Linux Build is OUT!

... so if you've been holding out on this fantastic game for the Linux version, wait no longer!

GoG you really need to release these with more fanfare! Until that day, for games like this I'm more than happy to do it. Seriously wonderful, fun game. If you're on the fence and what some pointers / have questions run them by me. I'm fairly objective when it comes to games, understand some of the things that might hold one back on this one and can give you a good idea if it's for you!

I prefer my games to be such that at the end of a single playthrough I will have experienced most or all of what the game has to offer. If I really love it, I might replay it with some variant (e.g. higher difficulty, different initial character(s)) but I still expect the experience to be very similar (a great example would be the King's Bounty series). However, if it was just good or ok (or worse), I still want to feel that I have experienced it in full with only that single playthrough.

Does this description fit this game?

Not really, it is designed with multiple playthrough in mind. It is this kind of "learn as you play" game.

Yes. That was my feeling when I read the reviews, but wasn't sure.
How long would be a single playthrough?

Yes, I think I'm going to wait until it gets discounted again. >:-(

I honestly have no idea ;)
My first extended session is planned for tonight, I just "tasted" it a bit yesterday.

Probably less than an hour before you die :) (the game has permadeath)

If you play in "easy" with multiple saves, well it depends, basically at the beginning of the game you chose your "wining" objective. Depending of the one you choose and if the remove the "risk" factor by disabling permadeath it could be "finished" in a couple of hours.

But it's not really a game with a "main plot"/"main quest", finishing it doesn't really means anything, the main interest of the game is to explore, discover its lore and try not to die in the process.

Basically it last as long as you are not bored by it.

Thanks. That's a very clear description.
Moved it to the bottom of the backlog.

The "stories" of the game play out in various ways depending on the answers you select / options available to you - and this will depend 1) on the stats you choose to focus on and 2) the (partially) random cast and crew you build up.

You WON'T get the impression / see all the game has to offer in one go. Despite a long lead in time, the game does have some "roguelike" aspects - I found my early playthroughs were me finding easy ways to get a quick start and then applying that to later playthroughs.

So initially you'll find a "good" way for you to get through the early game. From there a lot of what you see / read will depend on how well built up your character is. If you fail miserably you might be destined for another playthrough. If you don't, you might get a second or third crack at it OR you might even miss an opportunity.

So I'd say it's a distinct NO to seeing all aspects of the game in one go. You'll get a lot and a ton of lore, and I'm not sure how much different / more you'd be able to uncover on subsequent gos, but I'm sure there would have been other ways to approach stories that you won't be able to touch after you "solve" (or don't!) them on a playthrough.

Yes. That's pretty much what I gathered from other people's answers.
Most definitely not my cup of tea, but I might still give it a try in a few years, just so I know what people had been talking about.

To me it plays as if it is the most true and most extensive choose your own adventure game made in the spirit of the books ever made. And it is dark and brooding and chilling and haunting and, definitely not for everyone.

For me at first, I was only partially interested and quite uncertain about it, then fenixp told me more and more about it and my interest grew, and then there was a free trial weekend on steam a couple weekends ago, and I fell in love with it.

I don't feel like what has been said here has done it justice and you might be wrong is losing interest in it rather than gaining interest in it. It's a completely unique experience. There isn't permadeath in the traditional sense at all, and to me it is done in such a way that I am playing it through how I want to play it through and I will be satisfied with it once it is done having only played it the once because I am choosing the path path that most appeals to me. This doesn't discount it from ever being replayed again on a different path once I finish it for the first time, though, and that makes it appeal to me even more. It's like an RPG in that regard, where certain avenues become closed/there are different angles to the story/things to experience depending on the paths you take.

I would ask fenix more about it if you want more!

Thanks.

I might think about the game, because I like what I hear about lots of text and a dark mood, but I must say that some of the things mentioned above don't sound too good to me, for example: "choose your winning objective" (I heartily detest this in every game), or "basically it last as long as you are not bored by it" (if I think there is a good chance I will be bored by a game at some point, I won't even begin playing it).

I would normally agree, it's presented completely different and very well done in Sunless Sea. I'm a philosopher and my objective in life is to be fulfilled, gain as much knowledge as I can, write a book detailing my adventures/experiences/gained knowledge+wisdom, and once I am done, publish the book for all to read and retire.

I also have a pet ferret that is broodingly depressing and loveable all the same.

The mechanics are refreshingly different than anything else I've played, and they are varied and implemented in a well thought-out way. Exploring is a huge part of the game. The more you explore, the more you discover, the more you learn, the more experience you gain. So, gaining experience really feels like learning things and gaining knowledge about the Sea and the "experience" system doesn't feel like an XP/leveling up system hardly at all.

The music is great too.

I've probably played a total of 6 hours in it so far though, so, yeap, just my PoV so far. It holds much promise!

...and you're absolutely certain it's a good idea to smoke lots of marijuana?

Well that is just a general statement. I suppose it might be silly if it were for everyone.

I feel like it was good for me/my brain/my learning processes and who I am as a person, that is what I am sure of.

I think it is probably a good thing for more people to do/have tried/to try at some point or to some degree in life. Again, experience, knowledge, wisdom, etc.