You hold the power of creation, which is shaped like a flower, a lotus perhaps. The different murals clearly depict you the diver (as signified by the helm, the knee cabs, the red triangle), while people pray to you. The ruins are significant in the game, and are the first moment where you are not positioned as a mortal, but a deity. The cylinder of Adda represents Enki similarly, surrounded by fish (2250 BCE). It shows the people making sacrificesto the God of the sea. Through ruins and depictions of deities, the game Abzu positions itself as a creation myth. In Sumerian mythology, the god Enki (Ea in the Akkadian language) was believed to have lived in the abzu since before human beings were created. In mythology, creation of life itself does not happen without Gods. This archetype refers to the the primeval sea from which life itself is born and is common in most cultures.īy including visuals of cosmic rebirth at the end of each level – the diver literally swims in the water portrayed as a starry milky way – the game positions itself as a creation myth as well. I wrote about this idea before briefly in my blog about Death Stranding, and also noted its significance in that game. The abzu is part of a creation myth, and its family of archetypes is that of the “cosmic ocean”. Lakes, springs, rivers, wells, and other sources of fresh water were thought to draw their water from the abzu. Common belief was that the abzu could be accessed. In Akkadian and Sumerian mythology, “abzu” are the subterranean waters, and also have the connotation of limitless, endless space, as this book on Sumerian Tablets describes (p. Emotionally, one character that you particularly connect with is the white shark, who dies early in the game but returns as a spiritual companion.Ībzu as a Cosmic Ocean, and the Identity of the Diver In its best moments, the beautiful score swells as you swim with gigantic whales. Overall, the game is a wholesome experience. The player can literally meditate and empathize with (observe, become) different types of underwater species. Connectionwith the life around you and being mindful of your surroundings is a key theme in this game. Like a diver, we do not interact, but rather see and play with the world around us. In terms of mechanics, this game offers limited interaction and is more about observing.
#ABZU GAME FULL#
Through rich visual aesthetics, full of contrasting colors, Abzu manages to keep you engaged. There’s not a square foot of this ocean that doesn’t pulse with beautiful, colorful life.’ Manta rays glide lazily past the player massive schools of fish swim in dizzying cyclones dolphins play and flit circles around the solitary diver. Abzu, however, is literally teeming with life. ‘The world of Journey was so solitary that the occasional presence of a second player felt like an oasis. Justin McElroy describes this very well in Polygon: While Abzu draws from atmospheric games like S hadow of the Colossus and Journey, its world is fundamentally differently.
![abzu game abzu game](https://images.nintendolife.com/5b097691f63f8/abzu-nl-vgmfest.large.jpg)
Remarkably, the first achievement that I got in this game was “water ballet” for jumping above the surface elegantly, like a dolphin. Colorful fish dance with the player, who can ride them, observe them and jump above the water with them. One of the ways in which Abzu stands out is in its lush depiction of life in the ocean. Spoiler alert – Only read this if you have finished the game, and want to think through it. I’d love to share my interpretation, which connects closely to the title and main themes of the game.
![abzu game abzu game](https://images.gog-statics.com/f1cb6c5d0868e5a32b7e9359b3bda890eb5a4568de6471c09e5f87e3017e82de_product_card_v2_mobile_slider_639.jpg)
Many wondered what the story of Abzu is actually about. You can study the species of the ocean, but as the game enfolds you dive through fantastic ruins and technoscapes. This indie has a rich atmosphere, and part of that is because of its gorgeous score by Austin Wintory, who also worked on Journey before.Ībzu has no clear narrative, and its protagonist does not speak, yet it manages to convey a story through its fantastic colorful world and surroundings. Produced by the creative director of Journey, Matt Nava, Abzu is best described as a spiritual, immersive diving game – a quasi- Journey under the sea. Abzu is a great example of such art games that provide their players with an evocative experience, rather than a competitive play. Games are increasingly crossing over into the domain of visual art.