Review: Still Wakes the Deep
A chilling indie horror experience!
Here it is folks! The Series 1 Episode 1 review that took me way longer than expected is finally here!
Indie Horror Game Review - Still Wakes the Deep
Studio: The Chinese Room
Let’s begin…. As I ventured into the eerie, frostbitten world of this psychological horror, my instant impressions felt like “The Thing” had just met a rig out at sea and decided to ruin everyone’s Christmas holiday (those who know, will know). While I was bracing for yet another “run, hide, scream” survival horror, this game threw some refreshing surprises at me – ones that made me reconsider if I was playing a game or signing up for a panic attack subscription service.
Sound Design & Music
First off there was the sound design, oh the sound design! Mystical, haunting and Whale noises that sounded like something out of Moby-dick. The sounds blended perfectly to create that ominous, alien like feel that matched the theme of the game perfectly. Props to the sound department!
Then there the soundtrack… talk about drone sound galore! I loved it! Along with the violins and the dissonant metal on metal sounds, the soundtrack always kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. My favourite track….. “The Horror Sings”!
Voice Acting
Then there was the voice acting, oh how you’ve got to love a good Scottish accent! From the first conversation I had in the game, the voice acting was intimate, captivating and clearly delivered with passion. The only fault I would give is that there wasn’t more of it!
If anyone wants to see an A class example of how voice production is done, this game is the one to play!
Level Design & Maps
Interactive maps are often buggy, un-immersive and uninspired…
Still Wakes the Deep, however, gives you level design maps as if you actually worked on a Sea Rig! The maps were so accurate, I often thought I was playing a Sea Rig simulator… just to remember there's flesh eating monsters around the corner that want to kill me!
Game Mechanics
Moving over to the game mechanics, I did enjoy the “grab” and “hold on”, “opening valve/door”, “throw item” interactive mechanics. However, to go that one level up, more interactive mechanics could have been added. For example, Resident Evil Village/7 often plays with your ability to “half” open doors to get around the “monster”, often including the classic “search for the key” objective to make you have to get closer to the monster. Adding a “search for screwdriver” or “peep around the vault door” or a little puzzle to get around the door would be a very welcomed addition if there was a sequel to this game.
Visuals & Monster Design
Over to the visuals – oh, The Chinese Room, you’ve really outdone yourselves this time. No words needed. You can practically feel the tears of joy from the developers – or is that just sleep deprivation? Either way, 10/10!
In terms of the monster designs, the gooey, alien like tentacle artistry… every time you're lurking around the monster, you’re always reminded how good those tentacles look when you’re crawling around trying to run for dear life! 10/10 for Tentacles woo!
Gore & Atmosphere
Blood… blood is always one of those things that makes a horror game a horror game, unless you’re playing heart surgery simulator!
In this horror game, the blood effects (environment only) were present but at times didn’t quite get the depth of red colour I was expecting from the genre. I would love to see more of that deep, unsettling blood from games like Deadspace or Resident Evil as a reference point to get that little extra “horror” in there. Regardless of blood however, I was never un-immersed and the monster’s blood design more than compensated for the overall experience.
Final Thoughts
In the end, this game serves up a chilly, offshore rig nightmare with just the right amount of festive cheer. From the beautiful yet haunting soundtrack through to the captivating visual art on display and horror jump scares, this game is an absolute must for all those who have Xbox Game Pass.
So if you’re looking for a spoooooootacular (I know not very funny) October this Halloween season, go grab yourself a copy and let me know your thoughts!
Jonathan!🎮👾
