Still Wakes the Deep Review – A Thrilling Seaside Horror

British studio The Chinese Room has given us some of the most interesting and at the same time most detailed psychological horror games in video games in recent years. Personally, I consider Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture to be their best work, but Dear Esther or Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs are also definitely worth mentioning. Although these are generally shorter games, and some might immediately condemn them as “walking simulators”, the execution of their games is usually top-notch, and the story is unforgettable, both in individual moments and as a whole. This is also the spirit of their latest game, which, in addition to an interesting story, relies on the graphical capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. Incidentally, as another studio, they are working on the long-awaited RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodline 2.

• Platform: PS5 (review), XSX|S, PC
• Publication date: 18.06.2024
• Manufacturer: The Chinese Room (England)
• Genre: Adventure story
• Czech localization: No
• Multiplayer: No
• Data for download: 9 GB
• Play time: 6 hours
• Price: 899 CZK (Alza), Game Pass subscription

Thing from the depths

The year is 1975, and you, a Scottish worker named Caz McLeary, are working on the Beira D oil rig in the North Sea. The game doesn’t skimp on character models, animations, or voice acting, so during your first playthrough it lets you wander around a platform full of other people going about their normal daily routines, such as sitting in their canteen, visiting their rooms, or chatting on board. This convincingly vivid atmosphere, with often downright photorealistic graphics, will make you feel like you’re in a real place within a few dozen minutes. Of course, it’s all the more impressive to watch the gradual descent into madness and destruction, including the corresponding panic of everyone involved.

At first glance, it looks like a routine industrial accident: the platform’s deep-sea drill apparently struck a pocket of water on the seabed, possibly containing dangerous gas or chemicals. There was an impact that shook the entire rig severely and disabled the drill. But then, after the gigantic drilling, something very dangerous, beyond the usual description, began to spread from the seabed onto the platform. It is organic, strangely colored, and spreads quickly. Apparently, it can also infect humans. To make matters worse, a severe storm hit the platform at the same time, further complicating efforts to manage the situation and, eventually, at least, evacuate it. Escape plans are falling apart one after another, and a cascade of accidents threatens to sink the entire platform.

After a giant drilling, something dangerous began to spread from the seabed onto the platform.

Many horror games force you to investigate these disasters some time after they happen, when the apocalypse has already happened and you’re investigating or dealing with the aftermath. But the best ones (Dead Space 2 comes to mind) let you experience everything continuously, from the first moment, from patient zero. This makes the tension building and then the descending level of horror that much more effective, especially when the game looks so realistic and you really feel like you’re in a real place. From the mundane traffic to the wild rumble, panic and storm, to the eerie silence of the entire platform as night falls and darkness descends, this is a great horror ride that will captivate more than just fans of the genre.

Fight for survival

While much of the game is about exploration (from your own eyes), don’t expect too many difficult puzzles or a large inventory. The core of the gameplay sometimes involves more dynamic jumping between crumbling parts of the structure, and then passing through passages with sneaking enemies. You can also lure them away using the sound of an object you throw. But don’t expect any weapons. If the idea of ​​sneaking around an infected person or purebred monster scares you, you have the option to select “story” difficulty in the game settings, where they will be virtually unable to see you unless you directly encounter them. While a few spatial puzzles may keep you busy for a few minutes, the main goal of the entire game is simply the story.

The creators decided to intersperse the exciting events on the platform with “dream” scenes in which your hero remembers his family. I understand that the writers wanted to add depth to the main character, as well as motivation to survive and return to his loved ones. Unfortunately, I did not find these passages very interesting, and they really spoiled the exciting pace of the main storyline – including a rather crucial moment at the end, which would have worked much better without this ballast. However, I liked the characters (with a wonderful Scottish accent) and the story. It is possible that the mentioned contrast was also influenced by the change of the lead developer during the creation of the game. As for the studio’s portfolio, I was slightly disappointed with the music, but it serves its function as an atmospheric background. Technically, the game works very well on the PS5 console, because you can choose between a higher resolution or smooth settings. In 5 places, the Unreal Engine provides absolutely photorealistic graphics, thanks to which the whole experience gains power.