Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas looks like a game that looks inspired at least in part by The Legend of Zelda. It’s an action-adventure game that has you exploring the islands of uncharted seas, solving puzzles and defeating enemies. All of that sounds rather tame, though, so the question naturally arises… why should one care?
For starters, Oceanhorn looks great. A lot of games created for phones tend to be lacking in their visual appeal, whether it’s a result of poor technology or simply a lack of artistic vision. Not in the case of Oceanhorn, though—the game has a clear visual identity, and looks extremely polished to boot. It’s come a long way since its early days, and visually, it looks much, much better than that new Zelda.
Second—famed Japanese composers Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito have worked on Oceanhorn. Uematsu is of course widely recognized for his work on Final Fantasy. Meanwhile, fans of Secret of Mana will probably recognize Ito for his contributions to that game. If you watch the trailer above, you’ll likely find the musical style very recognizable if you’ve played a few Square Enix games in your time.
Third—this is just a regular old game. It isn’t free-to-play, it isn’t pay-to-win, or any of those other fancy business models that smartphone games are known for. You just buy the game and you’re all set. Developers Cornfox & Bros. say that you’ll find about 10 hours of story-driven gameplay in Oceanhorn: Monster of the Uncharted Sea.
So, just what is this game about? Here’s a brief story summary from the developer:
You wake up and find a letter from your father. He is gone…
The only lead is his old notebook and a mysterious necklace. What happened?
Explore the islands of Uncharted Seas, a world filled with many dangers, puzzles and secrets. Fight monsters, learn to use magic and discover ancient treasures which will help you on your quest. Use all your wits and skill to unravel the mysteries of ancient kingdom Arcadia and sea monster Oceanhorn.
Oceanhorn will be available on the iPhone and iPad today.
