Reef Shot
- December 4, 2017
- Nano Games
Get on SteamExplore 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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a pleasant atmosphere and can be enjoyable for those who appreciate underwater exploration.
- The music and sound design are well-executed, providing a relaxing backdrop to the gameplay.
- The photography mechanics can be engaging, allowing players to earn stars by taking quality pictures of underwater life.
- The environments are sparse and poorly designed, leading to a repetitive and linear experience.
- Gameplay mechanics, such as the manual focus and resource management, can be frustrating and detract from the overall enjoyment.
- The game is short, with many players feeling that it lacks depth and fails to justify its price.
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is marred by a cumbersome "manual focus" mechanic that requires frequent quicktime actions for photography, disrupting the flow of the story and detracting from exploration and enjoyment. While initial wildlife photography is engaging, the forced nature of these mechanics, combined with poor camera movement that can induce motion sickness, significantly hampers the overall experience. Comparisons to superior titles like Subnautica and Abzu further 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.”
“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.”
“Gameplay: 7.0/10”
“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.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
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 science and narrative-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.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Reef Shot," originally released in 2012, are considered below average and mediocre, even for an indie game. Users note a lack of variety in textures, leading to repetitive and uninspiring visuals, with particular criticism directed at the camera movement. Overall, the game's graphics received a score of 6.0/10.
“Although you obviously can't expect AAA graphics for an indie game, the graphics are below average and overall look boring.”
“My biggest complaint about the visuals in Reef Shot is the camera movement.”
“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.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
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. The game offers separate audio sliders for music, sound effects, and voice, allowing for customizable listening experiences. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere, despite some mixed opinions on its style.
“The music in Reef Shot is surprisingly well done.”
“+ Effectively immersive soundtrack.”
“The music is similar to hotel lobby music, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.”
“At times, I found the music to be quite cheesy, but for the most part, it was nice to listen to.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as pleasant and engaging, with players expressing surprise at how much they enjoyed it, even years after its initial release.
“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.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reef Shot suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to a subpar performance experience for users.
“Reef shot is also horribly optimized.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is perceived as lacking, with reviewers noting that it requires significant improvement in world-building to create 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.”
