In Other Waters

While the action of playing the game is threadbare, the tone being set between the repetitive motions of exploration, your doctoral companion’s calm demeanor, a serene and mysterious accompaniment, and the satisfaction of each new discovery makes for a divine experience. If you’re looking for an interactive balm for your spare time or something to sate a sense of discovery without needing action-packed stimulation, sink into these waters and let them wash over you.

In Other Waters’ best quality is just that: it makes you feel like you’re in other waters. It’s a well written exploration game that, while short, provides an interesting story. If this is the form the classic text adventure returns in, In Other Waters leads the charge with its immersive soundscape and imagination sparking descriptions.

Minimalist adventuring that’s original, clever, and soothing – and a perfect example that gameplay and atmosphere is always more important than high-tech graphics.

Few developers would have the resources to portray this undersea world in all of its glory, but while Martin’s approach might have begun as a compromise, it’s executed with such confidence that In Other Waters feels like the only game he ever would have wanted to make. For those who like their sci-fi on the sophisticated side, it’s one of the year’s hidden gems.

If you are looking to read a game with an amazing story, atmospheric music and very little game play, then In Other Waters would be right up your alley. This is a game you can take it easy with and just enjoy the story the writers want to take you on. It will hold your hand and tell you a tale. I’d like to say that it has more to offer but that’s it, and honestly that’s not a bad thing. I would of like to have been more involved in the games story and I would have loved for there to have been more to look on the screen, but you’ve got to respect what this company has accomplished. They set out to tell their story and they did it in the best way they thought possible. This game may not really be what I look for in my video games, but I can see how others would love it, and I respect Jump Over The Age for their work.

In Other Waters tells an intriguing tale that will get you thinking, but only if its slow crawl to the finish doesn't turn you away.

If you enjoy a good story in your games, In Other Waters will deliver that to you, but you'll need to be patient with its slow-pacing and the fact that you'll be spending so much time looking at little icons and lining them up with other icons and lines. It's not that far off from a walking simulator, but the interesting visuals of those types of games will only come from your mind's eye. In Other Waters is a niche game, and by now you should know whether or not you fit in that niche. If you're intrigued, by all means give the game a try, you won't be disappointed by the story that it delivers. If it all seems like a lot of effort to slowly read a book on your Switch, though, you're best off spending your time in other games.

A minimalistic adventure full of mystery, intrigue and adventure. You play as an AI helping a stranded scientist; you sort her inventory, manage her fuel supply, take samples of unfamiliar species, and improve your relationship with her on the journey. Recommend for anyone looking for an engaging sci-fi, story driven experience with great mechanics and gameplay.

Play Citizen Sleeper, this developer’s more recent title. In Other Waters (his earlier game) feels like an ambitious misstep and is a total chore to play. The two games are the same price; go for Sleeper. Just got fed up mining for Shrillsacs for the ten thousandth time.

It's possible that, at some point after the first 30 minutes, this game gets really interesting, but it would have to be a truly impressive pivot. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's going wrong, but it's fair to say that nothing is quite going right. For all the lovely sound design and eye-catching aesthetic, there's precious little (if any) reward in exchange for your curiosity.

There are worse games out there. I think that's the highest praise I can give.

If Subnautica was a text adventure . . . it'd be a much less enjoyable game. I don't think anyone needed a case study proving that fact, but thanks to In Other Waters, we now have hard evidence.