Hollow Tide

Hollow Tide is more about mood than challenge. You sail and climb between drowned islands, piecing together what happened here from scattered notes and environmental clues. The pacing is calm, and that's exactly the point.

Navigation is open enough to feel like real exploration without ever leaving you truly lost. The map fills in as you go, and I loved the moments of spotting a far-off ruin and slowly working out how to reach it.

The soundtrack does a lot of heavy lifting. Played with headphones late at night, this one got under my skin in the best way.

What we liked

• Beautiful, moody art direction
• Exploration that rewards curiosity
• An excellent atmospheric soundtrack