When young Mansour goes for a swim, he discovers a strange clam that releases several pearls. Before he can figure out what is going on, he is attacked by fish whose strange behavior might have something to do with what just happened. He eventually becomes overwhelmed and is brought back to his fishing village by a sea spirit. There, the locals warn him about strange things happening in the sea. Now, it is up to you to find out what is causing all of this.
The village serves as your base, where you prepare before setting out on underwater expeditions. There are six regions you can tackle, and each one gives you an overview of the enemies you will encounter and the resources you can find there. Each new region unlocks as you progress through the current one, meaning your options are limited to a single destination at first. Before heading out, you choose a melee and ranged weapon, as well as a crew member if you have any available. Each crew member comes with a unique perk that can make your journey easier. The first one, for example, has a chance to double certain types of loot.
Combat is pretty standard for a game like this. You deal most of your damage with your basic sword, activate gadgets with limited ammunition, and use dodge to get out of harm's way. The good thing about the dodge mechanic is that you can use it even while attacking. This means you will not be punished for already being in an attack animation when an enemy is preparing to strike. Enemy attacks are usually telegraphed through their behavior and occasional red markings, giving you enough time to react.
Progressing through a region follows a roguelite structure, although the paths are very short and there is not much choice when deciding which direction to take toward the final stage or boss fight. Most stages are standard battle areas where you move through different screens, fight enemies, and search for a way out. There is a map that shows what is waiting in the surrounding rooms, but the stages are not particularly large, so you might as well visit every screen to collect the available rewards. Each screen contains enemies that must be defeated before the exits open, and you will usually find a chest containing gold or materials such as wood or fabric.
It is also a good idea to cut seaweed and destroy other obstacles scattered around each screen, as they can reveal additional loot. Besides materials, you can find ammunition for your ranged weapon and oxygen tanks. These are essential because every stage takes place underwater, and Mansour is still a human who needs to breathe.
That said, the kid is practically a fish when it comes to holding his breath. Your oxygen supply decreases at a slow but steady pace, so you do not have to constantly worry about running out of air. However, there is a catch. Oxygen also functions as your health bar, meaning you lose a significant amount of it whenever you take damage. Fortunately, there is generally more than enough oxygen scattered throughout the stages, and you can even recover some of it after completing each stage.
Certain rooms within a stage offer an immediate reward instead of a battle. These can include a new sword, a new gadget, with your starting harpoon being one example, a vending machine where you can spend money on random loot, or an old sea turtle that gives you a perk. All of these can also appear as nodes on the map. When you visit one of these nodes, you get a single screen containing the reward without having to fight any enemies.
Perks are one of the more enjoyable parts of the game and can have a major impact on combat. For example, you can make enemies explode when they die, damaging others nearby, trigger explosions whenever you take damage, increase your chance of stunning enemies, or gain various other effects. The old turtle lets you choose from several options, while vending machines give you a random perk. Fortunately, the perks are generally useful, so whatever you receive feels like a positive addition to your build.
Whether you reach the final stage or perish somewhere along the way, you always return to the village. There, you can talk to the locals, tackle side quests, or prepare for your next expedition. Going on these trips is essential because they allow you to gather resources used to upgrade your weapons and unlock new features.
One of these systems is ship upgrading. Some upgrades are purely cosmetic, while others allow you to add more crew members, up to a maximum of three, and unlock new regions. However, this does not mean you can immediately explore wherever you want, as later stages require entirely new types of resources before you can access them.
Overall, the whole package is very enjoyable and plays well. The inspiration behind it is obvious if you regularly play indie games, and it may even feel a little too familiar to some players. Still, that should not stop you from giving it a try.
