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Harry’s mission was purely in pursuit of curing his ailing wife, his own safety be damned, and that unconditional love is expressed nicely in the letters he writes (voiced convincingly by Yuri Lowenthal) and the backstory Norah provides. These are two strong, driven individuals who have a deep love and respect for one another, and they are shown to be intellectual equals, as demonstrated through the work Harry left behind – while he has built wonderous contraptions, he is confident she can decode and master their functions. The game tries its best to paint a picture of Harry’s companions, but there’s only so much you can learn from examining their belongings – the most you’ll establish are loose archetypes – which means that I never really felt any connection with them or shared Norah’s concern about their fates.ĭespite the straightforward nature of the overarching story, the central relationship between Norah and Harry is portrayed well. Norah is also quite fond of unnaturally voicing on-the-nose exposition. You will need to overlook the contrivance of these storytelling devices they are researchers, so of course they would be documenting, but much of it isn’t exactly nuanced or believable – the sort of stuff where a note trails off because the writer feels unwell. Handily, they left behind lots of letters, photographs, and recordings that detail their findings and feelings. This is a solitary adventure as you follow in the footsteps of Harry and his crew. As it stands, you’ll likely always be one step ahead of Norah.
![call of the sea steam call of the sea steam](https://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/call_of_the_sea-scaled.jpg)
If certain story elements had been held back until later, or at least hinted at more subtly, the tale would have been more gripping and made for some more shocking reveals. I don’t consider this a major fault, since guiding Norah along her journey is so entertaining and I appreciated the themes of acceptance and identity explored along the way, but it does mean the narrative isn’t as compelling as in other games with similarly personal stories. Call of the Sea is oddly keen to reveal its secrets in a way that makes the slightly pulpy story not as surprising as it could have been, though the finale offers a welcome injection of player agency. Then again, you might figure out where it’s all going from the opening cutscene. Precisely what significance this land holds and how it relates to Norah is something for you to discover as you progress through its diverse biomes. While this isn’t a horror game by any means, these elements are unsettling, especially as Norah’s underwater dreams begin to blend with reality. Before long, however, it also becomes clear that some very different inhabitants once lived there as well, and perhaps still do: ghoulish figures briefly flash in Norah’s mind, a sludgy black ooze pours from the walls, and murals speak of other realities that don’t follow earthly physics or laws.
![call of the sea steam call of the sea steam](https://www.arsangame.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Sea-of-Thieves-4-1024x576.jpg)
Upon your arrival, you’ll find a place rich with history – despite seemingly being long-deserted, an ancient Polynesian civilization has left its enduring mark with ornaments, statues, and mechanical structures. Intriguingly, as Norah approaches the island, she recognises it from in her dreams.
![call of the sea steam call of the sea steam](https://arata.lat/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Call_of_the_Sea.jpg)
In clichéd fashion, Norah is advised to be careful on the unnamed island because of what the legends say about it (the captain of the boat that drops you off nearby doesn’t elaborate), but you’ll pay no heed to the warning. When a mysterious package turns up on Norah’s doorstep containing a picture of Harry and an ancient relic, she decides to pick up his trail to find out what happened to him. Her husband Harry ventured on an expedition to Tahiti a year ago to seek a cure, but eventually he stopped sending letters. Despite suffering from an unnamed illness that, amongst other symptoms, manifests itself through marks on her hands and causes strange recurring dreams taking place underwater, Norah remains spirited and determined. Set in the 1930s, the game puts you in the role of Norah Everhart. Lovecraft and conjuring thoughts of aquatic romance film The Shape of Water, it’s a fun ride throughout, aided by its incredibly gorgeous visuals and satisfyingly brain-squirming puzzles. While the story unravels its mysteries at a curiously quick pace, taking inspiration from weird fiction writer H.P. This first-person 3D adventure whisks players away to a tropical South Pacific island in the pursuit of a missing spouse, but soon becomes a supernatural tale about self-discovery too. How far would you go to save someone you love? That’s the question threaded throughout Call of the Sea, a decidedly assured debut from Spanish-based developer Out of the Blue.