Scary is the sea and whatever enigmatic inhabitants — yet don’t mistake the unsettling underwater wonders for monotony. There’s an entire world beneath the waves, brimming with vibrant lives. Shallow Sea takes that deep dive into the colourful spectacle of Great Barrier Reef. Its splendor breaths live on your table. It’s a labour of love from Bad Comet Games, the South Korean studio that’s no stranger to visual opulence. This one is delivered as something that looks to be their most stunning creation yet.
Disclaimer: We had the preview copy for this review, and it was not the final version. There might be possible changes and alteration from the publisher regarding the components, printing and build quality, rules and concepts in the official released product.
Shallow Sea isn’t just a beautiful face. It’s a multi-layered puzzle, where we shape our own reef beds on our personal ocean board. Each move is purposeful. And the components are all well-intertwined. Arranging the right fish to congregate around the coral tile to fulfill specific patterns results in flipping that tile to the complete side. With the right coral tiles grouping in the right place, we then invite the other marine faunas to come. We have them depicted in Sealife tiles.
Completing a coral tile in Shallow Sea is more than just a mere moment of satisfaction. The beautiful coral stands tall on our ocean board, it’s something majestic to behold. But it’s also rewarding us, gameplay-wise. With points, obviously, and seashells. The points obviously feed into the final score, but that does not mean the latter one hold lesser value. While it is not directly worth any points in the end, it acts as a sort of currency. Yet, it helps us to bend the rules a bit.
Seashells provide the flexibility needed to pull off crucial moves. Repositioning fishes, for example. We can send one fish to surround another coral tile, making it complete and flip it for fresh points. Or perhaps to gain a strategic edge during the drafting phase, taking a more loose combinations of coral/fish/sealife.
Nurturing the marine ecosystem
The last layer of the puzzle reveals itself in the form of Ecosystem cards. The right placement of corals, marine animals, and fishes within our own ocean will then be judged. This aspect adds an extra dimension to the challenge. The specific requirements are relevant during the end-game scoring.
Designer Yeom Cheolwoong weaves together several familiar mechanics to make this game run. The open drafting lets us gather the components we need, setting up for the game’s core: the pattern building. This is where the magic happens. And it’s actually holding true to the factual thematic touch: a combination of fishes will complete the coral; and the pattern of those corals will attract more marine animals further. In the end, we still have the set-collection to keep Shallow Sea intense into the end of the game.
Shallow Sea isn’t just about the gameplay either. As mentioned, it’s a game that spills beauty across the table. From the moment we lift the lid, the vibrant colours and exquisite components bring the essence of Great Barrier Reef to life. Great table presence, indeed. Something that I will always expect from Bad Comet Games. By the time the game ends, the ocean board resembles a miniature underwater paradise.
While it’s pretty on the outside, the gameplay is remarkably solid. It balances multiple layers of puzzles to craft a strategic game without riding into the definition of overwhelming. The design itself is thoughtful. There is a logical flow that players of all level can appreciate and follow. What’s more important is how all the engines blend seamlessly. The no-clunky-feeling keeps the game in rhythm.
When we combine these strengths in gameplay with the stunning artwork, Shallow Sea does not only emerge as a good euro game. It also nails the thematic immersion. This is a game that’s accessible, making it an ideal choice for families, and perhaps seasoned gamers alike.
I am a full-time food technologist during weekdays. However, when the calendar hits weekends, I transform into an avid board gamer. I am a hardcore Legend of the Five Rings (L5R) LCG player from Fantasy Flight Games (FFG). Current hobby: buying board games. My shelf of shame’s list is getting longer, thanks to you, Kickstarter.
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