Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch

In 2002, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker came into the world, a game that at the time was at the center of a lot of controversy. For me, it was the game that triggered all the love I have today for this legendary franchise. But, despite all the appreciation the community came to have for the game, the series never again received another chapter that could recapture the same magic.

Whether to try to fill the void in the hearts of the game’s biggest fans, or to win over a new audience, the studio Cornfox & Bros brought Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas to smartphones. The game captivated the public so much that, at fans’ request, it kept receiving improvements and ports to all the market’s main platforms.

Cute, but epic!

Narrative: 8.5

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas follows a young boy on his journey to find his missing father and defeat the last great sea monster, which gives the game its name: Oceanhorn.

The story starts vague and disconnected, but the player is soon introduced to a vast mythology that, although familiar, is different. Little by little, you will find yourself saving civilizations and performing great deeds that impact the world around you… All culminating in the grand final battle against the last great monster left from a past, dark age.

Although not a grand odyssey, the story manages to be engaging – and the game gives great satisfaction by showing the player the fruits of their efforts… Something that is often left aside in games!

In Oceanhorn there is a lot to explore, discover and master!

Mechanics: 9

Despite using the cartoonish, colorful look of Wind Waker, Oceanhorn adopts gameplay and mechanics closer to the classic 2D Zeldas, with a few touches of modernization and creativity.

The game is an action game with a nearly fixed isometric camera, with small camera adjustments possible with the right stick. There are basic sword attacks, a shield to defend against attacks and projectiles… But there is also a large selection of equipment and spells that give great flexibility and variety to the game, adding depth and complexity to the combat and puzzles that await the player in the world and its dungeons.

At first the progression is limited and linear, but soon you are surprised by options of places to go and countless tools to fight and interact with the world’s elements. The game always brings small surprises, and works to bring variety to its elements. The only aspect of the game that isn’t as inspired is the open-sea navigation passages, which give no freedom to steer the boat and seem to serve only as small distraction passages – like a minigame.

The dungeons challenge your spatial and logical senses. You need to pay attention to small hints and details scattered around the rooms and always be prepared for the minibosses and bosses. These encounters drop the fixed camera for a more dynamic one, always centered on the opponent – which gives a quite epic feel during the battle.

The world and its mythology are vast!

Audiovisual: 8.5

Monster of Uncharted Seas has a friendly cartoonish, colorful look that is quite captivating. Normally the models look well made and detailed, although moments when the camera gets closer reveal that this isn’t always the case.

Although not particularly memorable, the music is varied and does a good job of setting the scene, helping create the mood the narrative tries to convey. The game has very good voice acting, which is surprising considering its original smartphone budget.

Overall, it is an incredibly competent piece of work – but when looked at a little more closely it still shows marks of its modest smartphone origins.

Final thoughts

Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is a game that drew a good part of its audience by recalling a captivating, nostalgic work of the past, and that actually turns out to be something quite different. The pleasant surprise is that even though it isn’t the Wind Waker revival that many were looking for, the game has its own identity and manages to stand very well on its own ideas.