<s>
Abzû	B-Application
is	O
an	O
adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Giant	O
Squid	O
Studios	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
505	O
Games	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Amazon	B-Operating_System
Luna	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
journey	B-Application
of	O
a	O
diver	O
exploring	O
the	O
ocean	O
and	O
restoring	O
life	O
using	O
sonar	O
calls	O
,	O
the	O
gameplay	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
freely	O
navigate	O
underwater	O
environments	O
ranging	O
from	O
open	O
water	O
and	O
natural	O
caverns	O
to	O
ancient	O
ruins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
members	O
,	O
including	O
director	O
Matt	O
Nava	O
and	O
composer	O
Austin	O
Wintory	O
,	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
2012	O
video	O
game	O
Journey	B-Application
—	O
the	O
ocean	O
setting	O
of	O
Abzû	B-Application
was	O
both	O
a	O
reaction	O
to	O
the	O
desert	O
setting	O
of	O
Journey	B-Application
and	O
inspired	O
by	O
Nava	O
's	O
love	O
of	O
scuba	O
diving	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reaching	O
high	O
positions	O
in	O
sales	O
charts	O
,	O
Abzû	B-Application
was	O
praised	O
by	O
journalists	O
:	O
the	O
majority	O
of	O
praise	O
went	O
to	O
its	O
art	O
style	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
critics	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
Journey	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Abzû	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
takes	O
on	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
diver	O
in	O
a	O
vast	O
ocean	O
—	O
after	O
waking	O
up	O
floating	O
on	O
the	O
ocean	O
's	O
surface	O
,	O
the	O
diver	O
begins	O
exploring	O
the	O
surrounding	O
underwater	O
environments	O
filled	O
with	O
plant	O
and	O
animal	O
life	O
,	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
uncovering	O
ancient	O
technology	O
and	O
submerged	O
ruins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
narrative	O
of	O
Abzû	B-Application
is	O
told	O
wordlessly	O
through	O
gameplay	O
and	O
using	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
taking	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
vast	O
ocean	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
origins	O
of	O
Abzû	B-Application
lay	O
in	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Journey	B-Application
,	O
an	O
independent	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Thatgamecompany	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Abzûs	B-Application
creator	O
,	O
director	O
and	O
art	O
director	O
Matt	O
Nava	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
as	O
art	O
director	O
for	O
Journey	B-Application
during	O
its	O
three-year	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nava	O
began	O
creating	O
the	O
pitch	O
for	O
Abzû	B-Application
before	O
leaving	O
Thatgamecompany	O
and	O
founding	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
developer	O
Giant	O
Squid	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
elements	O
Nava	O
incorporated	O
was	O
his	O
love	O
for	O
ancient	O
cultures	O
and	O
their	O
artwork	O
,	O
particularly	O
relating	O
to	O
the	O
myths	O
surrounding	O
the	O
concept	O
of	O
Abzu	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nava	O
's	O
love	O
of	O
the	O
ocean	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
explored	O
through	O
his	O
hobby	O
of	O
scuba	O
diving	O
,	O
also	O
figured	O
heavily	O
in	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
Abzû	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
initial	O
digital	O
release	O
was	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
via	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Windows	O
through	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
August	O
2	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
it	O
was	O
also	O
released	O
digitally	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
through	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
on	O
December	O
6	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
also	O
received	O
a	O
physical	O
release	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
January	O
31	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
was	O
released	O
through	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
on	O
November	O
29	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
included	O
in	O
the	O
early	O
access	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
cloud	O
gaming	O
platform	O
Amazon	B-Operating_System
Luna	I-Operating_System
on	O
October	O
20	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
title	O
stems	O
from	O
Sumerian	O
mythology	O
,	O
particularly	O
the	O
myth	O
of	O
the	O
ocean	O
goddess	O
Tiamat	O
and	O
the	O
fresh	O
water	O
god	O
Abzu	B-Application
uniting	O
to	O
form	O
all	O
life	O
:	O
a	O
reason	O
this	O
was	O
chosen	O
was	O
that	O
myths	O
surrounding	O
land-based	O
life	O
and	O
their	O
supposed	O
origins	O
in	O
a	O
cosmic	O
ocean	O
were	O
a	O
recurring	O
theme	O
in	O
multiple	O
world	O
mythologies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
word	O
provided	O
difficulties	O
early	O
on	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Sumerian	O
spelling	O
"	O
Abzu	B-Application
"	O
differed	O
from	O
the	O
Akkadian	O
spelling	O
"	O
Apsû	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
creating	O
the	O
environments	O
,	O
Nava	O
drew	O
on	O
his	O
experience	O
developing	O
Flower	B-Application
for	O
Thatgamecompany	O
,	O
creating	O
sporadically	O
scattered	O
interaction	O
points	O
that	O
triggered	O
with	O
player	O
exploration	O
and	O
triggered	O
new	O
life	O
or	O
new	O
elements	O
within	O
each	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
types	O
of	O
fish	O
seen	O
in	O
Abzû	B-Application
were	O
based	O
on	O
real-life	O
creatures	O
from	O
the	O
oceans	O
of	O
Earth	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
fit	O
them	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
each	O
species	O
was	O
distilled	O
down	O
to	O
its	O
most	O
distinctive	O
traits	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
fish	O
species	O
had	O
its	O
own	O
unique	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
that	O
had	O
cascading	O
levels	O
of	O
awareness	O
and	O
interaction	O
with	O
other	O
species	O
and	O
objects	O
in	O
the	O
environment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
for	O
Abzû	B-Application
was	O
composed	O
,	O
conducted	O
,	O
and	O
produced	O
by	O
Austin	O
Wintory	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Journey	B-Application
and	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
to	O
Wintory	O
's	O
work	O
on	O
Journey	B-Application
,	O
the	O
first	O
track	O
written	O
was	O
the	O
main	O
theme	O
"	O
To	O
Know	O
,	O
Water	O
"	O
and	O
further	O
tracks	O
were	O
created	O
over	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
three	O
year	O
development	O
based	O
on	O
that	O
theme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
with	O
his	O
work	O
on	O
Journey	B-Application
and	O
Assassin	B-Application
's	I-Application
Creed	I-Application
Syndicate	I-Application
,	O
he	O
used	O
a	O
soloist	O
alongside	O
an	O
ensemble	O
orchestra	O
:	O
in	O
this	O
case	O
,	O
the	O
solo	O
instrument	O
was	O
an	O
oboe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
oboe	O
solos	O
were	O
performed	O
by	O
Kristin	O
Naigus	O
,	O
whom	O
Wintory	O
had	O
heard	O
performing	O
a	O
cover	O
of	O
a	O
track	O
from	O
Journey	B-Application
on	O
YouTube	B-General_Concept
.	I-General_Concept
</s>
<s>
Wintory	O
worked	O
closely	O
with	O
Abzûs	B-Application
sound	O
designer	O
Steve	O
Green	O
and	O
created	O
a	O
music-based	O
story	O
that	O
flowed	O
alongside	O
and	O
worked	O
with	O
the	O
visual	O
narrative	O
of	O
Abzû	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
official	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
digital	O
album	O
through	O
Bandcamp	O
and	O
iTunes	B-Operating_System
on	O
August	O
2	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
also	O
nominated	O
at	O
the	O
2017	O
BAFTA	O
Games	O
Awards	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
Music	O
"	O
category	O
,	O
but	O
lost	O
to	O
Virginia	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
his	O
work	O
on	O
Abzû	B-Application
,	O
Wintory	O
won	O
the	O
2016	O
International	O
Film	O
Music	O
Critics	O
Association	O
award	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
Original	O
Score	O
for	O
a	O
Video	O
Game	O
or	O
Interactive	O
Media	O
"	O
,	O
making	O
his	O
second	O
win	O
in	O
a	O
row	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
also	O
gave	O
unanimous	O
praise	O
to	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
positively	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Journey	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
debut	O
week	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
reached	O
#9	O
in	O
platform	O
sales	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Abzû	B-Application
was	O
at	O
#18	O
among	O
the	O
best-selling	O
titles	O
on	O
PlayStation	O
Store	O
's	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
charts	O
for	O
August	O
,	O
being	O
the	O
third	O
best-selling	O
new	O
title	O
that	O
month	O
behind	O
Batman	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Telltale	I-Application
Series	I-Application
(	O
#7	O
)	O
and	O
No	B-Application
Man	I-Application
's	I-Application
Sky	I-Application
(	O
#1	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PS4	B-Operating_System
and	O
PC	O
versions	O
received	O
scores	O
of	O
78	O
and	O
83	O
on	O
aggregate	O
site	O
Metacritic	O
based	O
on	O
19	O
and	O
72	O
reviews	O
respectively	O
,	O
each	O
denoting	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reception	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Abzû	B-Application
was	O
nominated	O
at	O
The	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2016	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
Best	O
Art	O
Direction	O
"	O
category	O
;	O
at	O
the	O
Golden	O
Joystick	O
Awards	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
Best	O
Original	O
Game	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Best	O
Visual	O
Design	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
PlayStation	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
categories	O
;	O
and	O
at	O
the	O
2017	O
BAFTA	O
Games	O
Awards	O
in	O
the	O
"	O
Artistic	O
Achievement	O
"	O
category	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
visuals	O
and	O
environments	O
were	O
generally	O
praised	O
for	O
their	O
artistic	O
style	O
and	O
beauty	O
,	O
with	O
many	O
citing	O
the	O
graphics	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
strengths	O
;	O
Butterworth	O
positively	O
compared	O
the	O
graphics	O
to	O
the	O
cel-shaded	O
style	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Wind	I-Application
Waker	I-Application
,	O
Otero	O
called	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
art	O
direction	O
"	O
fantastic	O
"	O
and	O
praised	O
the	O
consistent	O
framerate	O
,	O
while	O
Orry	O
praised	O
the	O
art	O
style	O
and	O
graphics	O
despite	O
the	O
simplistic	O
models	O
making	O
Abzû	B-Application
appear	O
"	O
basic	O
looking	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
reviewers	O
were	O
less	O
positive	O
:	O
Furniss	O
felt	O
that	O
Abzûs	B-Application
story	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
grand	O
as	O
its	O
developers	O
touted	O
,	O
while	O
Davenport	O
found	O
it	O
overly	O
familiar	O
to	O
the	O
point	O
of	O
being	O
cliche	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiple	O
reviewers	O
favorably	O
compared	O
the	O
artistic	O
style	O
and	O
gameplay	O
experience	O
to	O
Journey	B-Application
and	O
the	O
previous	O
work	O
of	O
Thatgamecompany	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Roberts	O
in	O
particular	O
noted	O
that	O
some	O
players	O
might	O
find	O
it	O
too	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
likes	O
of	O
Journey	B-Application
.	O
</s>
