Soul Searching Reviews

While the graphics are simple, the story is powerful. Soul Searching isn't so much about getting to the end as it is exploring and searching each island and listening to the people and what they are saying. There are times when the story explains things that make you wonder the true plot of the game, but it all makes sense at the end. In a way, without giving too much away, it is about finding life when struggling with the horrible things that either go on mentally or physically around you. The struggles of every day life and even the struggles of depression and how it affects a person. Soul Searching is beautiful and, though slow and slightly frustrating at times, is a wonderful story and very peaceful. I will happily play it again and again, perhaps enjoying the other aspects of the game instead of just the story.

I didn't expect very much going into the game but it was overall a very nice experience. It's a simple exploring game with minimal game mechanics, lots of downtime to think about what is happening with the story. Also has a great soundtrack. Most of the enjoyment of this game for me came from applying what was happening in game to my own life. If that sounds apealing at all to you than I would definitely recommend Soul Searching to you.

**SPOILERS** In "Soul Searching," there is a main purpose that is NOT supported by the game itself. That unsupported purpose is that we as people have to tackle our problems, not run away from them. While the black-and-white cutscenes do have characters that reflect upon this concept, the main story diverts completely away from it. The main story is short and very uneventful. You seem to be soul searching only because your ancestors did so, not because you actually need to. What did soul searching have to do with mending the friendship between people and dragons again? The story is completely capable of completion WITHOUT awakening any souls and learning their ablities. When the dragon took me back to my home island and the game ended, I wondered if throughout the game I was either trying to save souls (from what?) or create peace with dragons and humans again. Would I reccomend this game for only seven dollars? Only if you're looking for something aesthetic and pleasing to the eye. But to those who are searching for a clear and sensible story, be warned. Pros: -Looks beautiful -Great and relaxing soundtrack -Simple controls -Decent price (when on sale) Cons: -Short and confusing story -Uneventful dialogue -Large lack of development with characters -ALL components of the boat can possibly be burned (forcing you to purposefully die b/c you can't sail the boat) -Wondering what I had really accomplished after the end of the game

Very impressive and original little game. You play someone who decides to sail away from home for "soul searching" (which itself is a bit mystery for us at the beginning). After you sail, story is delivered in bits & pieces and puts you into an introspective mode about yourself alongside the character in the game. Game really excels at evoking feelings of loneliness & serenity by the gameplay itself, which is simply sailing from one island to another by yourself and trying to stay alive while days & nights go by and nature throws interesting things at you. I think it's fair to say graphic style might not appeal to everyone but overall atmosphere is pretty successfull at luring you once you start playing, with nice details and use of sound and music. Can be completed in 3 hours, filled with little suprises. If you like indie games with personal stories (Ilike me), you'll probably like this one.

Wow, game is just finished now and I didn't realize how the 3.5 hours passed by so fast, warm and smooth... Soul Searching was a really unique indie perl that would totally worth your time. I would easily recommend this game to anyone. There were really something there, that would easily touch to any soul, who would just dare to open it and take a look inside. Especially, the dialogs and cutscenes were really magical, that i have never seen in any other game before. To set sail to unknown with just a little boat and watching the clouds passing by... It was the unique feeling that Soul Searching builded up it's deepest core that makes it an unforgetable experience. I'll remember this one... Nowadays, it is very hard to find a game with that unique feeling. 10/10!

Soul Searching is one of the best indies i've played this year. On top of it's heartfelt story, survival part doesn't get tedious at all. In it's ocean of surprises, there's a huge pile of content to explore with your small raft.

No video game made me feel this way before. It's like a breezy autumn afternoon, alone at the beach, watching the waves and thinking about your life.

Soul Searching is a fresh game with an interesting narrative. It shows that you don't really need fancy graphics, or expensive sound design in order to provide good time for the players. I always compare these kind of games with other types of entertainment that I spent money to. Yesterday the ticket for a movie that I went was more expensive than Soul Searching and definitely was a worse experience. Games like this, makes you interact, care and think, puts you into the driver seat. I always appreciate these kind of games and kudos to their developers. I definitely recommend it even with full price, it's much better time spent than a 100 min movie, and it's still cheaper :)

[b][i]Soul Searching[/i] is great example of an indie title that has modest scope, yet ends up being bigger than itself.[/b] The end result is greater than the sum of its parts. It has a [i]soul[/i]. Indie games like this do what AAA titles could never achieve - they poke at fundamental human questions and issues, and like real life, they often do not achieve a satisfying resolve. That's okay. That's life. [i]Essentially, [/i]Soul Searching[i] is a *very* lite survival sim where you are on a quest to 'find yourself'.[/i] Almost zen-like, if you ask me - there is no fighting, and it is hard to die (along with little-to-no punishment for death). You can finish the game in, oh, about 2 hours, but achievement hunting is fun and will double that. There is local multiplayer which I am eager to try because the wifey played single player and enjoyed that. That says something right there. Otherwise, there are several things that pleasantly surprised me. You will find a variaty of different rafts you can buy, and they have modular features such as oars, ladders, rudders, fishing gear, fresh water supply, etc. Really neat. There is currency and magic. The dialogue is well done, and asks meaningful questions for anyone who thinks critically about their life. There are small random 'events' that you will find out at sea, which is cool. [b]And dragons.[/b] [b]Where [i]Soul Searching[/i] really shines is in it's presentation.[/b] The music and game flow almost create a cinematic experience; it was touching at moments, for sure. I won't go into spoilers, but the story is good. Well, at least I can say that the first half had me super excited about it, but I felt it ended more with a whimper... Or perhaps I was hoping it would go another way - but that's okay because the overall experience is still great. [b]Well worth the asking price. You will get an afternoon filled with some great gaming and a thinkpiece story.[/b] [b]Pros:[/b] +Great zen-like/lite survival game +Presentation and game flow are brilliant and really showcase how indie games can have soul +Interesting story +Controller support is great +It's fun +Dragons [b]Cons:[/b] -If you value a dollar-to-hour ratio, you may be disapointed here - but the hours are certainly high quality -Be aware that the storyline is a bit dark (not a con per se, but just know this) [b]Glad I picked this up and played through it.[/b] I look forward to getting the local multiplayer achievement, too. Absolutely charming.

So I don't really know how to start. I am extremely emotional at the time of writing this and as a heads up I want you to know that this game is really good and you should consider buying it. My review is mostly going to be me rumbling about emotional stuff. If that is not for you, I'm sure there are other reviews for you to read. I bought the game just this morning, thinking that I would be playing a survival game. Gonna be honest I was not expecting an emotional masterpiece. I'm sure you have felt this burden in your own journey throughout your life; melancholy. You stop deriving pleasure from the things you used to enjoy. You no longer get any pleasure out of living and you start to see how pointless everything is. How we live lives that are made up by other people. How everything in life such as love, happiness, friendship, goals ect. Are things that we have made up to use as a shelter. Or are they? It depends on you. Are you a searcher, or an escapist? The game goes through these emotions. The carefully crafted narrative makes one think about themselves and their lives. About how this world works. “Should you really go?” says the girl in the beginning. “There are more important things in life.” Should we really follow our ancestors by doing all the pointless deeds that they have engraved in our skulls and societies? By wasting our lives trying to land a job, trying desperately to save up to buy a house or to get married and have children? Are these the things that determine our humanity? You know, this game hit me hard ‘cause I have been having these feelings for a long time now. I have been struggling to find a reason to continue this charade. "I don't feel any kind of happiness or sadness. I just feel serenity. I feel melancholy." "Melancholy is a great burden, but if you carry it, it'll make you see things." "I see things" "I saw things that no one was supposed to see." "I'll never speak again. I'll never write again. Melancholy, a symptom of depression or anything else that it can ooze out of, really does make one see things. It helps one look at life from a distance. Like the audience of a theatre play, one gets to observe everything. Like a carefree explorer, one gets the freedom to proceed without bonds. Like you no longer exist, as if you are not human anymore. It sounds bleak but somehow it is great. I guess this is why people say don’t think too much lol. I ask myself these question all the time, so for the sake of an argument let's ask them again. Why am I still alive? Why do we go on after knowing everything we do? Is it love that keeps us going? The game does touch this point. “All is lost when I put my head on your lap. It all fades away.” I think we can say that the things that we hold on to, all the things that keep us going are like drugs. They make us forget, they help us run away and hide. “I’ll forget what I’ve been through, for that is the way to go through even more. Even more…” the game says. I still play lots of games. I watch tons of stuff and I am in love with this person who have changed, and still is changing my life. Not just to keep going, not just to pass time while waiting for death. I enjoy doing these things. You know, there is a thin line between being a soul searcher or an escapist and I still do not know which I am. But I try to be a searcher. Maybe in some point of my life I will decide whether it was worth it or not, but not now. I should get going and continue the search for my own soul. As I have said, this “review” is mostly a rant from an emotionally unstable person. I needed to vent for so long that I guess I found it easier to do it via writing. If you have made it this far, buy the game. It is a nice experience. A big thank you to Kayabros for creating a story this touching to a lone soul. Thank you for expressing our feelings. Teşekkürler<3