A Game That Struggles to Find Its Identity

Sea of Remnants has been making waves in the gaming world, but not necessarily in the way one might expect. During the Summer Game Fest, the game’s trailer was overshadowed by a more prominent announcement for Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced. As a result, many players may have missed the opportunity to see what Sea of Remnants is truly about. Instead of showcasing gameplay, the trailer featured a music video for “Make it Loud,” which included characters in colorful liminal spaces and only brief glimpses of a pirate ship or a pub.

This lack of clear direction left many curious about what the actual game would be like. When I finally got the chance to play a 45-minute demo at the end of Summer Game Fest, I found that the game is trying to do so much that it struggles to define itself.

A Mix of Genres and Expectations

Sea of Remnants is a pirate game with open-world exploration and sailing, gacha crew gathering, turn-based combat, a sprawling narrative presented through high-production cutscenes and visual novel-style conversations, and even roguelite elements. It seems to be attempting to appeal to fans of both Sea of Thieves and Honkai: Star Rail, but it’s unclear if it can successfully balance these different influences.

The game starts with a very quiet, meditative moment where players slowly row toward a light. Once they reach it, the game quickly shifts into a whirlwind of action, including a battle against a giant sea monster on an upgraded ship. However, this fight ends in failure, and players are then introduced to a character who must awaken in a scientist’s lab.

A Chaotic Demo Experience

The pacing of the demo was fast-paced and confusing. Within 15 minutes, I had faced off against a sea monster, failed the battle, and created my character. This chaotic approach made it difficult to get a clear sense of what the game was about. It wasn’t until I reached the island of Orbtopia, the game’s main hub, that I began to understand the story better.

After chasing a chicken for reasons still unclear, I went to a nearby bar where the opening credits rolled. There, I met R.S., a spunky young pirate who isn’t afraid to steal from others. After accidentally causing her to trip, I had to fight the crook who was hanging out at the bar. This was where I first experienced the game’s turn-based RPG mechanics.

A Tutorial-Focused Introduction

The tutorial battle was limited, but it gave a glimpse into how the game works. Those familiar with turn-based gacha games like Honkai: Star Rail will recognize the style. However, this aspect of the game felt somewhat underwhelming, which may explain why NetEase didn’t highlight it in the Summer Game Fest trailer.

From there, the game continued with tutorials and story setup as I sailed to R.S.’s hideout. There, I met a character who could store loot and send it back to Orbtopia. The experience felt like it was jumping around a lot, just like the game itself.

A Glimpse into the Future

As the demo progressed, I entered a dream world that seemed to be the portal used to acquire new crew members. According to a press release, the final game will feature over 400 crew members, suggesting that there is a lot more content to come.

A Mixed Impression

After finishing the demo, I was torn on whether what I played truly represented the game. On one hand, it barely showed any of the turn-based battles, sailing, roguelite, or crew-gathering elements that appear to make up the majority of the adventure. On the other hand, its vibrant visuals and eclectic presentation are actually quite representative of how all over the place Sea of Remnants is.

Pirate games are having a moment in 2026 thanks to Windrose and Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced. Sea of Remnants may be able to catch that current and sail on it to success, grabbing people with so many different gameplay systems that it’ll be the only game they play. However, after being overwhelmed while checking it out at Summer Game Fest, I’m not exactly yearning to jump back into such a haphazard experience that doesn’t do any one thing particularly well.

Sea of Remnants is in development for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.