Highwater

50%
Game Brain Score Based on 35 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Highwater Game Cover
Although Highwater’s combat is frustrating at times, and its story is a tad derivative, it’s still an incredibly enjoyable and hyper relevant game because of its core messages and lore.‍
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"Highwater is a single-player, open world 3D adventure game with an isometric turn-based puzzle-combat system and stunning graphics. In a flooded, post-apocalyptic world, players navigate by boat, forming alliances and battling foes, embarking on a melancholic yet humorous journey across dangerous regions to seek escape to Mars. Experience a rich, story-driven adventure with challenging gameplay and a unique setting."

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

50%
Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews
story11 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique artistic direction with colorful visuals and a captivating atmosphere, making it visually pleasing.
  • The turn-based combat system, while slow, offers a novel approach with puzzle elements that can be engaging and strategic.
  • The inclusion of a radio station with a nice soundtrack adds to the overall charm and helps build the game's world.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and lacks depth, with characters that are not compelling or memorable.
  • Exploration is limited and often feels repetitive, with many areas feeling empty and uninteresting.
  • The game suffers from various technical issues, including wonky controls, slow pacing, and a lack of polish in UI and graphics.
  • story33 mentions

    The story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its quirky and fun elements, as well as its commentary on society and politics, while others criticize it for being disjointed, underdeveloped, and lacking emotional depth. The main plot revolves around a group of refugees seeking escape to Mars after an environmental disaster, but many feel that the writing does not live up to the standards set by previous games in the series. Overall, while the atmosphere and character interactions are praised, the narrative's execution leaves much to be desired for a significant portion of the audience.

    • “This was a fun and quirky story that did a good job of fleshing out the world you have come to know via the previous games.”
    • “Very nice little game with a very interesting consistent story that hits home, because it's pretty close to a possible future reality.”
    • “Despite this, I’ve grown to love the universe and its ongoing lore, and I can’t wait for the next chapter of the story as I'm still craving more.”
    • “But the developers must have felt a certain amount of pressure lengthening the game with the core plot this simple because the writing here is subpar, to be honest.”
    • “The story is kind of all over the place with a pretty whatever ending, not worth the time spent or payoff.”
    • “The story wasn’t very moving and didn’t have many moments that grabbed me, unfortunately.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a nice soundtrack that enhances the chill atmosphere, despite some players finding the indie music selection bland. The inclusion of a radio host adds a layer of world-building, though it lacks the depth of previous entries due to fewer caller stories. Overall, the soundtrack effectively complements the visuals and gameplay, though interruptions during songs can detract from the experience.

    • “A very chill game with beautiful music and a heavenly atmosphere, despite the grim setting itself.”
    • “There's no sense of urgency and the game encourages this vibe by putting slow-paced boat rides and indie folk music.”
    • “Just like the earlier games, it harmonizes with the visuals effectively as it tells the story through the host and the songs – which will be the only voices you will hear in the game, except for a few in-game performances.”
    • “The radio DJ can provide a bit of world-building at times, but mostly it's just kind of bland indie music that wasn't really to my taste.”
    • “There's no sense of urgency, and the game encourages this vibe by putting slow-paced boat rides and indie folk music.”
    • “However, in this game, I had to stop my boat sometimes to hear the whole song or avoid getting interrupted by something like a cutscene.”
  • graphics14 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many praising the stylized art style and stunning visuals, though some users noted a lack of polish and consistency with previous titles from the developer. While the overall aesthetic is appealing, there are criticisms regarding UI issues and bugs that detract from the experience. Overall, the graphics are considered good, but there is room for improvement.

    • “The stylized graphics look great, the sound design is fantastic and the characters are wonderful.”
    • “The game's visuals are incredibly stunning, especially the low-resolution art style.”
    • “The graphic art style is great though.”
    • “The visuals are okay but need a bit of polish.”
    • “To me, it was the overall lack of polish in terms of UI, bugs, and graphics.”
    • “With the graphics, perhaps it’s because of its mobile roots since this was a Netflix exclusive for a while.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay features some decent mechanics and round-based combat, but overall it feels underutilized and lacks polish, particularly in its linear progression and confusing navigation. Players may find the frequent transitions between gameplay and cutscenes jarring, and while the gameplay is simple and somewhat enjoyable, it is hindered by slow dialogue and a lack of depth, leading to mixed reviews with an average rating around 6/10.

    • “Overall gameplay and the round-based combat is pretty nice too.”
    • “I just started playing it and I found it interesting; I love the story and gameplay, also the soundtracks.”
    • “Gameplay: decent (simple)”
    • “There's some alright mechanics, but they're not very well utilized or polished.”
    • “Moreover, if you think you can skip the slow dialogue and focus solely on the gameplay… then I'm afraid I have bad news for you.”
    • “Especially in the first half of the game, the gameplay felt very linear, just cruising along from point A to point B dictated by a crude radar and a map which I couldn’t understand and never used.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the comedic take on serious situations, such as the portrayal of incompetent insurgents, others find certain elements, like the bandit viking gang, to be forced and off-putting. Overall, the humor is seen as a refreshing contrast to the dramatic narrative, with some moments resonating well with players.

    • “Kind of a 'funny' take on a very dramatic situation.”
    • “Story was cool, the humor was spot on.”
    • “Good humor.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally praised, with excellent performance at 1440p resolution and quick loading times. However, some users feel that the developers, Demagog Studio, could improve further based on their previous work. Overall, players are encouraged to manage their expectations regarding the game's scope while enjoying its visual storytelling and strategic elements.

    • “The performance, 1440p resolution, and loading times are excellent.”
    • “Just like the earlier games, it harmonizes with the visuals effectively as it tells the story through the host and the songs – which will be the only voices you will hear in the game, except for a few in-game performances.”
    • “And while I applaud Demagog Studio's efforts, I know they can do better, especially given their past performances.”
    • “I could have played the Netflix version for free, but I’m glad I got it on PC for the performance. Give the game a try if you like the lore of Demagog games and are a fan of strategy RPGs while keeping expectations in check in terms of scope.”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its serene and beautiful music, creating a heavenly feel that contrasts with its grim setting. Reviewers highlight the developers' talent for crafting a distinct atmosphere, enhanced by engaging storytelling through character dialogues, even if players cannot influence the conversations.

    • “A very chill game with beautiful music and a heavenly atmosphere, despite the grim setting itself.”
    • “These developers have a real gift for delivering atmosphere, which isn't too surprising considering they were able to pull it off in a 2D golf game (Golf Club Wasteland is a total classic in my book).”
    • “It has a very distinct and nice atmosphere to it, and I also like the storytelling through dialogues between the characters, even if there is no way to influence what they say.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by poignant themes of survival among children left behind, suggesting a deep narrative potential. However, some players feel that the story elements and exploration lack depth, failing to evoke a strong emotional response.

    • “Additionally, story points include touching on how the children who were left behind were able to survive (and if you've played the cub, you know they thrived).”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported several stability issues, including noticeable glitches such as misattributed dialogues and word balloons appearing outside the screen boundaries.

    • “I also experienced a few glitches, such as dialogues being attributed to the wrong characters and two word balloons spawning outside of the screen boundaries.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without constant restarts.”
    • “I encountered several stability issues, including lag spikes and random freezes that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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