E3 2016 | "ABZÛ"
Snorkeling and scuba diving have their share of fun and moments of visual beauty, but because of your limited time being able to do both you're not able to fully experience the true wonders of the deepest parts of marine life. Enter 505 Games and Giant Squid's upcoming release ABZÛ, whose underwater adventure is sure to take you to the most serene and darkest parts of the ocean.
According to Giant Squid's Matt Nava (who did the art direction in both Flower and Journey), ABZÛ is more of a scuba dreamscape adventure rather than a simulation. The objective is to dive and explore the vast waters of the deep as you come across many unique forms of sea life and uncover the past of a long-lost tribe. Using his experience as a scuba diver, Nava was able to help bring to life the sort of game that not only showcases many levels of beauty, but also a level of relaxation that some gamers may crave after a long and tiring day.
When controlling the diver I noticed that it didn't feel like a normal swim-based game. Rather the way you can maneuver the character feels more like the stroke of a brush on a mighty canvas. As you traverse through the areas you can ride many of the bigger underwater creatures such as fish and sea turtles, populate the ocean with thousands of other forms of life, fix up some of your robot pals, and discover massive statues that help to initiate meditation mode. While there is no combat whatsoever in ABZÛ there will be some darker aspects of the ocean deeps that may add in a level of tension.
The demo of ABZÛ was very much like experiencing true poetry in motion. A fantasy-like escape both visually and mentally Giant Squid's first foray into the gaming realm could possibly rival the past works of Thatgamecompany in both non-narrative storytelling and mental relaxation. Whether you are a lover of aquatic creatures or looking for something good to play in order to calm down, this game is surely looking to offer quite the unique experience that will have players yearning to dive into the deepest parts of the world.
ABZÛ is due for PS4 and PC on August 2.
