Open Waters: Terror On The Endless Ocean

Of all the different games and genres within horror, perhaps the ones that usually hit us the hardest are those that dig deep into our psyche and tap into fears that are already part of us. Our deepest phobias are often the perfect targets for some of the most disturbing works in video games. That said, one of the phobias this genre has exploited the most is thalassophobia, the fear of the sea, the unfathomable ocean, or large bodies of water, and in this case, the title we bring you today goes straight for that: terror in the endless ocean.

Open Waters will be the second title from independent studio FluffyGameDev, a first person survival horror that will put us in the shoes of a lone survivor stranded on a small boat in the middle of the vast ocean. Its premise might seem as simple as it gets, but that body of water, whose visuals and physics impress us at first glance, hides much more than you might imagine. Cold and hunger will not be our worst enemies here, you can be sure of that. Want to see what it looks like? Here is the Official Reveal Trailer for Open Waters, courtesy of GameTrailers:

Fear Without Shore

As we mentioned before, one of the things that has caught our attention the most is the impressive look of the ocean, whose immensity and realism seem ready to devour us alive before we even know it. This extremely well crafted aspect is only one part of everything that lies ahead: hungry predators, disorientation, mysterious places, ruins, and even some impossible creatures (or perhaps not so impossible) that, at the slightest opportunity, will drag us down into the depths without hesitation.

The ocean will be vast and full of terrors, but we will have a wide range of tools at our disposal, including our trusty compass and a super useful portable sonar, essential items for finding our way. With only minimal maps and reference points to guide us, we will have to plot our course using every small piece of information we can find: a note, a direction, a sound, or even the faint light of a star.

Did we mention ruins? Abandoned sites will also be part of this chilling adventure: islands, islets, oil platforms, and other locations will appear along our path more than once. But, as attractive as the simple idea of “solid ground” may seem, years of isolation have corrupted those places, turning them into traps or cursed sites, which means exploring them will involve risks. The horror beyond the open sea will force us to face threats both on land and at sea, so it will be hard to find a place where we feel completely safe.

On the other hand, we will see that the unexplored depths will hide unimaginable terrors, which will rise toward the surface with the sole purpose of dragging us down to the bottom with them as an appetizer. These creatures will have their own dedicated section within the game, and we will be able to track them with our tools, or avoid being detected by turning off our engine for a while, staying silent, and crossing our fingers and hoping they do not notice our presence… Whatever we do…

…LET’S AVOID FALLING INTO THE WATER!!

Some Features Highlighted by its Developers

• Unmatched ocean horror experience: Experience an unmatched simulation of being lost in the vast ocean. Dynamic weather, unpredictable waves, dense fog, realistic physics, an atmospheric ocean soundscape, and lurking threats combine to create this immersive ocean horror experience.
• Immersive and minimalist: With a minimal interface and no minimap, navigation depends on your ability to read and interact with the world around you. Plot your course with a compass, follow a star in the sky, listen to distant sounds, and use every clue the ocean gives you.
• Thalassophobia warning: The ocean is vast and terrifying. You are small and fragile in comparison. This horror game will undoubtedly terrify those who fear large, deep bodies of water.
• Upgrade your boat and your tools to survive: Gather resources and technology to upgrade your boat and your tools, increasing your chances of survival in the open sea.
• Unravel an ecosystem: The creatures of the depths have their own hierarchy. Do not assume that the monster chasing you is the greatest threat in these Open Waters.
• Game length: The game is relatively short and should be completed in around 2 to 4 hours.

So…

Open Waters, this first person ocean survival horror, does not yet have an official release date, but we can expect news about it very soon. For that reason, it would be smart of us to visit its Steam page, whose link we can find in the usual place, and add it to our Wishlist without delay. And once we do that, we come back here and chat about what we think of this unsettling work by FluffyGameDev that sets out to exploit our fears! You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 😉

Images Source: GameTrailers Official YouTube Channel, Open Waters on Steam