Under the Waves

Under the Waves (2023) is a narrative adventure where you survey the ocean depths to find leaking pipes and make repairs. As you do you also discover a story of a grieving man retreating into himself. It creates a universally familiar story by mirroring the increasingly isolated interior life of the protagonist with the vast separation created by the waters surrounding him.

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You play Stan, a marine scientist alone in an underwater research facility, grieving the loss of his daughter. If you have played Firewatch, this is familiar storytelling territory. You're tasked by your superiors on the surface with exploring the ocean and repairing the oxygen pipes to your facility. As you traverse the waters, encountering different creatures and uncovering new objects, you must also come to terms with your emotions and decide how to move forward with your life after so much pain.

Play involves exploring the ocean and the seafloor using a diving suit and a small submersible, unlocking blueprints to craft items such as oxygen canisters that allow you to move further from your base. You have a scanner that identifies areas you need to investigate for damage to pipes and must solve repair them using the tools at your disposal.

The result is a game that takes the walking simulator genre in more expansive directions. Not only does the flowing swimming add verticality but the story invites you to experience the world from a new perspective. Mulling over the questions posed and processing the loss and hurt experienced by your character makes for an impactful and deeply moving experience.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Under the Waves 10 months ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 7 weeks ago.