Games inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft are always a treat. That’s why when Call of the Sea was first launched, it turned a lot of heads. At that time though, the release was limited to PC and Xbox consoles. Now, PlayStation players have the chance to try the game with its arrival to the platform today.
Set sometime in the 1930s, Call of the Sea follows Norah Everhart. She travels to an island in the South Pacific to search for her husband Harry, who had embarked on an expedition before he went missing.
The game was released in December 2020 and received mainly positive reviews.
What makes this game unique is it doesn’t have a combat system and instead, have players solve puzzles to move forward. Out of the Blue Games Co-founder and Creative Director Tatiana Delgado assured players that Call of the Sea is not your typical puzzle game. That’s because each puzzle has been intertwined with what Norah feels and it remains tied with the game’s narrative.
As a result, players can experiment with Norah’s initial fascination on the island and then later on fear more about her husband as they progress. Players can also experience the surprise she feels at strange events. Delgado shared that the game isn’t just an exciting 30’s pulp adventure but also the journey of Norah’s self-discovery.
While indeed Call of the Sea is largely inspired by Lovecraft, it’s not your usual Lovecraftian game. Generally, games based or inspired by Lovecraft focus on the character’s descent to madness. However, in this game, it’s all about Norah’s rise to sanity and the acceptance of one’s true nature.
On top of already excellent features, Call of the Sea has wonderful voice actors. Norah is voiced by Cissy Jones, who voices, among others, Katjaa in The Walking Dead and Delilah in Firewatch. Harry, meanwhile, is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal, who voices Sasuke Uchiha in the English-dubbed version of Naruto.
So what are your thoughts? Are you ready to solve the mystery of the island?
