Holy moly. What a game. Wow.
The opening sequence really shook me. I didn't really know what I was getting into, so to be hit with something so anxiety- and panic-inducing was a crazy experience. I like the way it was executed a lot, from the gradual descent and the anticipation as you can just about see what's coming next, to the MUSIC, to minute things like the camera spinning faster if you look around while looking straight down.
Other things I liked:
+ That creature that passes you by when you're walking on the ocean floor. It just keeps going. And then pops out of existence.
+ The way the floor is slanted when you're inside the boat is not unsettling per se, but it's at such an angle that it bothers the brain.
+ The double bass room is really beautiful.
Small nitpick: after completing the game, you get a peculiar chapter menu, but if you quit the game and boot it back up, it's gone... My main gripe, however, is that the opening really doesn't hit the same when you've missed the boat when floating upwards and spent about 3 minutes in the darkness looking at the dust on your monitor, and realized you're not supposed to be there when the firework sounds start looping, and had to restart the game after confirming that there's more to the game via youtube!!!! At least I got to explore more of the ocean floor on my second try lol.
Speaking of the ocean floor, I had some time to think about the game's themes while walking around, and about the inclusion of different models from existing properties, and to me, it represents the certainty of death. Everything, be that something you hold dear, something you've never encountered in your life, or something, the existence of which you couldn't even fathom — everything dies.
Even so, there's meaning to be found in connection. I think, that's what the aquarium section is about. The tiktok and twitch screenshots feel random at first, but at their core, they are about understanding another person. A deep sea creature washes up on the shore, but there's a special tank to keep it safe.
On the off-chance that the dev reads this: 1 hi love your game!!! 2 does the mystery language in the game translate to anything? I kinda want to try to crack it but I don't want to just waste my time.
Anyway, this was a fantastic experience. I definitely recommend it to everyone who's got about 40 mins to spare and wants to potentially feel something new.
P.S. I've never watched Titanic.
