. The most gorgeous game I have ever played. Plus, the soundtrack is just perfect in supporting the visuals and amplifying the mood.

I was having a pretty crappy day and didn't even really feel like playing any games, but ABZU completely turned that around. Do yourself a favour, get this game ASAP, and then just relax and take your time with it. Advanced players might even want to ingest certain substances along with it ;)

I seriously cannot find anything wrong with this game, other than maybe its short play time, but I was aware of that before I bought it. It's only 20 bucks anyway, and compared to other titles in that price range like Firewatch, it's worth every penny. Plus, I think the short run time makes for a more intense experience and entices you to replay (which I'm definitely going to do).

Must-have.

EDIT: I stand by my original review. However, I've now also got the game on PC because it was free for a few days. PLEASE, get this game on the highest-performing system that you have (high-end PC is the best one). This game thrives on its beautiful visuals. And while it's still gorgeous on Switch, it does have some framerate problems and the processing power is just not there to make it look as jaw-droppingly amazing and fluid as it does with the settings cranked up to max on PC. HOLY SHEEEET However, if Switch is your only system, do get the game. It is still an awesome experience.… Expand
10
r0mer0
Apr 2, 2021
Wonderful experience with beautiful visuals and music. Played it docked on a big TV in the dark, with the sound coming from Hi-Fi speakers.Wonderful experience with beautiful visuals and music. Played it docked on a big TV in the dark, with the sound coming from Hi-Fi speakers. Overall, the game tells a very relaxing and rewarding interactive story. It is quite linear, but you are guided in a way that doesn't lessen the immersion. Until you find the places in the game that tell you if you missed or found every achievement. Since you can’t go back to search again, this only serves as a reminder that you are playing a game, and that you will have to re-play it if you strafe for completion. You can play single chapters to complete the game. I would have preferred to have the list of missed and found achievements at the very end. Abzû still gets a perfect rating from me.… Expand
9
OtraPerspectiva
Aug 24, 2021
La exploración subacuática nunca podría haber sido tan hermosa y tan pacifica, ABZU tiene un aire muy similar a journey, con cientos deLa exploración subacuática nunca podría haber sido tan hermosa y tan pacifica, ABZU tiene un aire muy similar a journey, con cientos de momentos que te dejaran marcado y que muy difícilmente olvidaras.

A nivel de gameplay y narrativo este título es muy simple, pero esto es un aspecto negativo, en este caso la simpleza hace que pueda resaltar en otros aspectos siendo el principal de estos el aspecto gráfico y el soundtrack de este título siendo como mínimo bueno, ABZU es precioso, muchas de las tomas que se pueden apreciar fácilmente podrían ser un wallpaper en el pc de cualquiera.

Unos de los aspectos negativos que encuentro es la duración de este título el cual se puede completar en unas 3 o 4 horas, aunque en esas horas encontraremos en una gran variedad de escenarios y una inmensa cantidad de animales a los cuales según el tamaño podemos sujetarnos y dejarnos llevar un rato, de igual forma y un aspecto positivo que considero es la opción de "meditar", en cada uno de estos escenarios existen unas estructuras en las cuales nuestro protagonista se posa y podemos observar cómo los animales se dan vueltas mientras nos relajamos con el soundtrack de este título.

ABZU es sin duda uno de esos títulos que busca ir mas allá de los videojuegos convencionales, enamorándonos con sus gráficos y la belleza de sus escenarios, llegando a ser considerado por mi como una obra de arte jugable.… Expand
8
nusco
Jan 22, 2021
ABZÛ is a short but gripping underwater adventure with spectacular art.

Pros: - Powerful art: The graphics and the music combine to makeABZÛ is a short but gripping underwater adventure with spectacular art.

Pros:
- Powerful art: The graphics and the music combine to make this game a fantastic experience. A few sequences might give you the goosebumps.
- Emotional gameplay: ABZÛ smoothly cycles through emotions that range from a calm, meditative mood to flashes of wonder–and even subtle anxiety.
- Perfect diving feeling: This game is the closest you can come to the blissful experience of scuba diving without actually getting wet.

Cons:
- A “swimming simulator”: ABZÛ is a very linear game in the mold of "walking simulators". Apart from playing around with sea creatures, the only interactivity consists in finding and activating switches.
- Small screens need not apply: Playing this game handheld is like watching "Star Wars" on your phone. I started playing on my Switch Lite, and immediately dropped the game until I had access to a giant screen and a good sound system.
- Very short: This game can be completed in a single sitting. Is that a pro or a con? You decide.… Expand
6
abrus
Jan 3, 2022
It is really hard to rate this game objectively. It is very pleasant visually and the music is very well matched to each level. It is sort ofIt is really hard to rate this game objectively. It is very pleasant visually and the music is very well matched to each level. It is sort of interesting trying to work out the story, but I've played this through twice now and I'm still not really sure what is going on! Unfortunately, there are 2 very serious problems here. Firstly, there is very little to 'do' in this game - it is VERY linear in it's design and each objective is incredibly simple and requires no thought. Secondly, you will finish this game in just under 2 hours! There are chapter 'checkpoints', so you don't have to do it all in one go, but 2 hours is an incredibly short playthrough for a game with pretty limited replay value. I only paid $3 for this, and I did thoroughly enjoy my 2 runs, but just beware of points 1 and 2 before you purchase this game.… Expand
5
Fusy
Mar 12, 2021
It's a game where you hold R2 to move forward. You can boost and you do occasionally need to interact with objects, but for the most partIt's a game where you hold R2 to move forward. You can boost and you do occasionally need to interact with objects, but for the most part looking at the screen is optional. I didn't find it worth while.… Expand
0
buddookan
May 23, 2021
Słaba gra z papierkową, mało przekonywującą grafiką. Praktycznie zerowa interakcja. Gra na raz i to w dodatku maksymalnie na 2 godziny ! Za 72Słaba gra z papierkową, mało przekonywującą grafiką. Praktycznie zerowa interakcja. Gra na raz i to w dodatku maksymalnie na 2 godziny ! Za 72 zł ! Zdzierstwo.… Expand
User Reviews