The nerve-wracking atmosphere that you experience in Still Wakes the Deep amongst chilly sea breezes on an old oil rig, is nothing short of phenomenal. So yes, Still Wakes the Deep is absolutely worth every penny you spend. You are going to feel an air of creepiness around you while playing this emotionally charged game. The terrifying monsters in Still Wakes the Deep play a major role in making this game a memorable experience. However, there are other reasons as well which we have listed below.
Reasons Why Still Wakes the Deep is Worth It
1. A Chilling Atmosphere
The game portrays the taking of the oil rig by an evil sea entity beautifully. Terrifying trembling of the oil rig out of a sudden, widespread panic everywhere, breathing patterns of the protagonist changing, life and death situations occurring at every step – Still Wakes the Deep soothes you with a calm beginning and then after 20 minutes, it sends shivers down your spine endlessly till the climax presents itself. The conversion of this humungous oil rig into a murderous game of hide and seek seems weirdly poetic in an eerie manner.
The act of scavenging items from dark & dingy rooms filled with oil-covered water and crawling with overpowered, deformed monstrosities is rather challenging – it’s not as tough as Elden Ring but it surely makes your heart race as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog. The muffled breathing and panting noises, the atmospheric banging sounds of the metal structures made during running, jumping and scaling industrial ladders – the environmental sound design in Still Wakes the Deep is top-notch.
2. Terrific Voice Acting
The Scottish accent is extremely endearing and adds a strong portion of cultural richness that mainstream games have been missing these past years – as soon as you hear the characters speak, you’re transported into the windy but lush green landscapes of Scotland. You will start thinking about Scotch Wisky, beautiful old castles and the traditional skirt fashion of Scotland while interacting with the characters – Still Wakes the Deep will make you pack your bags, plan an itinerary and leave for Scotland. The voice actors deserve a standing ovation from the gamers. Still Wakes the Deep could most likely win the The Game Awards’s award for the best sound design in 2024 for the realistic voice acting they have incorporated.
3. Endearing Characters With Real Problems
The characters in the game are oil rig workers who are scared for their jobs, terrified of their boss and have gotten used to their routine life & all the inhumane treatment they get from their boss – it’s extremely relatable at a human level. If you have ever had a school bully or a humiliating parent figure, then you will relate to this game. These workers stay away from civilization for long durations and have been mentally hardened due to isolation and tough working conditions, so you don’t see many emotions from them even when they are having lunch. There’s a certain fragrance of loneliness dispersed into the air that you would strongly feel.
Hearing the most average jokes on this oil rig will make you feel happy for the workers – their little quirks are endearing and make the depressing atmosphere on the rig somewhat bearable.
4. Vulnerable Monstrosities that Inspire Pity
The gooey, liquidy, veiny and pulsating monstrosities with tentacles sprouting out of them – it is the perfect description of all the monsters in Still Wakes the Deep. These monsters were once your colleagues, friends and superiors, so even while you’re running trying to evade them you’re gonna feel strong pity for them. Wailing in solitude with monstrous growth emerging from their stomachs, some are unable to walk because of deformed legs, a monster named Gibbo is apologizing for his menacing behavior and some who were evil before as well – you’re going to get an elaborate buffet of filthy creatures that will chase you like you’re their last hope.
The encounter with these monsters is an emotional ride – it’s an incredible psychological experience that reveals a person’s character in their last few moments.
5. A Sense of Mystery Around It
The story of Still Wakes the Deep converts from day-to-day life into a survival horror game when a mysterious sea alien entity emerges from the ocean, takes control of the ship and converts average folks into deformed and filthy monsters. Even at the end of Still Wakes the Deep, it is not revealed what is the entity or what are its origins. You just see the protagonist Caz jumping into the entity’s mouth which signifies his death – the only visual you get is a space-like endlessness, which appears to be the entity’s mouth.
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