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Still Wakes the Deep Review

Casey ScheldJune 24, 2024

The dark, freezing North Sea awaits with the release of The Chinese Room and Secret Mode’s new horror title Still Wakes the Deep. Should players weather these harsh conditions, or is this tale not worth telling?

Still Wakes the Deep Review

As a member of the crew of the derelict oil rig Beira D long ago (back in the 70s, in fact), Cameron “Caz” McLeary is having a rough day. Not only is his marriage on the rocks, he’s also got the police knocking on their doorstep out at sea, ultimately costing him his job. That is, after a thorough chewing out from his boss Rennick.

That’s the least of his worries, however; before too long, a wild drilling incident causes havoc on the ship before he was slated to jet off back home, forcing him to deal with a number of problems throughout the rig and its crew. It’s far from a normal day, and there are some supernatural events that are being thrown into the mix for good measure.

What follows is a walking sim that throws the player headlong into danger. Still Wakes the Deep prides itself on immersion; whether players are climbing a dangerous precipice, dealing with crewmates that just aren’t right, or navigating harsh conditions, intensity is the name of the game.

Paired with the excellent voice work (complete with Scottish phrases like “clacky gobshite”), stunning graphics, and dire conditions are just the thing to transport players to this rig.

However, it’s not all roses throughout these lousy predicaments. Still Wakes the Deep is a horror title that is truly immersive, though it ends up being far too linear in the process. Players will be railroaded from one stop to the next, complete with yellow-coded objects, overt objectives, and straightforward paths.

That’s not to say this title is free of danger. Don’t expect to go all Doom Guy from DOOM in this title, but do expect to navigate a number of threats through the use of stealth. Rather than a BFG 9000, one’s wits – and the occasional contextual item – will keep Caz in one piece.

Despite this, Still Wakes the Deep’s this linearity ultimately takes away from the experience.

There’s not much player without a context marker eagerly pointing people in the right direction. With all the blocks from one area to the next, it can feel like a slog as players are navigating these different areas to get to the next problem.

The end result is something that would have been better suited as a TV miniseries. The content of Still Wakes the Deep is more than sound – shows like AMC’s The Terror capture the same ominous vibes – but pretty much all players will have the end experience after its short three-hour runtime.

Still Wakes the Deep is a truly immersive tale, but its linearity ultimately prevents it from reaching new heights. Caz’s bad day is well worth a while for those looking for supernatural horror, but this tale might have been better suited for another medium.

Still Wakes the Deep Review

Reviewed On: PC
Release Date: March 22nd, 2024
MSRP: $34.99
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC
Developer: The Chinese Room
Publisher: Secret Mode
Alternative Reviews: TheSixthAxis, God is a Geek, PushSquare
Aggregate Scores: Metacritic, OpenCritic

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