As most games turn their sights to the stars and beyond, French developers Parallel Studio are set to take us on an equally epic journey a lot closer to home. Their latest game, Under the Waves, drops you in some diving gear. Then throws you in the deep end of the North Sea, where you have to explore the depth to truly find the truth.
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You play as Stan – a professional diver of a drilling company, who is also struggling to overcome a life-changing loss. This sees you signing up for a job that will see you living under the waves for a few weeks alone.
Depths of Despair
Soon into your watery tour of self-imposed solitude, you start to experience strange events that will ultimately lead to you to making the most significant choice of his life.
I will not lie as tales go, this is far from sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.
Under the Waves openly tackles some weighty subjects mainly around loss, grief and mental health, as well as there being an overall through thread of ocean conservation.
However, this tale is all very compelling as you unfold what and why things are happening. Under the Waves tells its story with real Firewatch and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture tone and vibe.
Under the Hood
Gameplay is a bit lighter hearted as you are given a fair chunk of the North Sea to explore; complete with sunken wrecks, cave systems and curious wildlife. You’ll be getting around the place by using your trusty Moon, a non-Logitech controlled submarine. You can also exit the sub and explore areas in your flippers.
This flipper time away from Moon is also used to grab resources that are floating about. Flotsam and jetsam can be recycled into useful kit like oxygen sticks, flares and even sea mines. All of which will help you explore further into the depths.
Sea Quests
Beyond exploring you’ll mainly be doing Stan’s day to day tasks as you wake up, have a cup coffee. And then have a chat on the radio with your handler; who will give you tasks for the day.
This side of things is all easy going and never really taxing. It’s just something to keep you busy as the tale unfolds around you. That said, there is a zen-like zone you’ll find yourself in as you glide around collecting algae all while a hump back whale floats by in the background.
Ocean View
Under the Waves is visually stunning at times with some outstanding water and lighting effects on show. Some textures are a little rough, but overall the sense of scale and grandeur make the game a spectacle.
When not in the deep blue everything has a techno-futuristic 1970s vibe, a bit like the style seen in the original Alien. It’s a nice contrast to the natural beauty elsewhere.
The soundtrack of Under the Waves is epic and truly captures the mood moment to moment. Voice acting is also outstanding. The small cast really capture the gravity and seriousness of the subject matter and it helps pull you in.
Barnacles
Under the Waves can occasionally show itself up as a little rough and unpolished. Missions not loading. Icons staying on your map hours after you find them. Issues from annoying to near-catastrophic rear their head often enough to dull some of the momentum and engagement.
It’s a death by thousand cuts deal, where there is no one huge issues just lots of tiny ones that over time really takes the shine off the game sadly. Though a 1.02 patch has been announced that will hopefully correct some of these niggles.
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However at time of writing, the patch was only available on the PC with the console version coming soon.
Journey into the Abyss
It’s hard to say that Under The Waves is enjoyable since the tale is a heartbreaker. But, getting to the conclusion is a joy. From exploring the unknown, to befriending a sea lion or just floating there watching the world go by.
If you are looking for something a bit different from the norm, Under The Waves is well worth getting your feet wet for.