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Sword of the Sea is an adventure built around an unusual question: what purpose does a sword serve when there is no one to fight? In a 30-minute demo shown at Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles, Giant Squid presented a game with no combat. Its sword is instead a way to move through a vast desert, and the experience focuses on exploration, fluid movement, and bringing life back to the landscape.
Sword of the Sea turns a blade into a ride
Creative director Matt Nava describes the sword’s unusual role as one of the project’s central ideas. The player, known as the Wraith, rides it like a hoverboard across rolling dunes. There is no attack button in the demo, and the preview does not establish whether the full game will include violence.
Movement is the main pleasure of the experience. The Wraith can glide up and down the sandy slopes, charge jumps to launch into the air, and press the button again before landing to perform tricks. The tricks appear to be optional rather than necessary for progress, which makes them a natural way to enjoy the game’s momentum. Players who prefer a direct route can focus on following the terrain, while those who enjoy experimenting can use the open space to practice jumps and spins.
Water brings the desert to life
A glowing blue orb sets off a dramatic change: the liquid-like sand becomes water, creating a river through the dunes. Fish appear in the air above it, a striking contrast with the otherwise sparse landscape, where traces of other creatures are mostly limited to old bones.
The water also acts as a visual guide. Its vivid blue color draws attention across the desert, making it easier to understand where to travel without relying on a written objective. As more of the land is replenished, the environment changes from dry sand into a mix of desert and sea. The transformation gives exploration a clear sense of purpose without spelling out the goal in text.
Subtle guidance keeps the screen uncluttered
Outside of occasional button prompts, the demo keeps text and interface elements off the screen. Nava says this approach is intended to help players become absorbed in the world. There are no waypoints, so a route may not always be immediately obvious, but the design of the environment provides gentle clues. Take a moment to look for changes in the landscape and follow prominent features such as water or newly opened passages.
The game also teaches some interactions indirectly. For example, small groups of pots can be broken with a pulse ability, even though the demo does not display a specific instruction for them. Nava explains that players may work out the interaction by noticing the pots near objects that have already been introduced through a tutorial. This makes observation useful: when you encounter a new object, check nearby areas for similar shapes or clues.
Collecting little golden triangles introduces another element. A nearby masked creature draws the currency into a barrel carried on its back, and the player gains the ability to perform more tricks. The demo connects exploration and movement rewards without interrupting the journey with lengthy explanations.
A mysterious figure hints at more to discover
Near the end of the demo, restoring water activates large green chains that open a route to the next area. The Wraith rides along the chains in a skateboard-like motion before approaching the newly opened doorway. A figure briefly appears on a rock behind the player, then vanishes. The stranger carries a sword differently from the Wraith, holding its hilt as though it were a weapon.
The scene raises questions about the sword and the world without resolving them in the preview. For now, the demo’s strongest impression comes from its combination of expressive movement, environmental storytelling, and the visible renewal of the desert. Sword of the Sea offers a refreshing take on adventure by making its blade a tool for travel and its changing landscape the clearest guide forward.
