Game: SeaBed
Genre: Adventure (Visual Novel)
System: Nintendo Switch
Developers | Publishers: Paleontology| Fruitbat Factory
Price: US $19.99|AU $ $26.99|CA $ 26.24|€ 17,99|£ 16.19
Age Rating: US T| EU 12+
Release Date: 19th March 2020
Review code used, with many thanks to Fruitbat Factory
Ever feel guilty about neglecting reading books because you’re always playing video games? SeaBed might be the game for you!
SeaBed is a mystery visual novel, that relies more heavily on the “novel” than “visual” elements, but still makes for an interesting experience.
Weaving in romantic elements with an unfolding mystery, the story focuses on three separate characters: Mizuno Sachiko, Narasaki Hibiki and Takako.
The game was first released to critical acclaim in Japan back in 2016, and is getting it’s English language debut now in March 2020. This new release includes two brand new scenes, so even if you’ve already picked this title up, it might be worth a second look.
Slow Going
I won’t lie, this game took a while to pick up. For the first hour, it felt like I had no idea what was going on.
The story is told through a stream of consciousness, one character at a time. You’re thrown immediately into one character’s perspective, with little introduction to the cast of characters or the background.
Eventually, once you get past the first few chapters, things begin to get a bit clearer. While the game is marketed as a mystery, to me it felt more like a peek into the minds of three different women. The story explores the questions of how love falls apart and how our perception of our memories can be tainted over time, rather than a true mystery.
This definitely isn’t a high action game, but it has sweet, introspective elements that give you pause and make you reflect on your own life.
Visuals
You can’t talk about a visual novel without touching on the visual element.
SeaBed’s visuals are surprising, and it’s the first time I’ve encountered anything like it in a game. The story is told purely through text on screen, and your own interaction is to continue hitting A to ensure text keeps appearing.
Beneath the text is a rotating carousel of images that have been artistically blurred that reflect the elements of the story. When remembering a trip two characters took together, the screen flashes between an image of an airport, a hotel room, and a taxi cab. It’s surprisingly atmospheric and really drew me in.
The other element of the visuals is the character drawings. Anyone playing in public beware, there’s plenty of bikinis and skimpy nightgowns, so it’s maybe best to play this one in the quiet of your own home if you want to avoid any strange looks!
Everything Else
This was a really relaxing experience!
The game has a soundtrack that could be described as a mix between elevator music and lo-fo chill. It’s one of the rare games that I actually put headphones in for, just so I could enjoy the shifting soundtrack.
Final Thoughts
This was one of the slower visual novel games I’ve ever played, but that’s not necessarily always a bad thing.
It has an interesting, reflective story that I found enjoyable and I found I could play it before bed without getting too hyped up to sleep. But on the other hand, it wasn’t a story I was excited to pick up every day and never felt really compelled to learn more about the characters.
I’d personally wait to snag this one in an eShop sale and save it for the times that you really need to relax.
Final verdict: I’m not sure 
I’ve been waiting for the review on this one as I’m always interested in queer stories in visual novels.
Does this have auto advance? My thumbs get tired hitting A so often . Def sounds like my kind of story, but I’ve ended up with really sore thumb joints playing these games before.