In the simplest terms, In Other Waters is a story-based narrative game filled with minimalism. The game was almost made by a single man at Jump Over the Age. It does have some elements that are similar to other titles but is still an original game on its own and shares some aspects with Subnautica on how both feature a lonesome survival world, the biodiversity and exploration can be compared to No Man’s Sky.
Although “In Other Waters” has features similar to these games, it plays completely different from these titles. The gameplay is full of mystery and can sometimes feel a bit of a chore to play but is still full of soothing and attractive aesthetics.
In Other Waters: Background and Game Basics
Generally, whenever we think about aliens, most of the time, we imagine small humanoid creatures ready to destroy our planet or to imagine humans conquering other worlds. Still, developer Gareth Damian goes in a different direction. The adventure in In Other Waters is a calm, quiet, and serene one, where through the descriptions of a scientist, you get to know about the diverse underwater ecosystem.
There exists a booming alien ecosystem right under the waters of the planet Gliese 677Cc. The ocean is a vast place with many different environments filled with mystery and exciting discoveries, and In Other Waters conveys this pretty aesthetically, having a delicate tuned balance of amazement and dread. All of this makes your journey into the alien waters, an adventure that is unique and fulfilling.
In Other Waters: Story
The story revolves around a scientist and a xenobiologist, Ellery VasEllery, who has come to Gliese 677Cc to study more about the alien life forms present on the planet and to find her lost colleague, Minae Nomura, who has been missing from months since she first came on the earth. Ellery Vas has an exo-suit powered by an AI to help her explore these strange waters. You play as this AI guiding Ellery as she explores the depths of this unknown ocean in search of her fellow scientist, trying to find out what Minae was studying on what caused her disappearance.
Ellery cannot control the suit itself, so she relies on you to investigate the broad objectives set by her, as you decide how to achieve those targets and study as you continue on your journey. Her work consists of explaining and noting up the creatures discovered by us. There is not much way you can reply to Elery beyond saying a “yes” or “no” to very random questions.
The navigation can, at times, feel cumbersome. However, the game has its way of keeping the player engaged as we see the story unfold. Trying to find out Minae’s work, Ellery discovers a lot about her partner’s intentions for coming to the alien planet, Gliese 677Cc, and also about the events that took place on this planet. As the game is heavily focused on story and gradually reveals parts of the mystery, so explaining anything more about the story could reveal potential spoilers.
Other Waters combines aesthetic minimalism with excellent storytelling, making it into a beautiful adventure that is a must-play.
