Stan is a professional diver who works for an oil company in the North Sea in the 1970s. He is trapped in his own mind as he deals with a life-changing loss and tries to find a new future. He is isolated from the rest of the world and starts to see strange events that are related to his memories.
He has a submarine and a special wetsuit that allow him to explore the underwater environment and encounter the wildlife. He is a slow and ponderous character who feels the pressure of the deep sea.
An amazing piece of world-building that is complemented with some superb visuals and audio work, Under the Waves will keep you captivated for some eight hours or so. And come the end, you may just be sad that it has finished.
VGChartz's Lee Mehr: "What keeps Parallel Studio from drowning resides – ironically – at both extremes: the granular details and the grander ocean expanse. With the former, it's the subtler ecological tones that show the pairing with Surfriders Foundation wasn't merely a marketing gimmick; there's more baked into its design than a mere placard yelling "there is no Planet B!" With the latter, the imposing sense of scale subtly encourages you to disinter more about this world, and perhaps yearn to restore it along the way. But then so much in between, from its personal story to puzzle design, is anchored into being so… expected and by-the-numbers. How you weigh these pros and cons will depend on your Pacific taste."
Under the Waves is a survival crafting game, set in an underwater open world, exploring themes of loss, personally and environmentally
