Trawl

About

"Trawl is a first-person, experiential game that puts you in charge of a trawling boat, tasking you to discover secrets in the depths of the sea and record your findings through typing. With a focus on exploration and low-key mechanics, Trawl offers a soothing atmosphere reminiscent of a writing prompt, inviting you to interpret and document your findings as you see fit. Playtime varies based on player engagement and writing."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 32 reviews

atmosphere6 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Trawl offers a unique and immersive writing experience, allowing players to create narratives based on the items they find, which can be a great warm-up for creative writing.
The atmospheric design, including sound and visuals, effectively creates a haunting and relaxing environment that enhances the overall experience.
The game encourages creativity and introspection, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate experimental and minimalist gameplay.

The game is very short, with limited replayability due to the small number of items available to collect and the lack of a deeper narrative or overarching plot.
Many players experienced bugs and limitations, such as the typewriter being interrupted by a bell, which detracts from the writing experience.
The game may not appeal to everyone, especially those expecting a traditional gaming experience with clear objectives and a more extensive storyline.

story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is largely absent, relying instead on players to create their own narratives from collected items, which can lead to a repetitive experience. While it excels in atmosphere and offers an intriguing emergent storytelling approach, many players feel it lacks a structured story arc or deeper narrative, leaving them wanting more. Overall, the game encourages imagination but may frustrate those seeking a more defined storyline.
- “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.”
- “In other words, a game that looks simple but unravels into something more as you continue playing and trigger a story to unfold.”
- “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.”
- “In all seriousness, I know this game is intended to be a make-your-own-story kind of thing from collecting items, but it does get repetitive and after collecting three items, I was almost happy my radio broke.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, described as beautiful, haunting, and capable of evoking a sense of unease while fostering creativity and imagination. Players appreciate the emergent narrative that encourages them to piece together the story from environmental clues, although some technical issues detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its immersive qualities, making it a compelling aspect of the game.
- “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 atmosphere is beautiful and haunting, and the game itself is mysterious and interesting.”
- “It ruins the atmosphere, and it wouldn't be that interesting without the context of the game.”
- “And there is definitely a certain atmosphere that it creates - there is something about the absence of the backstory of the character and the items you find that makes you wonder.”
- “For those who love atmosphere and creativity, for me, it literally transports me on that trawler.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics in Trawl are praised for their atmospheric quality, though some users find them slightly dated. The combination of visuals and audio, particularly the weather effects, contributes to an immersive experience.
- “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.”
- “I'm biased obviously, but it's genuinely very atmospheric. The weather, graphics, and audio look great.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay is praised for its unique mechanic of writing from the character's perspective, which enhances immersion and roleplaying. Players find that the combination of the typewriter and their imagination effectively draws them into the game's narrative.
- “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.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers indicate that the game's replayability is somewhat low due to a limited selection of items, leading to frequent repeats during playthroughs.
- “The selection of items you can pull from the depths is limited; in my original half hour, I encountered repeats, so the replayability is somewhat low.”
- “After a few playthroughs, I found that the game lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged for multiple sessions.”
- “Once you've experienced the main content, there's little incentive to replay, as the game doesn't offer new challenges or surprises.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is noted for its stability, with users reporting a smooth gameplay experience and minimal bugs, contributing to a positive reception despite personal preferences.