Historic Low on One of the Best $19.99 Underwater Atmospheric Exploration Games Ever Created

[Paul Rudd]

ABZU is at a historic low of just $5.99 for the next 39 hours on Steam.

 

It has not been anywhere near this price since January of 2018 so I thought I'd mention it.

 

It was published by 505 Games and is also on PS4, Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch.

 

13,068 Very Positive reviews since its release on August 2, 2016.

[Fasauceome]

can't recommend this game enough, and at $6, great buy.

[LinusTech]

What IS it tho? 

[FIXXX]

2 hours ago, LinusTech said:

What IS it tho? 

A screensaver you can play, perhaps?

[Paul Rudd]

9 hours ago, LinusTech said:

What IS it tho?

A beautiful underwater adventure that evokes the dream of diving. A vibrant hidden ocean world full of mystery, bursting with color and life as you descend into the heart of the ocean. Beware as you swim deeper as dangers lurk in the depths. Perform fluid acrobatics as the Diver using graceful swimming controls. Discover hundreds of unique species based on real creatures and form a powerful connection with the abundant sea life. Interact with schools of thousands of fish that procedurally respond to you, each other, and predators. Linger in epic seascapes and explore aquatic ecosystems modeled with unprecedented detail. Descend into the heart of the ocean where ancient secrets lie forgotten. "ABZÛ" is from the oldest mythologies; AB, meaning water, and ZÛ, meaning to know. ABZÛ is the ocean of wisdom and one of the most relaxing games you can find.

[Fasauceome]

9 hours ago, LinusTech said:

What IS it tho? 

Pretty gorgeous story game, along the same being as Journey, you take the role of a silent protagonist in an empty world trying to find your way, with no knowledge of really what's happened to you for you to be in your circumstance.

[JZStudios]

3 hours ago, fasauceome said:

Pretty gorgeous story game, along the same being as Journey, you take the role of a silent protagonist in an empty world trying to find your way, with no knowledge of really what's happened to you for you to be in your circumstance.

I find Journey to be a better "story" and experience though. I don't see what you'd get from Abzu you couldn't get just by watching the hour and a half long gameplay on YT. I fully admit I'm cheap and broke, but I can't justify spending $20 on an hour and a half long "game" that's just kind of a series of pretty low-poly underwater screensavers.

[Fasauceome]

10 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

but I can't justify spending $20 on an hour and a half long "game" that's just kind of a series of pretty low-poly underwater screensavers.

at least it's on sale for $6

[Paul Rudd]

1 hour ago, JZStudios said:

I can't justify spending $20 on an hour and a half long "game" that's just kind of a series of pretty low-poly underwater screensavers.

This is why I mentioned that it's at a historic low price right now for just $5.99. And as I also mentioned, hasn't hit anywhere near that price since January of 2018. And the game isn't a series of pretty low-poly underwater screensavers. It's much more than something like that.

[JZStudios]

23 hours ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

This is why I mentioned that it's at a historic low price right now for just $5.99. And as I also mentioned, hasn't hit anywhere near that price since January of 2018. And the game isn't a series of pretty low-poly underwater screensavers. It's much more than something like that.

Yeah, but I've seen it on YT and I'm just not 100% convinced that I'll get anything else out of it playing it on my own.

[Paul Rudd]

15 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

Yeah, but I've seen it on YT and I'm just not 100% convinced that I'll get anything else out of it playing it on my own.

This could be said for virtually any game that's ever existed. Maybe you're just not into the genre.

[JZStudios]

11 minutes ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

This could be said for virtually any game that's ever existed. Maybe you're just not into the genre.

Not... exactly. Something like Playdeads Limbo or Inside pretty much plays 100% identically for everyone that plays it, contrasted with something more open ended like Skyrim.

There's not really any gameplay features or mechanics in Abzu or Inside that I've not seen or felt before and thus want to experience on my own.

At the same time, I'll not watch anything about God of War because I want to go into it as blind as possible, but the combat is always satisfying. I like pretty art games, but there's not much reason to actually play them. God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn are both also quite pretty and have a more detailed story while also being more mechanically engaging and allowing the players to do things in their own way.

 

It's more like pretty art games are partially interactive animated movies, Abzu in particular reminding me of my younger days going through all the bonus features and interactive things on the Finding Nemo DVD. The only difference to me is it's more expensive, the story isn't as good, and I have to wait for it to install any time I want to watch it.

 

To be clear, I'm not saying Abzu is awful or anything, I just don't find reason to buy it. If I watch a movie on Netflix I'm unlikely to buy the DVD unless I want the BTS and bonus content, which buying Abzu doesn't provide.

[Paul Rudd]

42 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

I'm not saying Abzu is awful or anything, I just don't find reason to buy it.

Me either. I have yet to buy it myself. But I know it's a great experience. I feel that other people have their own reason to buy it and play it. Which is why I posted this deal. I've always wanted to play it but I forgot all about it for a long time. Now that it's been refreshed in my memory, I might play it pretty soon. Will I pay to play it? Probably not. But will I get to play it? Of course. And that's all that matters. I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it more than I would any screen saver.

42 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

Something like Playdeads Limbo or Inside pretty much plays 100% identically for everyone that plays it

I disagree with this. Some people might choose to inject something into their veins, snort something up their nose, turn themselves upside down and then play these games. Pretty sure the experience they would get is nowhere near identical to someone elses. This is just an example of how ones emotions or ones personality or ones mood or what's going on with ones life would make the experience with a game completely different than someone elses experience with it.

 

I mean, to this day, I'll never understand how in just over 3 years time, over 18,816 people find a game like Plague Inc Evolved a fun experience. Just look at it...

I couldn't stare at this for 60 hours, let alone 60 seconds.

[JZStudios]

3 hours ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

I disagree with this. Some people might choose to inject something into their veins, snort something up their nose, turn themselves upside down and then play these games. Pretty sure the experience they would get is nowhere near identical to someone elses. This is just an example of how ones emotions or ones personality or ones mood or what's going on with ones life would make the experience with a game completely different than someone elses experience with it.

 

I mean, to this day, I'll never understand how in just over 3 years time, over 18,816 people find a game like Plague Inc Evolved a fun experience. Just look at it...

I couldn't stare at this for 60 hours, let alone 60 seconds.

Lol. I mean the "story" and gameplay in those types of games is so directly linear that there's really only 1 way to play it. There's thousands of ways to play Skyrim. Watching someone play Inside (On drugs or not) and actually playing Inside... chances are good that it plays out 100% the same. That doesn't mean that individuals don't experience it in different ways. I for one agree with Joseph Anderson and just don't get Inside and think it's kind of a crap game that pretends to have a story by being purposefully vague and nonsensical. A lot of other people like it. But there's only 1 legitimate play style, only one way to actually progress through the game. It's more linear that Super Mario.

 

As to Plague Inc. I remember playing it as a free flash game in school to kill time. No way I'd pay money for it though.

[Paul Rudd]

14 hours ago, JZStudios said:

I mean the "story" and gameplay in those types of games is so directly linear that there's really only 1 way to play it.

Like I said, you may not be into that type of stuff. It's like watching reruns. In which I can do over and over and over. And it's the exact same stuff every single time.

[JZStudios]

3 hours ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

Like I said, you may not be into that type of stuff. It's like watching reruns. In which I can do over and over and over. And it's the exact same stuff every single time.

Yeah, but there's typically more story in movies. I'm generally actually not a huge fan of movies because I like a larger overarching story, but these kind of "artsy experience" games very often have very little to no story while either the game itself or the community around acts snobby and pretends like it's deep.

I'll rewatch Hero any day of the week because it freaking gorgeous to watch, and the story is also good. Otherwise it's just like watching... Planet Earth or something I guess, but without any informative narration, so just put on a soft piano medley or something in the background.

[Paul Rudd]

1 hour ago, JZStudios said:

I'm generally actually not a huge fan of movies

Exactly why you're not into ABZU right there. Which is a shame. Movies make life. I think I've watched thousands of movies. Not hundreds, thousands. And I rarely watch them just once.

[JZStudios]

6 hours ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

Exactly why you're not into ABZU right there. Which is a shame. Movies make life. I think I've watched thousands of movies. Not hundreds, thousands. And I rarely watch them just once.

I watch plenty of movies. I just don't get as involved in them as I do in games or well thought out TV series. Maybe the autism doesn't help, but I don't get that attached to characters in less than an hour and a half. Any movie that can pull that off is pretty rare.

[Paul Rudd]

1 hour ago, JZStudios said:

I don't get that attached to characters in less than an hour and a half. Any movie that can pull that off is pretty rare.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118528/ Watch it. Live it. Watch it again.

[JZStudios]

22 hours ago, Dr. Historic Low said:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118528/ Watch it. Live it. Watch it again.

Hmm, I only have access to the 1957 version. I'll check it out.

[Paul Rudd]

5 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

Hmm, I only have access to the 1957 version. I'll check it out.

I strongly recommend to watch the 1997 version first. Just download it.

[JZStudios]

Just now, Dr. Historic Low said:

I strongly recommend to watch the 1997 version first. Just download it.

I ju...bu.. I do not good sir! I don't know where exactly our library of 1200 movies came from, but I didn't download them.

[Paul Rudd]

1 minute ago, JZStudios said:

I ju...bu.. I do not good sir! I don't know where exactly our library of 1200 movies came from, but I didn't download them.

Then just rent it off Amazon for $2.99... 12 Angry Men Amazon

[JZStudios]

Just now, Dr. Historic Low said:

Then just rent it off Amazon for $2.99... 12 Angry Men Amazon

You don't pick on my cheapness. XD

[Paul Rudd]

5 minutes ago, JZStudios said:

You don't pick on my cheapness. XD

Well in that case, here ya' go... Brand New VHS 12 Angry Men. It's also worth more than you'll pay. And you can always offer less. Sell it right back to eBay for $40.00, easy. Or keep it for sentimental reasons/insane value in the future.