Abzu

Abzu takes the graceful feel of movement and subtle push toward discovery that I've enjoyed in similar exploration games like Journey and Flower and builds a refreshing-yet-simple underwater adventure around it. The colorful settings, beautiful soundtrack, and basic controls made it a great experience that constantly piqued my interest, even if it never challenged me to master it other than deciphering its cryptic environmental clues. Instead, Abzu relishes in giving you freedom to simply enjoy exploring the fascinating deep blue sea.

Abzu is deeply, transcendentally beautiful--not just visually splendid, but emotionally evocative. Without question, it is this year's Journey.

Unique and visually striking, Abzu doesn't quite make the most of its underwater setting but remains a highly compelling adventure.

There are few games quite as curious and beautiful as Abzû, and fewer of its kind on the PC. It’s a short, dense journey filled with intense wonder and inherent beauty, and every inch is worth seeing.

Abzu is gorgeous and calming but a little shallow

Absolutely gorgeous and a joy to behold, but sticks too close to Journey's formula for its own good.

Abzû isn't for everyone, but it has its rewards if you stop to enjoy them

A nice swim through a virtual world

Abzû is a beautiful game. It's a game stuffed with fish and colour and movement and music. I love those things. Sometimes you feel like you're actually inside an episode of Blue Planet (I recorded the video above during one such moment). But I don't love wrestling for control of an experience which feels expansive one moment and restrictive or unpredictable the next.

I did enjoy being in the water, but I can't help but feel the beautiful visuals and music were jamming pictures of places and emotions in my face instead of earnestly telling a compelling story. There's an unshakeable air of falsity about Abzû. As a treat to the senses, however, it's hard to beat.