Murky Divers Review

Developer: Embers

Platform: PC

Gene(s): Action, Adventure, Horror

Publisher: Oro Interactive

Murky Divers is a co-op survival horror game. The game was developed by Embers and published by Oro Interactive. Murky Divers is similar to other games, such as Lethal Company and Content Warning. The game is only available for Windows and is currently in Early Access. 

Murky Divers is a 1-8 player game where you are placed in a pill-looking submarine and have to navigate expeditions. Your job is as a scuba diver who has to explore secret pharmaceutical labs in order to destroy collected body parts and evidence to meet the quota. You explore several different underwater locations without trying to get caught by the police. As you continue your journey, you will encounter several terrifying entities and potential crashes that will damage your ship and the ability to go deeper into the vast ocean.

I quite liked the proximity voice chat in the game, as its range was quite decent. The only issue we had was with the radios stationed at the top and bottom of the ship. This became such a big issue because in order to steer the ship, players at the top needed to give directions to those below, but the radio never picked it up. This happened several times and got us so frustrated because the directions would not get picked up, and voice proximity chat would be muffled through the glass, which would lead to shipwrecks. There were also times when the game would randomly crash out of nowhere (usually when a monster would get into the ship), which would be annoying. The game is currently in early access, so updates and bugs will be present, but I wish the developers fix the radio as it is essential for navigation. 

As for the controls of the game, there is nothing out of the ordinary that you would find in the game. Controls can be seen through the settings options and changed appropriately to your liking. As a new player, you may feel a bit disoriented when brought into the game, as there is no real in-game tutorial. As you explore your ship, you will find posters, sticky notes, and illustrations that highlight tips and keybinds that will be useful to you. Our suggestion is to just try something, to begin with, and eventually, you will start to understand it. When we started our run, at first, trying to understand the sonar, radar and steering (with noise detection) was a bit confusing, but in no time, you became an expert. I will say that there are some things that are not extremely obvious, for instance, the agent nuts module and for those scenarios, searching it up online always works. Someone we were playing the game with had recommended that watching a quick beginner guide on Murky Divers will help you get started a lot easier. 

The visuals of the game give a very in-depth feel of a horror game: it almost resembles old-looking horror games with an almost static effect. At first, when we joined the game, our impression of the visuals was a bit odd as it felt too blurred, but you eventually get used to them and notice how well they work with the concept and flow of Murky Divers. Having a nostalgic look gave the game an eerie vibe-especially when diving through the ocean. Additionally, the visuals of the monsters that you encounter are unique and out of this world. Some of the creatures are so ugly (in a terrifying way), which makes you want to not encounter them at all. For instance, our encounter with the Reaper, who possesses Scyther-like hands and a daunting grin, caught us off guard and in screams. The designs for each of the monsters are so outstanding and definitely do the job for its terrifying factor. What I quite enjoyed about the visuals was the diver suits that you could unlock through quests. Each diver’s skin was such a nice personalization touch to the game, and having them be unlocked through several in-game quests was a great idea. From the skins I had initially unlocked, my favourite was the rubber ducky. The virus skin is the only skin in the game that has its own set of emotes, which also makes it stand out. The game has a realistic yet slightly cartoonish look, which allows for the game to be brought to life. Dim lighting and immersive sound effects place the player in chills. Each dive has really good details added in its location, from bright coral reefs to algae computers, broken glass, broken vents, stairs, and ladders. The location of Atlantis is by far the most well-designed diving location as it is grand, and each room has enough details to really make it look like the lost city of Atlantis. I do have to say that the sound effects are extremely effective and scary, with the emphasis on being able to hear distant screeches to loud shudders, making the gaming experience really fun. The atmosphere you are put in feels overwhelming. My favourite part about the sound design for this game has to be the jingle that plays when you are anchoring at an expedition, which is so much fun to listen to

In time for Halloween (which has passed), the developers came out with the Halloween Update, which had added spooky decorations around the ship, making it look perfect and spooky for Halloween. It was a nice addition to make the game a perfect play for the season!

After having played the game, I went to check the price for Murky Divers and was shocked at how reasonably cheap the game is priced (€6). The game gets you to do so much more than just going out and collecting body parts. At first, I was surprised by the amount of upgrades that can be done on several parts of the ship using batteries. Second, the vending machine that sells items and modules is balanced so well and gets players to collect as much money as possible to make their expedition easier. The game starts with you having to navigate your ship, and this is so much fun because you get to look out on the radar (as if you were stationed on a real submarine), point out potential threats, use the sonar to identify the threats and steer the ship in accordance to avoid potential threats. The game also has a randomised location on the radar, which can either be a curse or a market (it’s always fun coming across them). Murky Divers is so much fun, and we played continuously over hours for several days and never got bored of the game. It was always nice to play in a public lobby because you would get to play with new players that would enhance the gameplay!

We were provided codes to test the game with a party of 4 people (private lobby). Two of the other players had the following to say about the game. First, Vroggo said the following, “Murky Divers is so comically terrifying. I liked how horrifying the sea monsters were in the game in terms of design and function. I have repeatedly spammed the space bar multiple times in an attempt to get away from them ASAP. Not to mention, the graphics were very nostalgic as well!

I also like that the game really encourages players to talk to each other. Otherwise, it would be really difficult to navigate the ship, and it makes for great chaotic moments with other players. Plus, there were minimal communication issues other than it was slightly difficult to hear people over the radio when navigating the ship.

Overall, I had a very fun experience. My only real criticism about the game is that there’s no tutorial. My friend and I went in completely blind and had to rely on other players’ experiences to learn how to play.” 

Secondly, Moody said the following, “I am someone who has played a good bit of Lethal Company, and when I first heard of Murky Divers, I liked the unique concept but assumed it would just be another collect and avoid monsters game. Except when I began to play Murky Divers and overcame the initial confusion on how to actually play the game, it was so much more fun than Lethal Company. 

Personally, I would prefer Murky Divers over any other game with a similar playstyle, mainly because you get to do so much before the collecting even starts. Being able to control your ship makes you feel like you are actually part of a submarine crew, and getting to go out into each dive as you go deeper and deeper has its own uniquely creepy and atmospheric perspective. There was one thing that was also so helpful as a basis for this game, and that was the ability to be healed by going back to the ship. 

Overall, I felt the game was nicely balanced. Having roughly 8 minutes on the clock to collect parts, destroy evidence, and avoid monsters is a lot more time than you would think before the police are on your tail. It is highly important to avoid casualties, as six stars will lead you to prison time, but the end sequence of getting caught is definitely worth seeing. I enjoyed the game so much and would 100% recommend it to others. The developers did a great job, and I look forward to future updates!”

If you are looking for a horrific atmospheric horror experience where you get to take on the role of a gloomy diver who gets to navigate their ship and anchor at expeditions, then this game is just for you. Murky Divers offers an experience for up to 8 players where you can use the in-game proximity voice chat, upgrade your ship, collect body parts for the pharma company and immerse yourself in the visuals and sound designs. If Murky Divers sounds like a game for you, then be sure to check it out!

Overall: 9/10

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