Sword of the Sea review: acclaimed surfing trip now on Switch 2 and Xbox
The adventure from Abzû makers Giant Squid has been available on Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S since 29 October. Critics praise its movement, visuals and music – and fault its brevity.
Photo: Crisco 1492 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Trailer: YouTube · Fictions · youtube.com
Critics' rating
Scores: PC Gamer 78/100 · Game Informer 8.5/10
- Platforms
- Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC
- Studio
- Giant Squid
- Release
- 29.10.2026
+ Pros
- Surfing across dunes feels wonderful
- Gorgeous landscapes
- Grammy-winning score by Austin Wintory
- Restored seas open up new routes
– Cons
- Short: around two to four hours
- Simple, repetitive puzzles
- Action sequences break the flow
- Shallow trick system
Critics' verdict
A short but spectacularly beautiful surfing trip whose atmosphere carries it past simple puzzles.
Summary of published reviews – sources below.
A little over a year after launching on PlayStation 5 and PC, Sword of the Sea arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S on 29 October. It is developed by studio Giant Squid (Abzû, The Pathless), led by Matt Nava, formerly art director of Journey. You glide on a hovering sword that handles like a mix of surfboard, skateboard and snowboard across dunes and snowy slopes, turning a desert back into a sea piece by piece. Austin Wintory's score won the award for best video game soundtrack at the 68th Grammy Awards.
PC Gamer awards 78 out of 100, calling it short but spectacular: surfing feels excellent on every surface, the atmosphere, scenery and music are strong, and the restored seas open up new routes and collectibles. GamesRadar+ gives 4 out of 5 stars, praising how it is both thrilling and relaxing; the story is told without dialogue through murals and inscriptions.
Criticism targets simple, repetitive puzzles, action sequences that break the flow, a shallow trick system and a main story of only about two to four hours. Game Informer gives 8.5 out of 10, and the OpenCritic average is 87. The reviews cover the PC and PS5 versions; reviews of the new versions were not yet available.