Developer: The Chinese RoomÂ
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action, Horror
Publisher: Secret Mode
Still Wakes the Deep is a first-person narrative horror game. This game was developed by The Chinese Room and published by Secret Mode. This review was done for Windows, but the game is also available on Xbox Series and PlayStation 5.
Still Wakes the Deep is a single-player game where you play as Caz, an electrician on a Scottish oil rig in the 1970s. The story unfolds a drilling mishap that unleashes a horror from the ocean depths that leads to the corruption of the rig. Through the chaos, Caz’s crew starts to lose their mind, and Caz takes it upon herself to survive and explore the horrors that have escaped.Â
The controls for the game are very straightforward when playing on the PC. You pretty much use your keyboard and mouse. The game itself does not have many difficult mechanics, and everything that can be interacted with will have a pop-up. Most of the game consists of talking with the people on the rig, reading letters/notes that share the secrets of the rig and much more.
The visuals of the game are so crisp and clear. Graphics by far are 10/10 in this game even; through several cutscenes, you can see the clarity in character/creature designs that are spot on. The cinematics is definitely my favourite, and I love how authentic the casting is with Scottish people. The game does a wonderful job of creating detailed locations and areas with the effect of lighting, sound and spacing. The rig itself has several layers to it, which can be thoroughly explored and, in some instances, will give players a creep. It’s daunting and, at times, reminded me of the game Prey. Still Wakes the Deep is fantastic at making a horrifying experience engrossing, where you will encounter vivid alien-like scenes that are so well detailed. The level of detail added to the game gives it a realistic feel, which embodies a grotesque design.Â
Recently, the developers released an update where you can play with a new visual setting called Silver Screen mode. Silver Screen mode essentially makes the whole game black and white, which goes far beyond my expectations. The silver screen mode creates more of an ambience that reflects the 1970s era but makes the horror stand out. The monochromatic visual will keep players on edge as they try to survive the outbreak that took place on the offshore rig.Â
By far, the most captivating part about this game is the sound design and voice acting. The story itself is intriguing as you get to uncover the mystery behind an alien-like abomination that had been obstructed. The voice acting alongside the written dialogue emphasises the relations between characters and how the story plays out. The game itself does not have much background music, which is perfect as emphasis is added to the atmospheric sounds. For instance, as you explore ‘Leg C’, you will hear pipers bursting, loud bangs, and gas hissing, which creates such an immersive experience. The best sound was the screeching monstrous echo, which had given me a fright multiple times. Everything about the game is done so well when capturing many details. The experience of the game is best played with headphones on.
Still Wakes the Deep mainly consists of exploring where Caz has to climb, crawl, walk, and shimmy through various areas on the collapsing oil rig. The rig itself has many doors and areas that are locked off, and it is up to you to find out how to open them. You’ll find screwdrivers to unbolt vents, keys and much more. The game has platforming sequences which you will not miss, as the yellow paint indicators will help you progress onwards. I remember initially, when this game came out, I had felt that, at times, the yellow paint indicators became a bit too much as you would consistently follow them blindly and would not really have the option to find the platforms yourself. It almost was a hand-in-hand guide on where to go next, which I wish was not added to in every section. However, this may be a better option than not having it, as people would get lost without any indication. Except now, with the monochrome visual setting, there is no need to worry about the yellow paint feel: free to navigate your way through the rig without any indicators.
Still Wakes the Deep seems more of a game where you continually move forward without really having to go back. The game has little puzzles here and there, but nothing too compelling. Mainly, the objective is to interact with items and unveil the story. Something I did enjoy was the monster encounters, as it was similar to non-combat horror games. Monster sequences in the game were very fun to play around, with as you would need to evade the monster by hearing in on them. The specific sequences make it so that players can manoeuvre through the environment and sneak away through vents or by hiding. Besides the sneaky sequences, chase sequences really got the player on the edge, as you would need to be aware of your surroundings.
If you are looking for a horrific atmospheric survival game in which you get to explore the horrors that have been unleashed on a collapsing oil rig, then this game is just for you. Still Wakes the Deep offers an immersive sound design with stunning graphics that hooks the players to their seats. So be sure to check out Still Wakes the Deep to step into a monster-infested rig!
Overall: 8.5/10
This is S & S. We are world game explorers. We play games. We have played over 10,000+ games! We travel, we write reviews AND we play more games!!!!
