In Other Waters

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,337 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
In Other Waters Game Cover
In Other Waters is engrossing, beautiful and perfectly balanced both in terms of immersive gameplay and intriguing narrative. It's relaxing without being boring, and thoughtful without treading the same tired sci-fi tropes.
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In Other Waters is a narrative-driven game where you play as an AI guide to a xenobiologist, Ellery, who is searching for her missing partner on an alien planet with an oceanic landscape. As you explore the underwater world, you'll uncover the planet's unique life and dark history, while also forming a bond with Ellery. The game features a non-linear narrative that raises questions about the definition of "natural" and "artificial" life in the context of environmental destruction.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,337 reviews
story702 positive mentions
grinding86 negative mentions
  • The exploration and writing are absolutely fantastic, creating a deeply emotional experience.
  • The game offers a unique perspective as an AI guiding a marine biologist, enhancing immersion.
  • The minimalist graphics and atmospheric soundtrack effectively evoke a sense of wonder and curiosity.
  • The movement mechanics can feel tedious and clunky, requiring multiple clicks to navigate.
  • The story can be predictable and heavy-handed with its environmental messages.
  • There is a lack of visual representation for the alien lifeforms, relying heavily on text descriptions.
  • story1,665 mentions

    The story in "In Other Waters" is a compelling blend of exploration and emotional depth, primarily conveyed through text and environmental storytelling. Players navigate an alien ocean as an AI assisting a marine biologist, uncovering a narrative rich with themes of corporate greed, ecological awareness, and personal connection. While the pacing can be slow and the gameplay somewhat linear, the beautifully crafted writing and atmospheric design create an immersive experience that resonates with those who appreciate narrative-driven games.

    • “The story is achingly beautiful and equal parts tragic and hopeful.”
    • “The game is a gorgeous example of environmental storytelling, and you only have your gathered clues and the musings of Dr. Vas to guide you to your conclusions about what happened on this mysterious planet.”
    • “The story was fascinating, the music helped you get engrossed in this new world, and the pacing (while slow at times) felt realistic as you learn more and more about this complex ecosystem around you.”
    • “Even though the concept has potential, the story is just poorly written and the ending is anything but satisfactory.”
    • “The story is not captivating enough to suffer through all of that.”
    • “I felt I had no agency in how the story developed or was revealed.”
  • gameplay611 mentions

    The gameplay in *In Other Waters* is characterized by its minimalist mechanics, focusing primarily on exploration and narrative rather than traditional gameplay elements. While some players find the slow-paced, repetitive nature of the gameplay tedious, others appreciate its meditative quality and how it complements the rich storytelling and atmospheric design. Overall, the game is more about the experience of discovery and immersion in an alien world than about complex mechanics or intense action.

    • “The mechanics are challenging enough to be engaging, but easy enough to be fun, and the graphics, while simple, are very well done.”
    • “Exploring, gathering samples, and learning more about the world was such an engaging gameplay loop and I'm kicking myself for not playing this sooner.”
    • “Unique gameplay, soothing soundtrack, and interesting story to unfold.”
    • “The gameplay is just soooooo tedious.”
    • “The gameplay is downright boring or occasionally frustrating.”
    • “The gameplay can be a little repetitive with the movement and scanning, and be prepared to read a lot to get engaged with the story.”
  • graphics570 mentions

    The graphics of "In Other Waters" are characterized by a minimalist aesthetic, primarily utilizing topographical maps, dots, and simple geometric shapes to convey its alien underwater world. While some players may find the lack of detailed visuals limiting, many appreciate how this simplicity enhances immersion and encourages imagination, allowing the rich narrative and sound design to take center stage. Overall, the game's unique visual style effectively complements its storytelling, creating a captivating atmosphere despite its low-tech presentation.

    • “The aesthetic of the game is very unique, the topology navigation map is very creative and fitting to the tone of the game.”
    • “The simple yet polished graphic design really does a heavy lifting for the game's aesthetic and really makes you feel like you're a machine scanning the ocean floor and analyzing samples.”
    • “The graphics are minimal but beautiful, with soothing colors and interesting representations of alien seafloor topography, and the soundtrack has that certain je ne sais quoi that enhances the experience artfully.”
    • “Very minimalist on the graphics though, so if you need something detailed to look at, definitely give this a pass.”
    • “It's hugely repetitive, a little dull and the graphics are really simplistic - it's essentially a glorified text adventure, because you only get descriptions from the human and occasional sketches.”
    • “The most strenuous thing you'll have to do in the game is read all the dialogue and descriptions given to you by the protagonist since all you see is a topographical map and a HUD.”
  • music501 mentions

    The music in "In Other Waters" has been universally praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the captivating soundtrack by Amos Roddy as a standout feature that enhances the game's exploration and storytelling. The sound design is described as both soothing and haunting, effectively complementing the minimalist visuals and contributing to a deep sense of immersion in the alien underwater world. Overall, the combination of beautiful music and thoughtful soundscapes creates a relaxing and emotionally resonant experience for players.

    • “Not only is the soundtrack fantastic and fitting for every moment, but the sound design is incredible and really helps you to create the visuals in your mind's eye that the human must be seeing on the planet.”
    • “The music is a soothing, flowing ambience, or an eerie buzz depending on the area and the atmosphere of the scene.”
    • “The soundtrack is excellent at conveying how alien the world is and amplifies the intensity of some of the more desolate or oppressive locales.”
    • “Want to mute the music or just turn down the master volume?”
    • “The music, even though too repetitive sometimes (mostly in the main base where a lot of reading happens), corresponds perfectly to the atmosphere of this diving expedition.”
    • “The soundtrack is decent for the game but mediocre listening music, and the sketches which come with a study of gliese 667cc cost the game its purity of vision in leaving things to the imagination without really being worth it in my opinion.”
  • atmosphere304 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a stunning soundtrack and evocative writing. Players appreciate the unique blend of minimalist visuals and rich sound design that create a tranquil yet mysterious environment, making exploration feel both relaxing and engaging. Overall, the game's ability to evoke a sense of wonder and emotional depth through its atmospheric elements is a standout feature, appealing particularly to fans of narrative-driven experiences.

    • “The atmosphere is amazing and it is so fun to explore and read about the new creatures you come across.”
    • “The music and atmosphere are great, keeping the mystery and joy of exploration alive.”
    • “The atmosphere this game creates is just incredible.”
    • “So I end up trying to push through, finding resources and not read a lot of the text, resulting in not really getting anything out of the atmosphere that so many people talk about.”
    • “The game is definitely carried on writing and atmosphere (figuratively) rather than gameplay, and even the little challenge it has is used more to set tone and establish the reality of the world than to offer up interesting gameplay.”
    • “It's essentially a purely narrative game, a bit like as if someone took the atmosphere from Subnautica but conveyed it purely through text (all you see is an abstract 2D scanner map, never more) and descriptions, while also eschewing the danger that game could have.”
  • grinding86 mentions

    The reviews highlight that "In Other Waters" features a gameplay loop that many players find tedious, particularly due to slow movement, cumbersome inventory management, and repetitive backtracking. While the story and atmosphere are praised, the overall experience can feel monotonous, leading some players to abandon the game due to its tedious mechanics. Despite these criticisms, a few players noted that the sample collection aspect is less grindy than expected, and the game can become engaging as players progress.

    • “Moving around is tedious and inventory management is a nightmare.”
    • “Overall it was tedious for me to play this game and I quit about 1/3 into the game because I couldn't force myself to keep playing.”
    • “The main problem of this game is that it's an Excel spreadsheet game with text reading; basically, it gets tedious very fast.”
  • emotional82 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players expressing surprise at how deeply they were affected by its narrative, which explores themes of capitalism, dehumanization, and environmentalism. The storytelling, combined with a captivating atmosphere and minimalist visuals, evokes a range of feelings, from wonder to heartbreak, often leading players to tears by the end. Overall, the game is described as a beautiful and immersive emotional journey that resonates long after the experience.

    • “A beautiful, deeply emotional experience in only 7 hours.”
    • “Very stress-free and story-based, and I cried my eyes out at the end (simply because it was so beautiful, so human).”
    • “What started as a fun little exploration and discovery game unfolded into a story of exquisite writing and deep emotional investment.”
  • replayability20 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a compelling first playthrough with a strong narrative and emotional journey, but it suffers from minimal replayability, often leaving players feeling that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to return. While some players appreciate the initial experience, many agree that the lack of engaging mechanics and limited content make replaying the game less appealing.

    • “It takes you on a journey that really gets to your feels; however, it's not very replayable except for maybe some different dialogue.”
    • “Not much replay value, but the first time is a nice little journey.”
    • “However, some things could have been better executed, and with the core movement mechanic being tedious, very limited resource management, and 0 replayability, I unfortunately cannot recommend this game.”
    • “There is not really much replayability, and once you finish the story, the game becomes less engaging.”
    • “Unfortunately, it doesn't really have any replay value, but it sure is an experience I would recommend.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting numerous bugs and a clumsy interface that detracts from the overall experience. While some minor glitches do not severely impact gameplay, the prevalence of typos and navigation problems contribute to a frustrating experience. Overall, many players feel that the game's stability issues overshadow its compelling story.

    • “They've abandoned this buggy mess for their new game and will probably do the same with the next.”
    • “The interface itself is buggy.”
    • “This game is weirdly buggy given how simple it is.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the amusing twists in perspective and find the UI's shortcomings laughable, others note a lack of the expected tongue-in-cheek satire, leading to a more mature and serious tone overall. The game's claim of an "intuitive UI" has also been a source of humor for players, highlighting the disconnect between expectations and reality.

    • “The perspective of the game is a funny twist which I personally liked.”
    • “My main annoyance can be summarized with the first point of my notes while playing this game: 'How do I do anything of what they tell me to do?' - the devs' bold claim of an 'intuitive UI' made me laugh.”
    • “And even if you do want to change any settings, the window to do so is hilariously short - perhaps 5-6 lines tall, requiring a ton of scrolling.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some users noting poor technical performance and minor issues that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the lack of depth in certain areas, such as character development and plot, has been highlighted as a concern.

    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, making the overall performance feel seamless.”
    • “The game runs exceptionally well, with minimal performance issues, showcasing great optimization efforts.”
    • “Ellery isn’t very fleshed out, poor technical performance, some unexplored bits of plot.”
    • “Minor performance issues.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The character development in the game features lovable characters, though some reviewers note that genre constraints may limit deeper plot and character exploration. Despite this, the development is considered complete within the context of the game.

    • “I suspect the time and attention constraints of the genre cut off some of the plot and character development, but it is complete as is.”
    • “I suspect the time/attention constraints of the genre cut off some of the plot and character development, but it is complete as is.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect has received negative feedback, with users expressing disappointment that the game's advertising created high expectations that were not met.

    • “Shame really, as the advertising made it look interesting.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy In Other Waters

Play time

9hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
6-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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