āļøāļøāļøāļø
Developer (Platform): The Chinese Room (Xbox Series X)
Publisher (Release): Secret Mode (2024)
Length: 6-8 hours
Genres: Adult; Horror; First-Person; Narrative
āļøDisclaimersāļø:
contains strong depictions of gore and body horror
flashing lights warning
this review contains low-level spoilers
recommendation: must play
š Pros š
Powerfully pure narrative
Voice actors truly bring the characters to life
Engaging gameplay with platforming and puzzle elements keeping things spicy
š Cons š
Not everyone will enjoy its simplicity
Wider cast can blend together
Sprinkling of mechanics that hint at a more complex approach that never saw the light of day
š Synopsis & Trailer š
1975, North Sea, Scotland.
Cameron āCazā McLeary works aboard the Beira D, an offshore oil rig facing industrial action over a dangerously cheap infrastructure, but when Cazās past follows him out to sea, before he can face it, a disaster uncovers an unknown creature that joins the riggers onboardā¦
Isolated, cut off, and battered by the relentlessly ferocious weather, Caz and his fellow workers will need to pull on all of their strengths to keep the Beira D afloat, all the while avoiding a mysterious monster haunting its halls.
šļø Introduction šļø
Was I aware of Still Wakes the Deep before its release? No. Was the fact that itās set in my home Scotland and has horror the compelling factors upon release knowing next to nothing else about it? Aye, it absolutely fecking wiz.
Still Wakes the Deep is a first-person narrative horror from the minds behind Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and, when trying to pinpoint comparisons, so many came to mind. The Thing springs up first and foremost with touches of Bioshock, Dead Space, and, surprisingly, Mirrorās Edge, creating a scintillating blend of narration, interactivity, and horror to form a powerfully pure experience.
š§© Plots š§©
Players are in for a raw narrative journey that, despite its eldritch horror, keeps itself grounded with subtle but impactful environmental storytelling. Themes of choice and consequence, unfair working conditions, and sacrifice layer an otherwise straightforward story.
Isolated at sea
That straightforward story isnāt a negative, focusing a relatively short adventure to a point where the developers can work more on crafting the stunning and unsettling atmosphere of being isolated at sea with creatures you have no way of discerning the origins of, and, thankfully, the game doesnāt try.
Normally I like my answers delivered prompt and full of juicy lore, but Still Wakes the Deep is that rare exception that excels in its mystery by keeping it an element rather than the primary concern.
Something has climbed aboardā¦
The game isnāt long, but my meandering approach was between 7-8 hours, so it isnāt short, either. The pacing is strong as we take the Dead Space approach of being launched into survival while trying to keep the rig weāre on from collapsing, and some subplots are scattered around to help get us from plot beat to plot beat.
The finale, however, does feel a bit sudden. Thereās no real run up to it with themes switching curtly rather than blending into a cohesive flow. The ending makes sense and gives a rounded full stop to the experience, but it does feel like a chunk is missing.
āPlayers are in for a raw narrative experienceā¦ā
š Characters š
We take control of Cameron āCazā McLeary, an electrician aboard the oil rig, and, as a Scotsman, all I can say is bravo team, bravo. Still Wakes the Deep highlights I really need to play more games set in Scotland because my sheer surprise at how natural it sounds blew my mind.
The voice acting talents of everyone involved are viscerally emotive, effortlessly giving depth to the panic and confusion. Caz himself provides the player with a realistic viewpoint into the world, combining the need to survive with his past actions complicating his journey as dire straits bring his regrets to the forefront.
Even the damned celebrate Christmas
The wider cast hits and misses, with quite a few characters blurring into a homogeneous blob (heh, heh). The ones that hit compliment Caz with their own well-defined personalities and quirks, adding an extra level of fear to the isolation: you really, really donāt want to lose anyone. Still Wakes the Deep revels in attaching hope to humanity rather than having it as a mythical essence inside us. We reflect in others and, left on our own, can only stare helplessly at our own flaws.
What the feck is that!?
Largely, Iām just happy there is an extended cast for Caz to bounce off of. I was initially worried that the game would be more of a psychological horror that rarely hit in the way they intend to. Instead, players are treated to a creature-feature a la The Thing with psychological elements buried within.
āThe voice acting talents of everyone involved are viscerally emotiveā¦ā
š¾ Gameplay and Graphics š¾
Walking Simulator is an honest to god achievement/trophy within the game, both a referential chuckle and expectation setter. Still Wakes the Deep is incredibly linear, with a mapping system that isnāt necessary and feels underutilised given there is only ever one way for the player to go.
Walking Sim, however, feels a little harsh in this instance. Woven throughout are Mirrorās Edge-lite platforming, real threats with real consequences to be snuck by, and streamlined puzzles to interact with that provide a balanced level of engagement to ensure the player feels in control.
Familiar yet unknown
As we sneak, distract, and explore the Beira D rig, the developers craft an awesome atmosphere. Chilling creature designs, a creepy yet enrapturing soundtrack from veteran Jason Graves (Dead Space, Until Dawn), and carefully lit environments come together to build a beautiful industrial landscape to explore and escape.
Even darkness can be beautiful
The overall simplicity does come with its downsides. They arenāt as apparent in Still Wakes the Deep as other more narrative focused games, but a wasted mapping system, underutilised and largely useless heating mechanics, and being able to interact with lights to no real effect hints at broader plans that never came to fruition.
āā¦a balanced level of engagement to ensure the player feels in control.ā
š§ Final Thoughts š§
Still Wakes the Deep is a chilling creature-feature that delivers a powerfully pure narrative bolstered by phenomenally talented performances from a cast that convey visceral emotions. Streamlined gameplay wonāt satisfy every player, but developer The Chinese Room, in my opinion, does a fantastic job of balancing āwalking simā with platforming and puzzle engagements.
Overall, Still Wakes the Deep is a lovingly curated journey through a Scotsmanās struggle to survive on an offshore oil rig crumbling to pieces while being relentlessly stalked by mysterious monsters. Itās tense, beautiful, and fantastically priced for the content.
The Phoenix Project 