Under the Waves
Release Date: August 29, 2023
Adventure, TPP, science fiction, under water, indie games, crafting, exploration games, PS Plus Premium, PS Plus Extra, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A TPP adventure game about dealing with loss. In Under the Waves, we play the role of a professional diver who ventures into the ocean depths to try to come to terms with his traumatic past and accept his new future.
Under the Waves is an adventure game, themed around coping with loss. The game was developed by the independent team Parallel Studio, and was published by Quantic Dream.
Plot
Under the Waves takes place in an alternate, retro-futuristic version of the year 1979. The protagonist is Stan, a professional diver, who's suffered a loss that changed his life. Trying to come to terms with it, as well as to accept his new future, Stan ventures down into the depths of the North Sea. Exploring the oceanic abyss in solitude, the protagonist experiences visions, his mental condition made manifest. It's up to the player whether he'll resurface, or forever remain under the titular waves.
Mechanics
The action in Under the Waves is observed from a third-person perspective (TPP). The player can traverse the oceanic depths, gaze upon their wonders and inhabitants, as well as discover its secrets. During our journey we'll encounter animals, plants, wrecks, caves and even underwater complexes. We'll spend most of our time at the helm of a special boat, although thanks to an underwater suit, Stan can leave it and explore the discovered areas by himself, searching for useful items, collectibles and information. Doing so lets the player find resources, used to craft helpful items.
Technical aspects
Under the Waves is a visually impressive title. The underwater landscapes, well-animated sea life and dense vegetation are especially appealing, although the realistic lighting is also worthy of praise. These visuals are accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack.
Videos and Screens
[1:08] Under the Waves launch trailer
[0:57] Under the Waves trailer #3
GamesRadar+: 3 / 5 by Alex Avard
A deep dive into an emotionally resonant, thematically intriguing, and visually striking abyss, Under the Waves' waters are choppy at times, but there's pearls to be found amidst the turbulence of its enthralling ocean.
COGconnected: 74 / 100 by Mark Steighner
Although some mechanical elements suggest other games, Under the Waves uses deep sea exploration for its twin themes of personal grief and environmental exploitation in a unique way. There’s a lack of technical refinement here and there, and the messaging gets heavy-handed at times. Under the Waves is actually about something which puts it ahead of many other games in the survival crafting genre.
Metro GameCentral: 7 / 10 by Nick Gillett
A story about loneliness and grief, set in a retro-futuristic 1970s and told from the perspective of a deepsea diver, which is less interested in action than creating the right atmosphere.
Under the Waves Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Developer: Parallel Studio
Publisher: Quantic Dream
Age restrictions: 16+
Under the Waves System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 4100 3.8 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon R9 290 or better, 10 GB HDD, Windows 10
Recommended: Intel Core i7-7700 3.6 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1660 / 8 GB Radeon RX Vega 56 or better, 10 GB HDD, Windows 10/11