Sunless Sea is a naval exploration RPG set in underground Gothic Victorian London.
Click a title to learn more about each topic.
Story & Themes
In Sunless Sea the player is the captain of a steamship traveling the Unterzee, with London as their home port. The player goes on dangerous missions to the various islands in the Unterzee to explore, make deliveries, relay news, and uncover mysteries about the land. There are many stories in Sunless Sea, and many of them depend on choices that the player makes.
This game is excellent for representation, with characters of many genders, races, and and sexualities.
Save Points
The game saves every time the player docks at a port. Unless you turn on Merciful Mode, you must start from the beginning every time you die.
Difficulty
The game is quite difficult. It's very easy to run out of fuel, supplies, or become too scared to sail any further (at which point your crew will mutiny). In addition, there are lots of pirates and dangerous creatures that share the world with you, and earning money necessitates going to the most dangerous places. For younger players, Merciless Mode might be a better bet, but mature players will enjoy the challenge of needing to start a new game every time they die. The controls are point-and-click so the gameplay itself is not difficult. There is lots of text in the game, so a high reading level will make it more enjoyable.
Heads Up!
Violence There is no violent imagery, but there are violent descriptions of fights, injuries, and killing.
Scary Imagery Sunless Sea is not a horror game, but is influenced by Gothic and Lovecraftian themes. It can be eerie. The player sails through a dark sea full of sea monsters (like giant crabs, snakes, etc.) and pirates. Terror is one of the qualities used to measure how well the player is doing (the more Terror your crew has, the more likely they are to mutiny), but the game itself is not as scary for the player. It just takes place in a scary world.
Sex & Nudity You can romance the officers of your ship and invite them to your cabin.
Substance Use The player can buy and sell casks of wine.
Conversation Starters
- How do you feel when you die in Sunless Sea?
- How do you choose which people to hire for your ship?
- What's your goal in this game?
- What do you do when you meet a new enemy who might be stronger than you?
2 / 5
3 / 5
0 / 5
