Since the release of Subnautica, all games taking place under the ocean have the right to “oh yes, this is the game that looks a bit like Subnautica?”. So let’s be clear from now on, Under The Waves only has its underwater theme in common and offers a very different experience with a very important narrative.
Developed by the Parisians at Parallel Studio and published by Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain, Detroit Becom Humain), Under the Waves is a narrative game plunging you into the ocean with the wonder and tension that entails it. The software then immerses us in the introspection of your character with an atmosphere as soft as it is oppressive which will be completely transcended by the original soundtrack and the sound effects of Nicolas Bredin. As for the artistic direction, we are treated to a mixture of realism and cartoons with a very contemplative desire for the decor and the ocean that surrounds us.
The vagueness of the soul
We are in the shoes of Stan, a thirty-year-old man tormented by his past. He has just accepted an underwater mission for Unitrench, a major firm operating offshore platforms. Stan therefore finds himself in a housing module 100m underwater for regular maintenance and missions given by the oil giant. But its arrival under the ocean is not trivial. If he has decided to go into exile, it is because Stanley is trying to escape his life on the surface. Following a terrible accident, our hero questions his life a lot and this causes tensions in his relationship with his beloved, Emma. Despite his partner’s concern, he seeks redemption, something that will help him get through this stage.
For this journey, Tim, a friend of his late father, will be our guide and will watch over us as if we were his own son. While Stan will have many doubts and constantly questions himself, the dialogues between his two characters are moving with their spontaneity and the respect that reigns between the two characters. We quickly become attached to the heroes of Under The Waves. The cast is small and we therefore become attached to most of the protagonists like Jo, the sea lion that you will often come across on your underwater journey.
Under The Waves has one priority: the story
Under the Waves is a narrative game that focuses everything on its atmosphere and its writing. We then appreciate that each action, no matter how small, such as pushing down a door or opening a valve, takes place like a very contemplative mini-cinematic. It is also possible to hide the HUD with a single key press. Thus, you will progress as you complete the missions given and discover more information about the past and current situation of Stan, about Tim and also about Unitrench. Under the Waves’ theme is ecology and the environment and wishes to raise awareness on this theme without offering a major moralizing speech. When you use an oxygen stick to raise your bar, you can pick it up to gain plastic. You will then need two and some algae to make oxygen reserves. Through this simple mechanic, the game offers to collect waste from the ocean but also to recycle it. In Under the Waves, nothing is lost, everything is transformed. We will also see the environment modify with the actions of Man. A transformation which will sadden a place that we enjoyed contemplating during the first half of the game. This ecological and environmental desire is clearly assumed by the game which has gone so far as to collaborate with the Surf Rider association, an international NGO protecting the oceans , the seas, the lakes, etc. so that surfers, marine animals or even simple swimmers can enjoy them while respecting others.
Stan will remain underwater for around twenty days which will punctuate your game to be compiled in around 7 hours of play. Under the Waves offers a trip in the ocean which will upset many players, but a few small inconveniences could block some. others. It is not impossible that your game has bugs forcing you to restart the game or that it closes unexpectedly, even if you are playing on console. Automatic backups will ensure you don’t start your day from scratch. During certain missions, we also had to look for our way, an entrance or even what we should do. A minimalist HUD is not a problem for finding your way around, but the large map available in the menus is of little use and often, the marker for the mission is only placed in one area without you really understanding where to look. In the same vein, a mission requires activating valves to put the right pressure and be able to activate the button. To do this, you must create a pattern by turning the valve. But unfortunately, no instructions were given on how to find the diagrams in question. The routes are sometimes not very intuitive and certain actions are not really explained. In this idea of finding an object or its path, the game plays very well with shadow areas to sometimes hide a button. After all, we are at the bottom of the ocean. The submarine is sometimes very complicated to maneuver, but the resources necessary for the little crafting to be done will clearly cover the repairs of the latter.
The craft part is quite anecdotal. It will be possible to recover raw materials to transform them using a workbench in your housing module. Finally the game will be very permissive, since if you have not planned a stock of mines while a mission requires several from you to open the doors, you will find all the necessary objects on site. Finally, the gameplay is minimalist and can be summed up in a few keys: one to interact, a second to swim or get on the ground, another to use an object and a last one to swim faster. Even aboard Moon, our submarine, there are very few keys to remember. An idea which is ultimately very appreciable. The game is intuitive, we focus on the narration, the numerous dialogues between Stan and Tim or even the soundtrack and sound effects.
An offering to the sea
These same compositions or the marvelous song of the whales are both the work of Nicolas Bredin and have something captivating. A true ode to the Ocean as if it were a divinity, the more you progress in the game, the more the dreamlike atmosphere sets in, giving a spiritual side to the game which is well thought out. An atmosphere due in particular to the fine artistic direction. We love being in this seabed that is as intimidating as it is fascinating, like when we are watching a documentary. As we dive into the Big Blue, we stop to watch the turtles play shadows as they pass above the sun, follow this whale that we hear singing, observe a phosphorescent jellyfish in the depths. We would almost come to want to just dive freely without having the missions or the oxygen bar which reminds us that our protagonist is here to work. Under the Waves is clearly a tribute to the ocean and the wildlife that surrounds it.
Stanley is the character who will find his salvation thanks to this great omniscient ocean. We like to discover his past, his nightmares, his thoughts. Everything is always accompanied by colors that manage to transcribe the emotion of the moment. Under the Waves ultimately does not claim to be the game with the most accomplished gameplay, the most cutting-edge technique, but it wants to do things well and above all, above all, it has a story to tell us, emotions to pass on to us. And, in these areas, he excels.