Trawl

About

Trawl is a single player casual role playing game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Nate Gallardo and was released on May 13, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Trawl is a first person experiential game of discovery and creativity. First you must figure out how to operate the various parts of the boat, manipulating the wheel, throttle and the net. Then, trawl the sea to recover discover what secrets are hidden in its depths and record your findings on your typewriter. The sea has many stories to tell, and will reward multiple voyages.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

73%Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews

atmosphere5 positive mentions

replayability1 negative mentions

Atmospheric and immersive experience with excellent sound and environmental design that evokes the feeling of being alone at sea.
Unique writing prompt game mechanic where players type their own narratives, encouraging creativity and introspection.
Simple controls and tactile gameplay combined with an interesting emergent storytelling style that many players find engaging and meditative.

Extremely short play sessions limited by forced radio break and only three collectible items per run, reducing replayability and overall depth.
Lack of content variety, no multiplayer or message sharing features, and no meaningful progression or story arc.
Buggy typewriter and intrusive game design elements, such as constant bell ringing linked to writing, disrupt user experience and creative flow.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's story aspect is minimalist and largely relies on the player's imagination to create meaning from found items, offering an emergent narrative experience rather than a traditional, structured plot. While some appreciate its atmospheric and open-ended storytelling, others find it lacking a clear story arc and desire more narrative depth. Overall, it encourages personal interpretation but may feel repetitive or sparse for those expecting a defined storyline.
- “Simple but it tells a story that is formed in our minds and that story becomes ours.”
- “This game excels at atmosphere, and offers a fascinating way of delivering emergent narrative, which the player has to meet halfway with their own imagination, trying to think of what sort of story all the clues might be pointing to.”
- “Its chief selling points are its half-creepy, half-relaxing atmosphere, and its interesting emergent storytelling, based partly on the player's own imagination.”
- “The game claims there's a story, but as far as I could tell there isn't.”
- “Could do with a story arc or maybe some narrative.”
- “It would be a true thumbs up if it was cheaper or had more (any) story.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of eerie and relaxing elements, effectively creating a sense of mystery and immersion that encourages player imagination. While atmospheric storytelling and environmental details enhance the experience, some users feel bugs currently detract from fully enjoying this ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that successfully transports players into its world.
- “This game excels at atmosphere, offering a fascinating way of delivering emergent narrative that the player engages with using their own imagination to interpret the story clues.”
- “Its chief selling points are its half-creepy, half-relaxing atmosphere and its interesting emergent storytelling, partly based on the player's own imagination.”
- “For those who love atmosphere and creativity, it literally transports me onto that trawler—I love it.”
- “It ruins the atmosphere and wouldn't be that interesting without the context of the game.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay centers around a unique writing prompt mechanic that effectively immerses players by having them roleplay through writing from their character's perspective. This approach, relying mainly on a typewriter interface and the player's imagination, offers a distinctive and engaging experience uncommon in most RPGs.
- “I'm amazed more RPGs don't use this mechanic, as I found that having to write from the perspective of the game character was incredibly effective at getting me into their shoes, roleplaying as them.”
- “The two main mechanics in my opinion are the typewriter and your imagination.”
- “I know it's supposed to be a writing prompt thing and it's not like I was expecting a ton of gameplay but still.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics in Trawl are visually appealing and atmospheric, though somewhat dated. The weather effects enhance the overall visual experience, contributing to the game's immersive ambiance.
- “I'm biased obviously but it’s genuinely very atmospheric; the weather, graphics, and audio look great.”
- “The visuals in Trawl are great if a bit dated; the audio is fine apart from the radio which I really love but also hate lol.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is limited due to a restricted selection of items, leading to repeated content even within a short playtime. As a result, players may find the experience less engaging on subsequent plays.
- “Note there is a selection of items you can pull from the depths but it is limited. In my original half hour, I saw repeats, so replayability is somewhat low.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stable performance, with users noting it runs smoothly and without significant bugs. While it may not appeal to everyone, its technical stability is a positive aspect.