Abzû drops us into a mysterious underwater world and takes us on a contemplative journey through the depths of the ocean. It's a visually stunning and relaxing experience — but one that, personally, didn't manage to captivate me the way I expected, largely due to the absence of a more solid, direct narrative.
Diving and exploring this world is incredibly peaceful. There are moments when the game almost works as an alternative form of meditation, letting us simply appreciate the beauty of the scenery and the serenity of the environment. The care poured into the art and sound direction is clearly visible — two elements that carry most of Abzû's identity.
One of the aspects that impressed me most was the attention to detail in the portrayal of marine life. The different species we encounter throughout the adventure actually exist in the real world, and they're recreated with considerable fidelity, both in appearance and in many of their behaviors. That care helps make the ocean more believable and fascinating to explore.
Even so, I always felt something was missing. The small narrative present in the game has quality and conveys some interesting messages, but it ends up being too vague and limited to create a more lasting emotional impact. At several points, I was left with the feeling that the impressive visuals were trying to compensate for a lack of depth in other aspects of the experience. It's a shame, because there was potential here for something truly unique and memorable.
In the end, what remains is mostly a feeling of a partially missed opportunity. Abzû is still a recommendable experience for anyone looking for a relaxing game focused on exploration and contemplation — but for those who value a stronger, more developed narrative, it may leave the sense that it needed one extra step to reach its full potential.
out of 10
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Game Abzu Released 2016 Available on PC · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One · Nintendo Switch Reviewed on Nintendo Switch |  Cover: IGDB |
| PL | Pedro Lopes Writer · Portugal |
A games writer from Portugal running on a highly irresponsible amount of coffee — his blood type is officially "espresso". He has been a content creator at Lisbon Games Week, a jury member at Over & Out ’25 and an attendee of DevGAMM Lisbon 2025 (mostly for the free coffee). He has a Pac-Man tattoo on his finger, which contractually obliges him to chase ghosts forever.