Review of “Under the Waves – Solitude at Sea”

Under The Waves belongs to the genre of “story-based games for adults”, which are less about gameplay and more about involving the player in the world of the main character and experiencing his dilemma. One of the most famous representatives of these games is the “walking simulator” called Firewatch, where the main character treats his depression by performing a lonely fire patrol in the deep forests. In this game, the main character is a diver named Stan, who also decided to separate from civilization, and a traumatic experience also prompted him to do this. Unfortunately, the psychological level of Under The Waves fails, but, surprisingly, it retains the gameplay.

• Platform: PS5 (review version), PS4, XSX|S, X1, PC
• Publication date: 08/29/2023
• Manufacturer: Parallel Studio (France)
• Genre: story adventure
• Czech localization: subtitles
• Multiplayer: No
• Download data: 10 GB
• Game time: 8 ocloc’k
• Price: CZK 733 (pairs)

Alone under the waves

Essentially, the game tells two stories that are related but noticeably different. The first is the seemingly routine work of diver Stan, who is tasked with maintaining a huge underwater oil station. We follow him as he arrives at his new work station from day one, communicating via radio using his above-surface clutch and performing routine maintenance tasks that take you to various parts of the undersea base on foot, on fins and in a small submersible boat. The service lasts several weeks, during which you will learn a lot not only about how the entire base works, but also about its impact on the environment.

The second layer of the story is why Stan chose to do such a lonely job away from everyone else, including his wife. The game makes no big secret of this and reveals almost from the very beginning that Stan lost his daughter in a tragic accident. While it’s certainly a strong theme, with the lonely blue depths adding to the atmosphere, this part of the story is unfortunately written in an extremely straightforward manner and doesn’t have much of a chance to surprise. Stan himself, despite struggling with serious depression, acts completely stupid, and the way he keeps his own wife away from his body during their phone calls, for example, goes a little beyond the pale.

Essentially, the game tells two stories.

After a slow start, both story levels begin to escalate quite seriously: a massive storm destroys the entire base, and you need to prevent disaster. In addition, Stan begins to regularly see the “ghost” of his dead daughter underwater, which he initially attributes to a malfunction of the air conditioner and the composition of the local air. Before the game ends, Stan will have to make some important decisions. The game will lead you to some of them willy-nilly, but the most important ones will ultimately depend entirely on you. The story is fully dubbed (in English) and offers us relatively high-quality Czech subtitles.

Submarine called Luna

We’re used to the very minimalistic gameplay of these games, and it’s not for nothing that many of them are called “walking simulators.” But that’s not the case with Under The Waves, which offers a surprising amount of activity and gameplay. It’s probably best described as a “lite version of Subnautica,” as you’ll be using a small, one-man submarine nicknamed “Luna” for expeditions around the base. At the same time, you will collect raw materials such as plastic or metals to later produce items such as flares or mines. Both seabed exploration and crafting are relatively low-key but fun.

I was most impressed by the controls of the submarine, which is a joy to use with the remote control, and I enjoyed both long drives through beautiful underwater landscapes and wild zigzags through intricate underwater caves. If you, like me, have a weakness for everything related to the sea, this game will pleasantly surprise you. In addition to the graphics, the musical soundtrack, which is strikingly reminiscent of the music from the game No Man’s Sky, contributes to the strong atmosphere. Accompanied by impressive audio-visual processing, you’ll perform all sorts of action and logic puzzles over the course of seven hours, with both levels of the story developing in interesting ways. It’s not a gaming revolution, but if you’re in the right mood, it’s an enjoyable adventure suitable for a quiet night of gaming.