Still Wakes The Deep | Review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

Mode: Single-player video game

License: proprietary license

Composer: Jason Graves

Genre: Adventure game

Developer: The Chinese Room

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!

Key Takeaways

• Overstayed it’s welcome three quarters In due to QTE mechanics
• Great writing
• Engaging horror themed story
• 5 hour playtime
• Too many button QTEs
• Difficulty and accessibility options
• Beautiful Unreal 5 visuals
• Authentic voice acting
• Great atmosphere
• Not scary
• Lovecraftian horror
• Monster hide and seek/chase sequences

Introduction

Still Wakes the Deep is a walking sim built around great writing and an engaging lovecraftian-like horror story. If you ever watched films such as the The Thing, The Abyss or The Deep you can get an idea of what Still Wakes The Deep is trying to convey.

I played past video games of The Chinese Room including Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, Dear Ether and Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture. I can say firmly Still Wakes The Deep is in the same ballpark as far as quality is concerned. Still Wakes The Deep Video Playlist

Presentation

I’d call Still Wakes the Deep a psychological horror (not scary) walking sim which it is at it’s essence. I must report that I had to restart checkpoints on three different occasions due to getting stuck within the environment during some Rennick chase sequences.

I also experienced some slow down and hitching while using performance mode on my Xbox Series X gamepass version. Other than those said bugs and glitches, the presentation was solid.

I adored the visual and atmosphere rich presentation. Authentic Scottish dialogue was really cool and funny to listen to since I rarely ever heard real Scottish people speak in video games.

Story

It’s 1975 onboard the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland. You play as Cameron McLeary father, husband stuck doing a engineering job onboard the oil rig with friend Roy during Christmas season. His goal is to return to his family in one piece.

During a sea storm strange materials and structures start appearing on the Beira D soon transforming the crew into cosmic mutated monstrosities. Cameron tries to help people while fixing the oil rig.

Cameron plots his escape back to his family but ultimately sacrifices himself to destroy the large cosmic horror structure that takes over the Beira D oil rig. Still Wakes The Deep story was entertaining and coherent for a horror video game but what really impressed me was the writing and characterization. Story and writing is Still Wakes The Deep’s strongest selling point.

Gameplay

It’s a walking sim with horror elements. You have to hold down buttons to climb every ladder, swim, run etc. The gameplay mechanics involving traversing the oil rig got old fairly fast as I got tired of having to hold buttons for 80% of my five hours playtime.

I actually enjoyed the simple walking portions of Still Wakes The Deep such as when Cameron was introduced and mingling with fellow crewmates. The chase and hiding monster sequences got repetitive three quarters in. You do have a difficulty option so there’s that.

I’m not a game journalist because if I was I would be complaining about how Still Wakes The Deep is a walking sim is a walking sim and not an open world Call of Duty, basketball souls-like video game. I enjoy good walking simulators which Still Wakes The Deep is. Playtime was an hour and a half too long IMO.

Gameplay centers around Cameron fixing the oil rig whether it’s fixing fuses, pulling out safety pins, answering the phones, getting Roy’s insulin, turning on generators etc. You do the latter often times while having to avoid Addair the lovecraftian cosmic creature.

Visuals

Unreal 5 was used to craft Still Wakes The Deep and it was beautiful featuring a rich atmosphere. Lighting and textures were solid. Storm and rain effects were realistic looking. Human models could’ve looked better. The cosmic abomination monsters in Still Wakes The Deep looked nightmarefuelish.

Sound | Music

I loved the authentic Scottish voice acting in Still Wakes The Deep. It’s second only to the game’s overall story and writing. I admit I had a difficult time understanding half of what was said which was a fun experience. The music was somber, calm with occasional episodes filled with excitement.