I was genuinely caught off guard by Sea of Remnants because, after looking at some screenshots and trailer footage of the game, I had naturally assumed it was a massive multiplayer pirate game. I guess Sea of Thieves set an unreasonable standard for pirate games with a unique look and style.
But the more I saw of the game, the more my interest was piqued, which was why getting a hands-on preview with Sea of Remnants was pretty fortuitous. This early build is a little messy—which, in many ways, feels thematically accurate—but it laid the foundation for something that could be incredibly cool.
In some ways, Sea of Remnants reminds me of a PlayStation 2 game. Its unique visual style and interesting gameplay mechanics capture the same creative spirit of games you would see in the early 2000s—landing somewhere between Psychonauts and Okage: Shadow King in terms of look and vibe. It’s got a silly sense of humour and a punk rock aesthetic that make it feel like a game from a bygone era and keep it deeply captivating.
Sea of Remnants begins with the player inhabiting the body of a faceless, nameless puppet, sailing across what I can only assume is the titular Sea of Remnants. They quickly awaken in the realm of the living, only to realize they’ve lost all their memories. After being given a new body by an eccentric scientist named Sigmund, they set out to find any information that could lead them to who they used to be.
“In some ways, Sea of Remnants reminds me of a PlayStation 2 game. Its unique visual style and interesting gameplay mechanics capture the same creative spirit of games you would see in the early 2000s…”
While video game stories involving the main character having amnesia are as old as the medium itself, Sea of Remnants is actually setting up some unique ideas with the trope. Since anyone in this world can seemingly die and return, their treasured possessions tie them to their past, which could give the main cast interesting backstories and motivations.
Furthermore, it works on a gameplay level, as quests and sidequests can be linked to characters’ lost memories, setting up for moments that can lead to a lot of interesting adventures while also providing a lot of character-building.
And Sea of Remnants’ gameplay is both straightforward and engaging, combining sea-faring action with turn-based RPG mechanics for something that feels both thoughtful and exciting. While on foot, players will explore unique and dynamic locations while engaging enemies in turn-based battles. Battles themselves have a traditional feel, while combining an element of luck that feels very appropriate for a pirate-themed game—specifically tied to literally rolling dice in order to get advantages over enemies.
While out on the sea, players can encounter enemy ships or even giant sea monsters that they’ll need to take down in intense third-person shooting combat. Sea of Remnants gives players a choice between simple controls, where the aiming reticle moves freely while players steer their ships, or more complex controls, where the aiming reticle can only aim relative to the sides their cannons are on.
Outside of combat and exploration, Sea of Remnants offers many side activities that really bring the world to life. Players can engage in boat races, play a round of Majhong or Liar’s Bar, chase chickens, chill with their crew, or grill different foods for bonuses in battle. It’s this variety of gameplay options that really gives the game its early 2000s feel and brings the game to life in a really unique way.
“Outside of combat and exploration, Sea of Remnants has a lot of side activities to offer players and really bring the world to life.”
While this early test of Sea of Remnants wasn’t without some small hiccups, mainly some small graphical glitches and localization issues that made trying to learn the combat a little bit of a chore, what’s on offer is incredibly promising. More and more recently, NetEase has been putting its money behind unique and interesting games, and Sea of Remnants is really shaping up to be one of those games.
Sea of Remnants is scheduled to launch in 2026 for PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5.
