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Reef Shot

Reef Shot Game Cover
42%Game Brain Score
atmosphere
gameplay, story
64% User Score Based on 11 reviews
Critic Score 55%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Reef Shot Game Cover

About

Reef Shot is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Nano Games and was released on December 4, 2017. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

Explore the Pacific as an underwater photographer and discover the mysteries of a sunken ancient city. Unwind in the depths of the ocean and submerge yourself in the atmospheric world and music.

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Reef Shot screenshot
Reef Shot screenshot
Reef Shot screenshot
Reef Shot screenshot
Reef Shot screenshot
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64%
Audience ScoreBased on 11 reviews
atmosphere1 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a pleasant atmosphere and can be enjoyable for those who appreciate underwater exploration.
  • The soundtrack is well done and fits the casual theme of the game, providing a relaxing experience.
  • The photography mechanics can be engaging, allowing players to earn stars by taking quality photos of underwater life and artifacts.
  • The environments are sparse and poorly designed, leading to a repetitive and linear gameplay experience.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including poor optimization and frustrating camera movement that can cause motion sickness.
  • Gameplay mechanics, such as the need to manage resources like air and film, detract from the exploration aspect and can feel overly restrictive.
  • gameplay
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is marred by a cumbersome "manual focus" mechanic that requires frequent quicktime actions for photography, detracting from exploration and enjoyment. While initial wildlife photography feels engaging, the necessity of forced photo-taking disrupts the story flow and overall gameplay experience, compounded by poor camera movement that can induce motion sickness. Comparisons to other titles like Subnautica and Abzu highlight its shortcomings in depicting underwater life.

    • “To be honest, taking pictures of the wildlife at the beginning of the game was alright, didn't feel out of place and helped me get used to the photography mechanic of the game.”
    • “Gameplay: 7.0/10”
    • “However, the story flow was constantly interrupted by forced fish photography that was necessary to progress in the story which seriously hindered the overall smoothness of the gameplay.”
    • “Even worse is the 'manual focus' mechanic introduced later in the game that requires you to perform a quicktime action every single time you want to take a picture.”
    • “I wasn't expecting a hardcore simulation here, but the game's internal logic is so bizarre that it's distracting, and the emphasis on twitch gameplay and resource management over exploration and enjoyment is a crazy choice, given the way the game is framed and themed.”
    • “The game's horrible camera movement gave me motion sickness after an hour of gameplay, forcing me to take a break before continuing on to beat the game in about 2 hours.”
  • story
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Reef Shot" is described as thin and unrealistic, yet engaging enough to motivate continued play. However, the narrative flow is frequently disrupted by mandatory fish photography tasks, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience. While the storyline adds depth to the walking simulator format, it may appeal more to players with a strong interest in story-driven games.

    • “The story is a nice addition to the game, and because the game is a walking simulator, it gives you something to think about while you're swimming in the open ocean and through caves.”
    • “The story is thin and unrealistic, but good enough that I wanted to keep playing.”
    • “Only those with a background in scientific fanaticism, and a penchant for a more story-driven video game experience, should be willing to take that initial dive.”
    • “Unfortunately, Reef Shot eschews the laid-back, kind of open world, collectathon-with-light-story format of those games and strives for something more like a mobile device find-the-things-in-the-picture idea.”
    • “However, the story flow was constantly interrupted by forced fish photography that was necessary to progress in the story, which seriously hindered the overall smoothness of the gameplay.”
    • “Only those with a background in scientific fanaticism and a penchant for a more story-driven video game experience should be willing to take that initial dive.”
  • graphics
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in "Reef Shot," originally released in 2012, are considered mediocre and below average, with a lack of variety in textures leading to a repetitive visual experience. While players acknowledge the limitations of an indie game, many find the overall aesthetic boring and uninspired, with camera movement also cited as a significant issue. The game received a score of 6.0/10 for its graphics.

    • “Like I just mentioned, Reef Shot was initially released in 2012, so don't expect new-looking graphics.”
    • “That being said, the graphics are still just mediocre for its time.”
    • “Due to the overall lack of different textures throughout the whole game, the visuals become very repetitive and thus boring.”
  • music
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Reef Shot" is generally well-received, described as reminiscent of hotel lobby music, which some find cheesy but others appreciate for its immersive quality. Players have the option to adjust music, sound effects, and voice levels through separate sliders, enhancing the overall audio experience.

    • “At times, I found the music to be quite cheesy, but for the most part, it was nice to listen to.”
    • “+ Effectively immersive soundtrack.”
    • “At times I found the music to be quite cheesy, but for the most part, it was nice to listen to.”
    • “The music is similar to hotel lobby music, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.”
    • “The music in Reef Shot is surprisingly well done.”
  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is described as pleasant and engaging, with players expressing enjoyment even years after its release, suggesting a lasting appeal and immersive experience.

    • “A pleasant game with a decent amount of atmosphere. I don't know why, but even coming to this game a decade late, I enjoyed it much more than I expected.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reef Shot suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to a subpar performance experience for users.

    • “Reef shot is also horribly optimized.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is perceived as lacking, with reviewers noting that it requires significant improvement in world-building to foster a deeper emotional connection and investment in the characters and their stories.

    • “Nice enough in its presentation, it could use much more work in terms of world-building and character development, if not giving a reason for the viewer to care about anything that happens at all.”
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55%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Reef Shot is a casual simulation game.

Reef Shot is available on PC and Windows.

Reef Shot was released on December 4, 2017.

Reef Shot was developed by Nano Games.

Reef Shot has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its atmosphere but disliked it for its gameplay.

Reef Shot is a single player game.

Similar games include Under the Waves, Tiny Lands, Depth Hunter 2: Deep Dive, Flower, Submerged: Hidden Depths and others.