Abzû is one of the prettiest games coming for the PlayStation 4 and the PC this year. It is an underwater exploration game created by Matt Nava and his new studio Giant Squid.
Nava was previously the art director on Flower and Journey. The latter was set in the sandy desert and a cold mountain, but Nava wanted to create a beautiful underwater environment for Abzû, which is an ancient Sumerian name for water and knowledge. That translates to the ocean of wisdom.
Nava showed Abzû off a year ago at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show, and he’s back this year with a new version that looks different. The ocean is full of life, where you can swim around anywhere you want. You can get lost in the ocean, but also follow a story. You don’t know who you are, as a diver. You find drones who help direct you to different places in the ocean. Over time, you learn who you are and why you’re swimming with the fishes. It is perhaps one of the most beautiful and serene games I’ve ever seen. But it has some dark elements too, like a threatening Great White shark.
Nava said in our interview that you’re never rushed. If you want to explore an area, you can do so at your own pace. But each underwater region has its own borders and a path to move on to the next level. You can usually discover that
Here’s our video interview with Nava below.