Still Wakes the Deep review – The Thing, but on a Scottish oil rig in the 1970s

The story is a typical genre tale: a group of workers drilling for oil on the Beira D rig accidentally uncover something they shouldn't have and are subsequently terrorized by an unknown entity that gradually kills them off. At the time of the incident, Cameron McCleary, an electrician from Glasgow, is in the process of leaving the rig after being fired. He had taken the job in order to avoid the police following a violent altercation at a bar. The story follows his frantic search for a way out.

The group of developers who created Still Wakes the Deep are not the same as those who made the popular games Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. However, all of their games have something in common - they all have great visuals, realistic sound effects, and amazing acting. The oil rig in Still Wakes the Deep is incredibly realistic, with lots of little details like hissing valves and creaking metal stairs. Even without any scary monsters, this is not a safe place to work, and the oil rig is definitely the most memorable part of the game.

The game Still Wakes the Deep is highly Scottish in nature and even includes a lot of vulgar language. The conversations between Caz and his colleagues, as well as his thoughts about the events leading up to the Beira D, are very natural and realistic. However, because the game is short, there isn't enough time for character development beyond basic introductions. It can be challenging to form a connection with the characters, and the contrived plot device of having multiple characters call and die on the phone doesn't improve the situation.

The Chinese Room's Still Wakes is an immersive game that requires more than walking around and observing the scenery. However, the game's design has a major flaw – the player. Innumerable games have used the same gameplay devices, leading to boredom for the experienced player. For instance, when I saw yellow paint on a ledge indicating that I had to climb, it seemed cliché and unoriginal. Sadly, this color-code was used throughout the entire game: yellow tarps indicated where to climb, and the bullseye's yellow rim showed where I could jump through. Due to this overuse of design, what started as an intriguing labyrinth quickly became a monotonous parkour course.

When Caz encounters enemies, he cannot engage in combat with them and must instead proceed cautiously. The environment is filled with hiding spots and objects that can be used to distract enemies, which I often revisit before ultimately having to take cover. While this should create a sense of suspense, the game telegraphs upcoming situations (and their resolution, as evidenced by a rig worker's announcement that the monster is departing) so explicitly that I have little agency as a player and simply follow a predetermined route.

I was disappointed to find out that the light from my headlamp didn't affect the monsters, making it simple to sneak around. Other times, I would mess up a jump due to the camera and hear McCleary curse as he fell to his demise repeatedly, causing the suspense to diminish. There was a constant urge to assist the player, but a horror game also requires moments of uncertainty. When the make-believe was shattered, I was left with a game I put up with to discover the fate of a character I wasn't invested in.

Although Still Wakes the Deep effectively portrays an ordinary person struggling to survive in an extremely harsh environment, it lacks enough genuinely frightening or captivating scenes to be particularly memorable.

The latest release of Still Wakes The Deep is currently available for purchase at a price of £29.99.