Explore the hidden secrets of this post-apocalyptic water world
Every so often a game comes around that’s a little different from the norm. It could differ in a variety of ways and offer the gamer something other than simply mashing the fire key, or racking up the points in a never ending quest to subdue the enemy.
Submerged, from Uppercut Games, is such a title. It tells the story of a young girl, Miku, who has fled from violence and brought her injured brother, Taku, to a strange desolated and flooded city. In this post apocalyptic setting, where the seas have risen and consumed most of the land, Miku must explore in order to find vital supplies to help bring her young brother back to health. All is not quite as it seems, though.
Submerged sees you in control of Miku in a third person setting. You can navigate the city via your motor boat, weaving in and out of the moss and lichen covered towering remains of skyscrapers, while locating points to moor and explore on foot. It’s here that game takes on a Lara Croft/Last Guardian feel to it, as Miku can nimbly climb her way and scramble up the sides of the buildings in a series of navigational puzzles. One route could lead to the top of the structure, and possibly to reveal one of the ten hidden supply crates that contain the necessary medicines, food, clean water and other items to bring Taku around and bind his wounds. Other routes, though, lead off the main course, and in turn guide you to hidden locations that contain information in the form of journal entries regarding the world and how it entered the state it’s in now.
As well as the tale of the world, the journal entries include the story of the two siblings, along with a collection of the weird and wonderful creatures you’ll come across and any notable landmarks. These last instances are for the explorers, with extra credit for finding all entries and landmarks coming from Steam Achievements.
There’s plenty to see within the waterlogged world. A handy map can be opened to help you track your location and points of interest. You also have a telescope that can pinpoint locations where a supply crates or journal entries are located – or one of the many upturned boats that can be dismantled to upgrade your own and allow for a boost for a short while.
Submerged is all about the story; there’s no combat, violence or death. You can’t fall from the top of a crane and plunge to your doom, nor can you dive into the water below, which would have been a nice addition. The pace is set to your own preference, meaning that you don’t have complete the game within a certain timescale; you can enjoy the exploration without fear of your brother coming a cropper while you’re away. The game mechanics work well. There are a few moments where, graphically, the setting is marred by odd camera angles, but these are few and far between. Other times it works well, and adds a sense of scale to the environment.
This is a beautiful game, and the accompanying score is both serene and tense, greatly enhancing the day, night, and weather effects that you’ll encounter while exploring every corner of the city.
This is a quite wonderful and enjoyable title to play. It’s different, well thought out and developed. David Hayward
Beautifully crafted, with exploration and navigation puzzles galore.