The Love of the Ocean
What do you think of when you picture bodies of water in video games? Whether it’s the Dopefish from Commander Keen, the terrifying drowning music from Sonic the Hedgehog, getting repeatedly eaten by sharks in Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, or Soma just in general, someone might be given the mistaken impression a healthy fear of the water is requisite for working in the video game industry. As someone who grew up on the coast, swims every day during the summer, and enjoys any chance to go visit an aquarium, that’s never been what I associate the ocean with. Thankfully, ABZÛ’s creators don’t either. As refreshing as a swim in the ocean and as beautiful as a tropical fish tank, this is a game at its core about the beauty of ocean life.
ABZÛ’ can’t help but be compared to Journey. Its director, Matt Nava, was art director on both Flower and Journey. It’s a game about exploring a beautifully realized world while featuring minimalistic gameplay. It even features a score by Austin Wintory. Having to deal with the constant stream of “It’s like Journey, but underwater” comparisons does the game a disservice. Journey is one of maybe five games you could contest as being the prior “Game of the Generation.” Thus, describing ABZÛ’ as “like Journey, but” is perhaps too weighty a comparison even if it is appropriate.
ABZÛ’ feels quite a bit different from Journey in its pacing and scope. Journey was a game about the grandeur of the world. Each section of the game featured very deliberate pacing, even while you had the option to explore at your discretion. ABZÛ’ encourages you to explore and appreciate each area at your own pace. And while there are sections that up the tempo, it is content to spend most of the game at that same relaxed pace. Individual sections feature a dense array of aquatic species. There are over a hundred animals featured in the game. Throughout the game, you’ll be given the opportunity to explore the environment and release new animals into that particular area. Moving about the environment takes only a few minutes to get used to thanks to fairly simple controls.
In most sections, there are statues you can find that allow you to meditate, and in the process jump from view to view of each creature occupying your surroundings. You can even grab hold of many of the many creatures and ride them as they swim about the ocean. Each animal is labeled as well, in case the player is interested in learning more about aquatic life.
The game’s slower pacing is directly aimed at making you feel the incredible scope of the ocean. Journey was likewise successful at making smaller environments feel vast, but ABZÛ’ might have taken it aa bit further in wanting to capture how vast the ocean is. This does result in a bit of immersion breaking at times when you’ll bump into invisible barriers and your character will forcibly be turned around.
Screenshots do not do ABZÛ’s graphics justice. Despite being five years old at this point, Journey still is more visually striking than the majority of modern games. Nava’s art directorial mastery is once again on display here. It’s not a singular element, but the combination of care towards each area of the visual presentation that make it look so good. And when seen in motion, it creates a continuous series of breathtaking views. In fact, I can think of few games that graphically depict motion as good as this one does. The beauty of the ocean and its many wonders in real life has few comparisons, but ABZÛ’ replicates it in video game form with ease.
To the surprise of nobody, Austin Wintory has turned in yet another excellent soundtrack .Much like Journey, there is no spoken dialogue in ABZÛ. Thus, the music becomes one of the key methods of communication with the viewer. The score bounces around from slow and soothing to fast-paced and urgent with ease. At times, it changes in tone to capture the eerie dread of several of the game’s sequences. The use of a choir, something often overused in modern music, is judicious and thus effective.Having repeatedly listened to the score outside the game, it stands up on its own.
On some level, the game’s subject matter might hinder its ability to resonate with the broad audience Journey found. Not everyone likely has the same love of the ocean as I do, and for them, ABZÛ’ may feel like a lot of pretty visuals and not much else. There is a plot based loosely on the Babylonian creation myth, but it is mostly a vehicle to move you from interesting scene to scene.
If Journey is Fantasia, think of ABZÛ’ as Fantasia 2000. It might not be as effective an offering, and it might borrow some elements from Journey, but it’s very much its own entity and just as valid a work. ABZÛ’ is best enjoyed in one to two sittings, as it’s a fairly short experience. Allow it to wash over you though, and you’ll find it as peaceful and soothing as a swim in the ocean.
