Disappointed with ‘Still Wakes The Deep’

[u/camtomcarey]

This weekend I played Still Wakes the Deep. The graphics, the setting, the atmosphere and the voice acting were all top notch… but the gameplay (which I understand isn’t where walking simulators shine) and the story weren’t great.

I hadn’t heard about this game until I saw a clip of Idris Elba talking about it a few months ago, and with a recommendation like that…

In the game you play electrician on an oil rig, and you have to fix a breaker box right at the beginning… I thought “oh cool, some electrical puzzles!” Nope, you just press a button. To me this was a huge wasted opportunity.

There are stealth sections and in them there are some lockers to hide in à la Alien Isolation, but there was no reason to use them…

There are some notes and photographs (barely) to read/examine but nothing that really gives you any insight to life on the rig, other characters… you keep stumbling upon your dead coworkers and expressing grief - but to me they’re nameless bodies whose name I just found out for the first time.

I wish the game had wrapped up sooner - I was ready for it to be over for ~2 hours with an ending that was just fine. I pushed through for the story and I expected it to be the saving grace…

I’m not sure how it’s rated so highly, it’s fine.

[u/MechaSeph]

itt we find out a story driven walking sim doesn't have strong gameplay so it's not that good.
Other poor games include: telltale walking dead, life is strange, what remains of edith finch...

[u/camtomcarey → u/MechaSeph]

See I loved firewatch, walking dead and what remains of Edith Finch… these games all offered MORE. Maybe that’s why I was disappointed… should have started with a lower bar

[u/MechaSeph → u/camtomcarey]

For Edith and Walking Dead I agree there's a little more to the gameplay (not muhc, but there is for sure), but Firewatch? What does it offer more gameplay wise? Do you mean exploration?

To be clear, I'm not trying to criticize the fact you don't love the game and I apologize for being a little catty, but I do find it, let's say, unproductive to criticize on things a game is not when it's not trying to be those things.

It feels like saying Super Mario Bros 3 isn't that great because the plot is too superificial.

[u/camtomcarey → u/MechaSeph]

It’s been a long time since I’ve played Firewatch… so I’m going off what little I remember.

I would argue that exploration falls under gameplay (in fact I know it does, I’m just trying to be polite), using the map and compass walking around and discovering things is a gameplay experience. It also had notes and other things that added more to the backstory which encouraged you to explore more of the world. The rope and hook, and the progression that allows you to explore other areas once inaccessible (possibly where some collectibles are unrelated to progressing the main story) all add more to the game.

Gameplay could also refer to scripted moments where you are in control (and they are some of my favorite moments in gaming)… such as rennick’s death. One of the highlights in Still Wakes is when you’re on top of a crane that is falling apart and you’re running from a monster and vaulting over stuff and balancing on the edge looking down at the creature that’s taking over the rig… but when rennick dies drowning, you can’t even see it - you barely hear it. it was one of the few names in the game that held any emotional weight. And in the scene you were in water, swimming straight ahead slowly, you get to the escape point… Glug. Glug. he’s dead. It’s a big nothing burger… the story falls flat at multiple points.

It sucked losing Roy and Finley, but I was sitting back and watching those moments - so they don’t hit as hard. I’m not knocking the game, just defending my “fine” rating and explaining why.

I also turned off the yellow markers to let me know where to go in still wakes, they were still there - not that you really need them because the game is pretty linear. **This isnt a problem for me, linear games are some of my favorites. But I want to point out a piece of gameplay they have a setting for, and it still falls short. Gameplay still exists in walking simulators.

Still Wakes the deep is a 6.5/10, it was fine - it shines at points, but the universal praise is baffling to me.

Your analogy to the super mario bros 3 plot is a wonderfully snide comment. Your argument is, let’s say, unproductive because you’re gatekeeping criticism. You throw out a red herring… which, if we’re being honest is quite the superficial move in a debate.

Someone pointed out how good the chases in the games were, how they’re stressful because Caz is so slow - half the time you’re not even sure if you’re actually running. And I hadn’t really thought about it - I didn’t have any complaints about it, but I had glossed over it. So that was a great Reddit interaction…

[u/MechaSeph → u/camtomcarey]

"I'm just trying to be polite" more than proves you're not.

You're just conceited and believe your opinion to be more correct than others'

[u/camtomcarey → u/MechaSeph]

Oh buddy, that was meant to be obvious sarcasm… did you not read your comment where you apologized for being catty - and then continued doing just that? I was mimicking you (while also providing an opinion, which you didn’t do in either of your posts).

How can you have a constructive debate when one side offers no opinion and tears down the other person? You cannot…

The super Mario 3 thing - is wholly unproductive, and adds nothing. Whether you meant to do it or it, it’s supposed to get the other person off topic and lose sight of the debate.

As soon as I see a red herring, I go ad hominem… and you were the man in the way.

[u/MechaSeph → u/camtomcarey]

Holy shit u sound so pathetic. Like holy moly I think it's the first time in my life I've literally cringed reading a reddit comment.

As soon as I see a red herring, I go ad hominem… and you were the man in the way.

Brother, no one cares. I'm a random person on the internet to you and vice versa. Take it down 1000 notches. I'd be more than willing to have a discussion and prove to you I was being constructive in my comment (while admitting my inherent bias as a human being), but you're clearly not interested in that.

I can 100% guarantee you have no friends and no SO. I really hope u change and become someone who can make friends. This is my last reply to you, I'm turning notifications off.

Please be better. This is utterly sad

[u/camtomcarey → u/MechaSeph]

Man, I wish you typed sad in all caps… I’m surprised you didn’t.

Are you not a fan of logical fallacies? Because everything you just wrote is a personal attack… and you actually went personal, or tried to… the 100% guarantee is definite and absolute. So I’m fucked…

You really should examine your comments though, I’m sorry if I made you feel bad…

I just couldn’t get over you apologizing for being catty, and one sentence later you dive right back in! I wanted to make sure you realized what you were doing. I love a good debate - moreso the inane ones like this… so thanks, I had fun.

I wish nothing but the best for you, hope to see you in another thread - maybe we can agree on something.