I was only made aware of Sea of Solitude a day after its release, but I was captivated by the screenshots I was seeing from the game but more importantly, I was intrigued by its focus on mental health issues.
Sea of Solitude is an adventure-based, story-driven game that follows Kay, a young woman who as seemingly turned into a kind of ‘monster’ who, in exploring a submerged version of Berlin, tackles various issues in her life in the form of bigger and more threatening monsters.
The game is part of an emerging (and welcome) trend of games that tackle the topic of mental health, ones that often produce an emotive experience for the player. Sea of Solitude is no exception. The game feels so personal, which is something to be admired, as I think a lot of us know how much courage it takes to tell your story in such a public way, but not just that, have people playing through your experiences in such detail.
I did think at first that the concept of the ‘monsters’ could potentially be problematic, in that we have to vanquish the demons inside, rather than managing and living with them, however, as the game progressed it made sense, and again it is a very personal interpretation, so who am I to dictate how people view their own mental health issues?
The game isn’t a massive challenge, there was one moment of pure frustration for me that was more of an annoyance than anything, mainly because nothing like this had happened in the game previously, but narratively it made sense, and after all, dealing with and having issues with mental health can be frustrating, so they do work within the context of the game, rather than just feeling like a pointlessly irritating mechanic.
The main element of this game that surprised me most was how much it focused on the other people in Kay’s life and the message that emerged toward the end of the game was a completely different one to what I was expecting, which was great. The game is more about taking care of yourself first, rather than trying to fix everyone else, and I think the way that the game did this was excellent and the way Kay works through each obstacle is a wonderful visual metaphor.
Herein lies the games biggest strength, its visuals. The entire game was incredibly beautiful, equally serene and haunting. The cel-shaded style works so well in this world, making it feel like it is in Kay’s mind rather than what her reality looks like. This paired with the incredible score made Kay’s surroundings feel entirely dream-like.
Overall, Sea of Solitude was a strong entry into the world of video games dealing with mental-health issues. It was a sublime and very personal struggle that is relatable and brutally honest that doesn’t get too emotionally draining, ending on a very hopeful note that I think could have a positive impact on some.
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