What are you afraid of? The age-old question has been answered by many with varying responses ranging from physical to psychological things. There are some phobias that you may not even be aware of, that you are scared of, which can also be attributed to the fear of the unknown. If you want to experience the terror of claustrophobia, drowning, heights, isolation and death, then look to the seas for the psychological horrorStill Wakes the Deep.
The title was developed by the minds of the team atThe Chinese Room, who have been behind recognizable exploration titles such asDear Esther, and its spiritual successor,Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, which garnered the most BAFTA nominations and wins at the 12th British Academy Game Awards in 2016 with 10 nominations and scoring 3 wins in Music, Audio Achievement and Performer (Merle Dandridge). Behind this grand facade also lies another game that the studio has created…Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. The game was met with reviews that brought up its dark and disturbing tone mixed with psychological horror and gore.Still Wakes the Deepcombines their expertise in exploration and fear and delivers something that’s truly a sight to behold.
The Chinese Room Returns to First-Person Narratives in Still Wakes the Deep
Nightmare Before Christmas
Situated thousands of miles away from the coast of Scotland, lies the Beira D oil rig, which is whereStill Wakes the Deepsets up its story. We find ourselves in the boots of the Glaswegian electrician, Cameron “Caz” McLeary, as he joins the skeleton crew of manual workers who took the Christmas holiday to work aboard a massive oil drilling platform. While some may see this as unlucky, Caz’s lack of fortune is pushed further as he is called to the boss’s office for the news that no one wants to hear. As this news unfolds, tension starts to build among the crewmates as they’ve hit something underneath the surface.
Without spoiling too much, things aren’t smooth sailing for Caz and his fellow co-workers, as they are met with something that is as alluring as it is disturbing. As Caz and the crew will soon find out, this creature isn’t here for the holidays and is a scrooge when it comes to the season’s greetings. With no satellite phones nor GPS, chances of survival are brought down to a minimum. Caz and the crew must navigate a way to save themselves from the collapsing rig while fighting against the elements of both the known and unknown forces.
The amount of detail put into this game is remarkable, both from a visual and audio perspective. The environment surrounding you is vast, considering you are on a rig in the middle of the North Sea. Beira D is probably the most accurate depiction of an oil rig you’d see in a game which, given its massive structure and size, is a feat in itself. You get the chance to explore the inside and outside the platform and there are a lot of places to explore, and you’ll get to see those as the game progresses. Speaking of which, the environment will begin to alter from when you first experience it, giving you a chance to see things from a whole new perspective.
Beira D is probably the most accurate depiction of an oil rig you’d see in a game which, given its massive structure and size, is a feat in itself.
Great (Wave)Lengths
Immersive is the best word to describe this game. From the moment you find yourself in Caz’s cabin, you are brought into this dreary world with its use of audio design and graphics. Everything you touch has a distinct sound; even the ladders have different noises, depending on which type they are. The foley artists for this game paid close attention to these details as well as the audio design team. The graphics, which run on Unreal Engine 5, bring realism to its environmental design, as all natural elements are depicted in the game. They utilized that engine to this extent and the result pays off with the look and feel of a film (specifically one made by Alex Garland).
From the moment you find yourself in Caz’s cabin, you are brought into this dreary world with its use of audio design and graphics.
All of these traits make their presence seen and heard as they are utilized to amp up the lovecraftian horror. The thing that takes over the rig has unknown morals and takes on forms that are truly terrifying. To be honest, not knowing the supernatural lore of these creatures is more frightening than knowing. If you are someone who is a fan of cosmic horror and can get over some twisted gore elements, then this is a perfect game for you.
The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes The Deep Out This June
UK-based studio’s return to first-person adventures gets itself a June release date.
Ebb and Flow
From a psychological standpoint, players will be required to face their fears in a way that is reminiscent of horror films. As our protagonist goes through these obstacles, you’ll be right there with him, and it’s an eerie feeling. When enemies were near your presence, a burned film stock would indicate where it is in your area, which was a neat design choice. Not a lot of predictability in the jumpscares, but there will be the occasional one that’s meant to keep your attention. Some titles that come to mind that would best describe the tactics would beAlien: IsolationandOutlast.
…players will be required to face their fears in a way that is reminiscent of horror films.
The playability of the title is straightforward, the character can run, jump, crouch, swim and climb ladders. With the game being a survival horror, it relies on stealth and light environmental puzzles around the rig.Still Wakes the Deepoffers two modes, which are Story Mode and Standard Mode, with the first giving the players the option of making the stealth sections easier. As for the review, I played it in Standard Mode and didn’t find the stealth sections too challenging, but I can see the appeal in the Story Mode setting.
With the concept of playability, the game does run into a few bumpy waves. While some variety in movement is showcased, the majority of it is hiding and climbing ladders. Obviously, the setting isn’t an appealing one, but some puzzles do feel repetitive. A few are confusing, especially ones that took place underwater, which heightened the horror aspect of drowning. During the playthrough, the game glitched twice, with one having to fully restart. Given that this is before the day one patch, it’s water under the bridge.
The Perfect Storm
One of the highlights is the voice acting, which is done by an all-Scottish cast. Authenticity is a huge part of the title and the script and voice acting perfectly fit the tone and setting. These performers brought the script and their characters to life and held nothing back in their work. It’s chilling to hear some of these actors as they face the creatures that lurk on the ship. All the characters have their moment in the spotlight at some point and even if they aren’t seen physically, their performances will make waves in the voice acting industry, especially Alec Newman, who portrays Caz with a sense of grit and humor.
It is absolutely chilling to hear some of these actors as they face the creatures that lurk on the ship.
When it comes to the script, the words speak for themselves. A lot of what you hear from the actors is read in the spoken dialect of the United Kingdom (the default setting is in the received English pronunciation adaptation of the script). The narrative can be lacking at times, but redeems itself with the voice acting. The ending doesn’t feel as built up as the rest of the game, which does feel underwhelming. Don’t let this be a dividing factor in your choice to play the title, though, considering the rest is beautifully written and performed.
Closing Comments:
Still Wakes the Deepis a standout title from The Chinese Room and is a must-play for fans of Lovecraft horror. The game utilizes all its audio elements to craft an immersive experience that’s thrilling and chilling. The title has fun toying with your mind and peels back the layers of comfort that’s brought during the start of the game. As the environment around you changes, so does your experience, and that’s what a good story can do. From exploring the rig to hiding from enemies, The Chinese Room brings together its recognizable elements and puts together a strong sailor worthy of its sea legs.
Still Wakes the Deep
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5
The Chinese Room’s Still Wakes the Deep is an Unreal Engine 5 survival horror game set on an old rig. As an electrician, players must attempt to find a way off the rig; however, they are not alone.
