Under the Waves (v1.07)

A lonely industrial outpost beneath the North Sea becomes the setting for an intimate science-fiction drama about loss, isolation, and the frightening places memory can lead. Under the Waves follows Stan, a veteran diver who takes an underwater assignment in an alternate 1979, hoping distance from his personal tragedy will quiet his mind. Instead, the silence of the ocean amplifies it, blending a grounded workplace story with increasingly dreamlike visions. The mood is subdued, melancholy, and beautiful rather than horror-driven, though the darkness beyond the sub’s lights carries a constant sense of unease.

Most of the adventure revolves around travelling between objectives in Stan’s compact submarine, then leaving it to investigate locations on foot or in a diving suit. Players search wrecks, caverns, kelp-filled trenches, and company facilities for supplies, optional mementos, and clues that add context to Stan’s past. Salvaged materials feed a light crafting system, allowing upgrades and useful equipment that open safer or more convenient ways to reach distant areas. There is no combat focus: progress comes from navigation, environmental interaction, exploration, and following a largely linear but emotionally charged narrative, with side activities providing welcome pauses from the main story.

Its strongest feature is the way the seabed reflects Stan’s state of mind, shifting between authentic-looking marine environments and surreal scenes that make grief feel tangible without spelling everything out. Retro-futurist technology, expressive cinematic framing, and a restrained soundtrack give the world a distinctive identity somewhere between Firewatch’s personal storytelling and the contemplative exploration of ABZÛ. Under the Waves rewards players who slow down to scan the horizon, meet its wildlife, and chase optional discoveries rather than rushing from marker to marker. Fans of narrative adventures and thoughtful, low-pressure exploration will find much to appreciate, while players seeking demanding survival systems, action, or open-ended sandbox freedom may find its deliberate pace too gentle.