Join an eccentric crew in search of their captain in Saltsea Chronicles.
Community is what makes people work toward a common goal, to find a sense of compass when alienated and lost in an uncaring world, and what they should strive to be a part of whenever possible. Isolation has been a hotly debated topic in recent times, and what better way to reject it than to become a part of a boat crew? Saltsea Chronicles reflects this exemplary lifestyle choice through its deeply personal narrative of its extremely varied cast.
Developed and published by Die Gute Fabrik, Saltsea Chronicles tells the story of the boat De Kelpie’s crew in search of their lost captain, Maja, and the ups and downs of exploring what is known as the Saltsea Archipelago. Thanks to its strikingly charming art style, rich storytelling, and focus on its compelling group of sea dwellers, it is up to you to solve the mystery of your lost captain. There is a phrase that says friends are the family we choose, and for the crew of the De Kelpie that certainly rings true.
The game starts with a tale as old as time, friends passing the time sitting around a campfire and telling stories. Saltsea Chronicles lets you know that there is no main character but rather a whole crew to manage, made up of the navigator Molpe and her daughter Ada, the historian Murl, the young rebel Iris, and the old diver Stew. After that brief prologue, a joyful animated short film introduces the characters and shows the relaxed and unique vibe this indie darling unquestionably is aiming for.
After grabbing your bearings from last night’s campfire, you all realize the captain is nowhere to be seen, and we’re off to the races. The island you’re currently on is called Njarfie Roust, and as you question the people around you, it is clear the islanders do not hold your crew in the highest regard to the point that your boat has been grounded and can’t leave shore. With a bit of sleuthing and diplomacy, you can free De Kelpie and truly begin your journey on the surrounding islets.
The Saltsea Archipelago is a place with its own set of cultures, languages, and rules, which lends itself to sometimes finding slang that Saltsea Chronicles neatly gives you the explanation to understand a better context of your surroundings. When embarking on your missions, it is possible to choose between certain characters, and according to their abilities in the specific task at hand, you have the option of who would excel at it.
The way you go about interacting with a story action or object and subsequent observation is to move in sections of the island in what is expressed in the game as Screenspans and click to where the highlighted dots to start a conversation or blurt out a thought are guided to you. On the Nintendo Switch, you can click on the screen to interact with the different people and objects highlighted.
Depending on which characters are available from your crew and whoever you choose to accompany you, according to how the journey to the current island in the archipelago went, they could have a personal conversation and open themselves up just a little bit more and be more trustworthy.
As is usually the case with socializing in a group, conflicts between the crew may arise, with even a section in the menu bar called Issues where you can consult the current problems some of the members may have, past issues resolved, or plain conflicts that were simply never resolved and left someone bitter and resentful as their cremates did not attend to their needs.
A mystic aura permeates the customs of the locals, with everyone’s superstitions and beliefs being in constant clash with one another and the crew who’s trying to find their captain—a distinctly anthropological approach to the story. The difficult acceptance of foreigners is not lost in Saltsea Chronicles, as it is such a close community they are wary of outsiders and lukewarm towards them outside the occasional good samaritan.
Songs, hymns, poetry, and musical phrases are imbued with flair in each of the conversations with locals from the colorful islands you get to visit. Descriptions of unique cuisines, flora, and fauna paint a nuanced picture of full-fledged societies, some of them still reeling from previous tragedies such as the Flood. In contrast, others decidedly moved on and focused on enjoying their peaceful lives at sea.
In between conversations with the populace and trying to solve your problems and progress the narrative, there is also an obsessive card game to be learned. Although it is completely optional, this game called Spoils is played in teams of two (another allusion to collaboration), and it is a deceptively simple game involving earning points and getting lucky with your hand against your opponents. In many ways, it’s one of those card games you’d spend playing till the early morning, making memories with your aunts and uncles.
One of the persistent leitmotifs spread throughout the story of the Saltsea Chronicles is the idea of how hoarding is wrong and is what caused the Flood that created the current society to live the way they currently do. While it is not equivocal in the slightest to consider that being greedy is frowned upon for it to be what ultimately caused the downfall of their civilization, it is a strong message that goes a long way and eerily resonates with much of today’s challenges with capitalism.
At the start of each new chapter, the wonderfully animated introduction plays again, making the impression that you are playing a new episode in a profoundly unique show with its colorful cast of characters and intriguing mystery. A stunning detail from this short is that whenever a new crew member joins the team, they also show up in the animation, counting yet another minute detail that is not easy to catch but splendid to see.
A pillar of Saltsea Chronicles is The Almanac, a compendium of stickers of all the places, people, and things you have interacted with, having a total of 222 uniquely designed curiosities ready for you to collect and amuse about in the said book. To see all of your images collected after a playthrough and reminisce about every interaction is worth it on its own, but it also serves to be tempted to go back and make different decisions to fill the journal and satisfy that completionist mind.
For the duration of its 12 chapters, you can choose to travel among the several islands in the archipelago. It is possible to meet new crew members and learn the mysteries and stories of the people living in these areas. Adding to the sprawling variations in choice, you can also choose two options within most conversations, opening up even more possibilities and assuring no two playthroughs will ever be the same.
As the fanciful tale starts winding down and the end is in sight, Saltsea Chronicles’ metaphysical mysteries begin taking shape. It is a deeply moving story of love, loss, and understanding that no matter who you are or where you come from, that rooted sense of helping your fellow neighbor will always be there, and it is important to act and cause a positive change in your society.
In the now well-known market of so-called cozy indies, Saltsea Chronicles certainly could fit in that description, but it also is much more than just a wholesome game. It is a reminder that participating in a community, lending a hand whenever you can, and learning about your world is a reward of its own.
