I have this vague memory from when I was… about eight, maybe? Some family friend had a lake house or something? The important thing is that I was a dumb kid who was told not to go too deep into the water. So, like a dumb kid, I went too deep into the water.
I hadn’t properly learned how to swim. I reached towards the sun in vain. The true “memory” I carry with me is the feeling of water filling my nostrils as the murky depths clouded my vision. Shinsekai: Into The Depths is a video game that captures that feeling. Which is terrifying, but also a testament to the developers’ skill.
Shinsekai: Into The Depths was originally released for Apple Arcade last year. Now it comes to Nintendo Switch, and Capcom offered TheGamer a review code. When I accepted it, all I knew was that it was about deep sea diving and exploring. Then the opening screen recommended I use headphones to get the true underwater experience.
It’s not as if Shinsekai is even billed as a horror game. There is, however, a certain disquiet to the way the visuals blend modern Japanese cities with spiritual symbols, and place it all in the deep sea. It tells a tale of global catastrophe by way of natural disaster. The main character survives underwater and is driven further down by an encroaching freeze. This adds an immediate claustrophobia to the levels, as you’re often trapped between the freeze and sections of deep ocean that will kill you instantly with pressure.
Now imagine playing this as me, with my unpleasant swimming memory very much intact. Oh, and the reason the game wanted me to wear headphones? So the aquatic ambiance could flood my ear. Just what I needed, underwater immersion.
Gameplay-wise, Shinsekai is closer to a Metroidvania with survival elements. Players search for minerals hidden in the depths of the sea in order to craft upgrades for their suit. These improvements allow the diver to withstand more pressure, and thus go deeper. There’s also weapons like a harpoon to deal with hostile creatures and the occasional boss fight.
It’s slower than the average Metroidvania, though, as the character is fragile. Rather than hit points, one must look after air tanks. Air can be used to boost around, but can also be lost if the diver takes a hit or bumps into a wall too fast. And of course, running out of air underwater triggers my worst nightmare… and a game over. I have to say, it stands out among the games I’ve played this year as one where I really didn’t want to die. I give the developers credit for making me that uneasy, and also resolve to never play Shinsekai: Into The Depths again.
NEXT: Deadliest Catch: The Game Review: What A Load Of Crab
