FREEDIVER: Triton Down
- May 29, 2019
- Archiact
- 2h median play time
FreeDiver: Triton Down is a game that takes VR gaming seriously more than just a passing fad. Short and to the point but deep in immersion.
Get on SteamDive into the dangerous depths as Ren Tanaka, a freediver, in "FreeDiver: Triton Down." With limited oxygen and rising seawater, you must navigate through virtual underwater environments using intuitive movements to escape. Immerse yourself in the game's vivid visuals and handcrafted audio for a captivating VR experience.
PC
Playstation 4
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
Reviews
- The swimming mechanics are innovative and feel natural, providing an immersive experience.
- The graphics and overall production quality are impressive, enhancing the underwater atmosphere.
- The game offers a unique narrative-driven experience that keeps players engaged despite its short length.
- The game is very short, typically taking less than an hour to complete, which leaves players wanting more.
- The story feels incomplete and ends abruptly, lacking a satisfying conclusion.
- Some players experienced issues with the controls, particularly with grabbing and swimming mechanics feeling awkward at times.
- story92 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as intriguing but disappointingly short, typically lasting around one hour, which leaves players wanting more depth and resolution. While some reviews praise the voice acting and presentation, many express frustration over the lack of substantial plot development and a feeling of incompleteness. Overall, the narrative is seen as a promising foundation that could benefit from further expansion and elaboration.
“The story is great and you won't regret spending a minute of the time you dedicate to this great little game.”
“A unique and engaging story VR game with a few simple puzzles to keep you engaged as you navigate through the Triton.”
“The story was great and normally I am not a big fan of game storylines, but this one was right up my alley.”
“Unfortunately, there is not much of a story and only 2 hours of gameplay.”
“The story is just barely there and just starting to really get interesting when it's over.”
“The store page explains more than the game does, and if you want the real story you have to listen to some random podcast that they have only mentioned in one Steam post.”
- gameplay71 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by innovative swimming mechanics and visually appealing environments, providing an enjoyable exploration experience despite being relatively short, typically lasting around one to two hours. While the mechanics are generally well-polished and intuitive, some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, with minimal story integration and limited puzzle elements. Overall, it is seen as a fun but brief experience that could benefit from additional content and more varied gameplay elements.
“The swimming mechanic works quite intuitively and there are simple puzzles and path-finding through the story so that it is more than a swimming simulator.”
“The gameplay mechanics are very intuitive, graphics are amazing, and it has a great story.”
“Great gameplay and well-polished game.”
“Unfortunately, there is not much of a story and only 2 hours of gameplay.”
“The story seems nice and the voice acting is surprisingly good, but the gameplay is lacking.”
“Swimming mechanics are weird and bad.”
- graphics64 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and immersive quality, particularly in underwater environments, with many reviewers noting stunning visuals and good water effects. However, some players pointed out issues like texture quality and performance inconsistencies, while others felt that despite the impressive graphics, the game was too short and lacked engaging gameplay. In summary, the graphics are a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere, but they are somewhat undermined by the game's brevity and execution.
“The graphics are beautiful and the game runs smoothly on the Unreal Engine.”
“Amazing game, graphics are one of the best I have seen, control system is so great.”
“Visuals are stunning.”
“That version is actually a graphically dumbed down one for consoles.”
“Don't even think about supersampling or touching the pixel density option in the graphics setting menu, not unless you like constant reprojection.”
“The graphics are something I expect from PS2; I expected better.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive underwater environment, enhanced by good lighting and well-suited music that builds tension. While the graphics are considered brilliant, some players feel that certain elements, like the realism of water and the creepiness of the ship, could be improved. Overall, the combination of engaging controls and a gripping narrative contributes to a highly atmospheric experience, particularly in VR.
“Music -- the scoring in this one is well-suited to the theme, and does a nice job building the atmosphere.”
“Very nice little polished game with excellent control, graphics, and atmosphere!”
“This is one of the most atmospheric games I've played in VR.”
“I may be picky, but I'll say the water does not look realistic enough, and the atmosphere in the ship isn't creepy enough.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with most players noting that it can be completed in 30-45 minutes and offers little incentive to play again due to predictable puzzles and a short duration. Many reviewers describe it as a one-time experience that, while enjoyable, does not warrant multiple playthroughs.
“It's just way too short and there's no real replayability since you know where everything is and how to escape each room.”
“Game was over in less than an hour and has no replayability.”
“If not, it’s a one-off experience that while great, is too short and has no replay value.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players report playable performance on older systems, they also note issues with frame drops and inconsistent FPS. Others appreciate the beautiful graphics and smooth operation on the Unreal Engine, but overall, there is consensus that the game is demanding and could benefit from further optimization.
“The graphics are beautiful and the game runs smoothly on the Unreal Engine.”
“The performance was playable, even though it seemed to never stay at a steady FPS.”
“Performance -- I'm not going to sugarcoat it -- Freediver is a heavy game to run.”
“Performance could be a little better.”
- stability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is generally positive, with most users noting that while there are occasional bugs related to grip and hand controls, they do not significantly detract from the overall experience. The game performs well on a 1080ti, contributing to a strong sense of immersion.
“Great immersion and runs great on a 1080 Ti.”
“Runs great.”
“Hand/grip controls are awful and buggy, and made me stop playing.”
“Grip to object is sometimes buggy, but nothing major.”
“Sometimes holding on to geometry can be a tad buggy, but not enough to ruin the experience.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional experience, with some players feeling a sense of claustrophobia in certain environments, enhancing immersion. However, the brevity of the story limits emotional attachment to the characters, leaving some players wanting more depth.
“Some of the cave parts made me feel claustrophobic; it was cool.”
“Since the story is short, it is really difficult to get emotionally attached to the characters.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's music is effectively tailored to its theme, enhancing the atmosphere through well-suited scoring. While it lacks traditional background music, the use of ambient aquatic sounds and wreckage noises significantly boosts immersion.
“The scoring in this game is well-suited to the theme and does a nice job of building the atmosphere.”
“The game has no background music, only ambient aquatic sounds and noises from the wreckage; this greatly enhances the immersion.”
“The game itself has no background music, only ambient aquatic sounds and noises from the wreckage; this greatly enhances the immersion.”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it feel monotonous after a short period of play.”
“The soundtrack feels disconnected from the gameplay, failing to evoke any emotional response or enhance the experience.”
