Best of Casual Gameplay 2012 – Narrative Category – #1
It’s the biggest game in the surreal and wonderful Lands of Dream, it sports one of the best soundtracks we’ve ever encountered, its unique hand-drawn visuals wouldn’t feel out of place in a children’s book, it tells a story that will make you proud of gaming (and possibly think), it features dozens of odd characters, it’s huge, it’s got impressive walls of text and it even features two of the smartest puzzles we’ve encountered, but these are not the reasons you should play The Sea Will Claim Everything. No. You should play this game because it can actually help you become a better person.
– IndieGames.com, Top 10 Indie Adventure Games of 2012 (#2)A surreal, intelligent adventure blends magical fantasy with a dash of realism. It takes an exceptional writer to weave absurdity and believability together to create such a vivid tale, and Kyratzes manages it effortlessly.
– The Telegraph video game awards, runner-up for Best ScriptFor those looking for an adventure with a sense of wonder, The Sea Will Claim Everything is a must-have.
– Adventure GamersIt’s a beautiful experience, one that made me truly proud of what the medium can accomplish.
– Mash Those ButtonsOnce again we’re invited to step into the Lands of Dream; Kyratzes’ most wonderful imaginarium in which time runs at a slower pace and pastoral delights are aplenty. The Sea Will Claim Everything is our longest stay yet and it proves to be the most rich and engaging one with no loss of attention to detail.
– Indie Game MagazineAt first glance, the game’s cutesy, cartoony graphics and simplistic interface give the impression that this is a juvenile game designed for small children. However, it soon becomes apparent that the game is in fact a deeply political, philosophical, and even academic narrative that defies easy description. It is to adventure games what Umberto Eco’s Il nome della rosa is to murder mystery novels.
– Adventure Classic GamingJonas’ finest exhibition to date, with a beautiful soundtrack and a consistently attractive appearance
– Rock Paper ShotgunThe Sea Will Claim Everything made me want to hide uselessly under my desk, but for being a game that dared to engage with this kind of subject matter in powerful and persuasive ways. It was not half-hearted; it did not feel like a lecture. It felt authentic, in ways so delightfully evocative it’s frightening.
– Bit CreatureThe Sea Will Claim Everything is a unique experience that’s hard to put into words. At the same time, it offers multiple layers of meaning, and offers up that sense of accomplishment when you feel you’ve dug through another plane of meaning.
– BNBGAMINGThe sea will indeed claim everything, including your heart.
– Just Press StartThis game offers players the rare opportunity to explore the implications that ideas have on lives, both real and imagined.
– GameChurchFrom the wonderfully vibrant hand-drawn visuals, to the offbeat descriptions of nearly everything on every screen, to the brilliant soundtrack, to the elegantly poignant characters, to the game’s clever handling of the fourth wall, I found myself deeply engrossed and sad to see it all eventually come to an end.
– Adventure LanternThere’s many words and phrases that I could use to describe Jonas Kyratzes’ “Land Of Dreams” series of games but I’m happier settling on “Videogames with heart”. […] I will say little more because SPOILERS but it’s worth your time. Off you go then.
– owVideogamesThe Sea Will Claim Everything is one of those memorable games you don’t come by very often anymore. It’s an instant classic.
– I-Luv-GamesIt’s like a five year old with a degree in comparative literature.
– Scripted SequenceI literally could not pry myself away from this game. I’ve been at it all morning, and I’m totally engrossed.
– The Backlog JourneyThe Sea Will Claim Everything hat mich dermaßen berührt und beeindruckt, dass es sogar recht gute Chancen hat bis zum Jahresende auf Platz 1 meiner persönlichen 2012er-Liste zu bleiben, und das will was heißen, wenn man sich ansieht, was noch so alles kommt.
– BildschirmsprüngeΤο θέμα είναι ότι η φαινομενική ανωριμότητα του παιχνιδιού αποδεικνύεται απόλυτη ψευδαίσθηση. Το σενάριο είναι βαθύ και πλούσιο, με πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα εξέλιξη και υπέροχη γραφή, ενώ τα θέματα που θίγει απέχουν από το να χαρακτηριστούν “εύπεπτα” όσο απέχει ο Παρθενώνας από το να χαρακτηριστεί αυθαίρετο.
– Gameover.gr
Reviews by other indies:
Get it, play it, and tell your friends how cool it is.
– Gregory WeirThis is a game of understated beauty that plays like a strange dream you once had.
– Agustín CordesI highly recommend The Sea Will Claim Everything, the latest entry in the series and the first being offered as a people-directly-pay-money-for-it-rather-than-being-subjected-to-advertising-thing.
– Michael Brough