Playing Sword of the Sea feels like surfing on air. Giant Squid – the studio behind amazing adventures in both Abzu and The Pathless – is known for creating atmospheric experiences that require just the right amount of skill.

Sword of the Sea is no different. The environment blossoms with gorgeous animations and breathtaking sequences while you work out how to tame your hoversword.
 

Even though the vibes within Sword of the Sea are majorly chill, there are still ways you can bring out your inner Tony Hawk and Shaun White as you cruise over the dunes. Make sure to take out your favorite joypad, as Giant Squid's latest creation is best played with joysticks and buttons rather than a mouse and keyboard. Read on to find out how to make the most of your sandy adventure.
 

Master the halfpipe

Yes, even in ancient-seeming fantastical worlds, sword surfers manage to find the perfect halfpipe to shred. The ones in Sword of the Sea often help you ascend to new areas, find hidden treasures, or meet some mysterious characters tucked away in the desert.

Halfpipes in this visionary land resemble snow more than water or asphalt. You'll gain more speed as you move from side to side, catching more air with each gust of your feet. It's just as easy to misjudge your placement and go flying in the wrong direction as it is to pull off a beautiful frontside 360.

The key is to angle your camera in the same direction as you move back and forth so the perspective doesn't impact your decision-making.
 

Embrace the exploration

Sword of the Sea is part linear adventure, with some open-level exploration. Some segments will give you small areas to explore rather than push you in a predetermined direction. Movement is so crisp that simply moving around is just as enjoyable as wall-riding around ruins or gaining some sick air on a halfpipe.

Chests and other hidden treasures are scattered across the map, usually identifiable by the bubbles surrounding them. These help you unlock other areas and new abilities faster, making them more than worth the extra time spent flying over the sand.

Certain environments throughout the game will transform as you explore, opening up new areas, adding new treasures, and making a few secrets easier to access. Areas you may have already visited could be worth another look once water comes flowing into the desert. 
 

Precision sword popping

While your ride in Sword of the Sea may not have wheels, you can still use your momentum to gain a little air at any time you'd like. This is crucial for tidbits of platforming throughout the game. Some ruins, for example, have individual towers that dole out rewards if you're able to jump to them from a nearby roof.

You'll need to land directly on them, which can be difficult considering you're almost always moving at any given moment.

Making sure you jump at the right moment and then immediately stop your forward momentum as soon as you touch down on the target platform is a skill you'll sharpen quickly in Sword of the Sea.
Bailing is balanced and beautiful

Riding through the desert and across the water is a peaceful experience, but that doesn't mean you'll always get along with the sword under your feet. There are cliffsides scattered throughout this world, and you can fly off them and fall into the abyss.

You can also fail tricks, but there isn't an embarrassing sound effect or wipeout animation like in popular skateboarding and snowboarding games. Instead, you'll keep effortlessly flowing through the desert as if it never happened. So don't be afraid to go for that extra spin, grab, or flip.
 

Ride the ruin walls

Sword of the Sea is dotted with time trial sections where you'll be tasked with beating a predetermined high score. You'll have to build combos by completing trick after trick in the air, which can be challenging for first-time players.

Several of these trials are deliberately placed next to ridable walls, which are an easy method for earning thousands of points. You'll be able to gain points and multipliers by pulling off tricks while on the wall, which is much easier than doing so on the ground or a halfpipe.

Ride over the glowing speed boosts to trigger a quick kickflip. It'll give your combo additional multipliers and grant you a bit of air and speed. Be careful, though, as these boosts can easily send you off the wall if you are near an edge. Wall riding keeps a combo alive, but it'll end as soon as you touch the ground.
 

Cling to the kelp

Sometimes reaching high places in Sword of the Sea is easier than it looks. While some platforms require careful platforming, others can be brought within surfing distance with the press of a button. That’s where kelp becomes crucial.

Kelp acts like a magical makeshift ladder. Simply approach it and press the jump button to be lifted into the sky instantly.
 

Keep an eye out for mirages

Giant Squid loves its environmental cues. See something that's glowing, floating, or otherwise suspicious-looking? It's probably something you'll want to interact with. Glowing lines serve as launch pads, and moving sand acts as conveyor belt boosts. These are just two examples of different environmental elements that can help you reach a higher place or earn extra air to rack up more points.

Some of these cues are vital to story progression because they trigger mechanisms that open doors and reveal new pathways. Sword of the Sea is a game about staying open to possibilities, so be willing to explore every nook and cranny. It will hardly feel like effort as you glide across the desert, uncovering the secrets it holds.
 

Always room to improve

You'll collect shards – by completing challenges, uncovering secrets, and exploring hard-to-reach areas – throughout your adventure in Sword of the Sea. Bring these to the local elder to improve your abilities. The more shards you collect, the stronger you can become.

Tracking down these shards can be tricky because they are hidden in some of the most out-of-the-way locales. Thankfully, Sword of the Sea’s interact mechanic gives you a direct way to grab them, so use it wisely.
 

Take it in slowly

Sword of the Sea is an awe-inspiring experience that you'll only be able to play for the first time once. It's filled to the brim with mesmerizing music, gorgeous animation, and gameplay so seamless that it almost feels effortless. The adventure doesn't take long to complete, so make sure you make the most of that first playthrough by enjoying your time with the sword at your own pace.

These tips, while useful throughout the game, include images and scenes from early stages of Sword and the Sea so as to not spoil any of the wonderful surprises that come later on. 

Be sure to check out the wonderful sword-meets-surfing experience that Sword of the Sea offers out now on the Epic Games Store.