Sword of the Sea fuses Journey with Tony Hawk to make a pro skater game that feels as good as it looks

At Summer Game Fest, I spent half an hour cruising through desolate dunes and restoring ancient ocean life in Sword of the Sea. As the Wraith—the game's hoversword-riding magical hero—you're given little guidance about what to do or why, but the pieces of the puzzle are in its surroundings, communicating how this sandy, barren land was once an ocean, and my ethereal little surfer is powerful enough to fix it.

Part of the fun in Sword of the Sea was my mood-based button mashing. There's no right or wrong way to glide along the ruins...