Ever wondered what it might be like to play Alan Wake underwater? This game possibly shows one way.

On the surface (or under) it seems like this might be another eco-friendly, pick up all the plastic, save the environment kinda deal. And it is, to a point.

Because you are picking up pieces of metal and electronics and even tidying up after yourself as you swim around a vast ocean, fulfilling your routine tasks to prevent pollution and learning more about your character, Stan.

But as the game starts to pick at his flaws, as you learn more about his motivations for being where he is and understand more about what he’s been going through, so things begin to unravel.

It seems like a massive storm happening above may be the catalyst as Stan begins to have deeply disturbing dreams in his life pod and see things he’d rather left forgotten.

The ocean is a big place and it does get lonely out there, though not so much for Stan who’s constantly on the radio to his boss Tim, and then back at the life vessel, his partner Emma.

For a game that sees you do a lot of swimming, gathering and preserving, there is a lot of dialogue in Under the Waves. Between personally recorded logs, little quips Stan says to himself and even when he’s befriending some of the sea life, there’s rarely a quiet moment.

Sometimes those are the best and most satisfying, though, as Under the Waves has a very calm, relaxed vibe about it when you are drifting, gliding, floating and moving from point to point. Traversal is a strong suit for this game, especially since you can use Moon, a small circular vehicle that lets you whizz around even faster while still being able to gaze at what’s out there.

Under the Waves is a surprisingly layered game, between having to watch your oxygen levels as you swim, to crafting mines to blow open doorways, and even flares so you can see in the darkened caves. There’s lots of hidden areas to uncover off the beaten path and many offer some cool little rewards, such as blueprints of things you can engineer at your craft table and rare minerals used to create substantial upgrades to your equipment.

As a core loop, the game has a nice energy and pace to it. Each day that passes is just large and fulfilling enough that you’ll want to move onto the next and the story beats along quite nicely, sometimes taking center stage, sometimes comfortable just bubbling on in the background while you turn wheels and fix leakages.

The story does have an air of predictability to it, though, and it’s certain not the most elaborate narrative we’ve played this year. There’s even a little bit of questioning about the acting in certain situations, sometimes underplayed, other times overdone.

But its underlying messages and character development aren’t in doubt. It’s both a story of caring for our world as you go out of your way to take pictures of whales and learn more about them. But also how to cope with loss and grieving. The toll it takes on us and how we move forward.

The sound mixing probably has a role to play in the way the acting comes across. At times, it’s super loud and in other moments everything is as quiet as a whisper. The balance just seems ever so slightly off which can be a bit distracting.

The dream sequences, in particular, are a stunning visual feast. They play with some really interesting horror themes while underwater. There’s even an element of Bioshock in there, but I definitely felt some Alan Wake in there, both due to that slow natured, gradual progression, the movement of objects in the background, the unsettling noises and a degree of tension that filters throughout.

It’s just wonderful and is where the game is at its strongest and most creative as it helps immerse you in its more normalised moments while also creating an aura of mystery as you try to piece the story together.

This game was just a wonderful surprise, both due to the way it can calm you in one moment and fill you with dread in the next. It allows you to freely explore the ocean and see everything in stunning detail. Character models aside, this game is absolutely gorgeous, from its tiny little outcrops, to its silty seascapes, each area feeling ever so slightly different from the other.

But also the game’s creative use of technology and how it crafts an alternate world that both sees how humanity is progressing and discovering ways to chart what’s happening their waters. And at the same time, cause chaos, destruction and devastation to everything around them.

There’s a bit of monotony to the Routine based chores, many playing out in a similar, and there are some frustrations in regard to getting in and out of Moon and the slowed nature of walking (though the guy is in a wet suit, so he is forgiven)

I did also encounter a few unfortunate hard crashes. One comical one actually saw me about to blow open a massive hatch with my bombs and just as the final beep went off prior to the explosion, my Xbox crashed to the dash. I couldn’t help but stifle a laugh at the anticlimatic nature of it all.

That wasn’t the only time unfortunately, with the game also getting itself caught up in some weird dialogue loops as well, repeating things it’s already said to me at different stages.

What I’d say is this, don’t come into this expecting Beyond Blue or Subnautica, this is very much a narrative driven adventure set underwater with a semi-open world to explore and nice side photographic activities that help you to learn about ocean life. All woven together with a semi eco-friendly narrative that is accompanied with mechanics.

Under the Waves is a fascinating game, of a decent length, with some powerful messages to deliver and great exploration to be done. It feels a little ropey at times and there is some instability in the build, but if you’re looking for a really effective narrative that leans a little bit horror, layered beneath emotional damage, I think you’re going to quite enjoy it down here.

Verdict

Under the Waves is a strong start for Spotlight, Quantic Dream’s new publishing label. It carefully manages several deep, meaningful and important themes, while allowing us to explore a vast ocean to wave at seals, pick up trash and take photos of sharks. Some build instability, repetition and mechanical frustrations aside, this is a very well told story with a wonderful sense of pace, a surprising amount of atmosphere, complete with a series of enjoyable activities that also manage to bring a sense of calm and relaxation. 

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Pros

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Under the Waves is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox

Code Kindly Provided by Quantic Dream for review purposes

Tested on Xbox Series X