Seashine is a Luminous Treat

Bioluminescence (the emission of light by a living creature) is one of my favorite natural phenomena. To auto-illuminate dark spaces is haunting, magical, mesmerizing. Such is the beauty of Seashine, a simple high-score chaser from Pated.

Your goal as a diminutive, diaphanous jellyfish is to prevent your light from fading by catching and eating as many smaller glowing fish as you can find. Gliding through the dark ocean abyss, you must avoid the jaws of anglerfish, sharks and other fanged predators. Environmental obstacles such as crystal outcroppings and distended blowfish hinder your progress and take precious seconds from your timer as you pivot to avoid them.

Be warned, there is a bit of a learning curve as you guide your jellyfish through the water. A lag in responsiveness proves to be frustrating, though it’s possible this is by design (from presumed water friction or currents). Also watch out for any tapping that could be read as a “double tap;” this will, annoyingly, trigger an IAP menu which will block your view and disrupt your progress.

Aside from these vexing little details, the high aesthetic value of the game makes it worth the free download and the time to explore. The sound effects and score are relaxing, with crystalline chimes and comforting bubbles. In their enchanting environment, softly glowing creatures are alluring, ominous, and exciting. The magic, fragility, and mystery of deep-sea life is illuminated as you play. Perfect for short sessions while commuting or queuing, Seashine will add a little light to your day.

Seashine is now available on the iOS App Store as a free download.

Lian Amaris

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Lian Amaris has been studying and writing about games, transmedia storytelling and immersive environments since 2003. She has two Master's degrees from NYU, was a new media professor for 3 years then transitioned to mobile tech in 2011. From 2012-15 she worked on bringing over 35 F2P mobile games to market.