Story. There are no replies to this review yet. Her conversations with the AI aren't conversations at all, but opportunities for players to meditate on what Ellery has to say. The latter feels like a natural fit to the game and it’s the version I would recommend, even if I came across framerate issues sporadically. In Other Waters is a niche game, and by now you should know whether or not you fit in that niche. you can get more info from our privacy policy. There's not a lot of interactivity or control here - the game's primary objective is to deliver its story to you rather than test your gaming skills. Between a well written script, intensely atmospheric sound design that begs for headphone use, and methodically slow pacing, it's hard not to think of Ellery Vas' expedition through the depths of Gliese 677Cc long after all is said and done. Eventually, a terminal is reached where larger stores of samples can be kept, inspected, and then details recorded in an encyclopedic-like record. At the start of being able to control the game, Dr. Vas gave very little direction on how to get moving. Imagine yourself deep below the ocean surface surrounded by marine floras and alien aquatic life forms. It's the very same charming platform game with physics puzzles. In Other Waters is a niche game, and by now you should know whether or not you fit in that niche. The way that In Other Waters imagines humanity's first encounter with alien lifeforms is a bit different from other sci-fi stories. My eyes glazed over for a brief moment as it was later in the evening at a time where I was already tired, and I missed a key clue that was meant to provide direction on how to overcome that obstacle. Progression means interacting with the control panel, an array of stick movement inputs or button selections that correspond to an action that’ll take place on screen. Sign Up for Free Account Login. When it comes down to it, though, it's critical to take one's time and soak up everything Gliese 677Cc has to offer. Vas isn't much help herself, both fully relying on you to perform even the most basic functions for her while simultaneously seemingly surprised that you exist and are there to run things for her. One of the core themes at the centre of the script is the difference between "natural" and "artificial" life. Summary: Jump Over the Age delivers an amazing story set on an alien ocean planet. Gameplay. It's not that far off from a walking simulator, but the interesting visuals of those types of games will only come from your mind's eye. In those spots, the sea life can be extracted and retained in inventory. During the scan phase, the AI can fully scan defined objects on-screen by keeping them in its sight. Each point of interest is accompanied with text describing the area being traveled to, or if yellow dots are strewn around it, I could see what kind of underwater flora or fauna exist there. This is simple enough for stationary fixtures, but organisms and other creatures require following them with the analogue stick, and keeping them locked for a few seconds. There is some work required to move the story along in that you will need to do things like search an area to collect X number of samples of alien lifeform Y before things progress, but for the most part as the player you're an observer of Vas' experience rather than a part of it. All Rights Reserved. Stranded on a deserted planet with only a diving suit and the player controlled AI to her name, Ellery Vas makes for a rather interesting protagonist. Action and violence are so ingrained in the medium, it's hard not to take notice of the video games that deliberately avoid getting their hands dirty. Through this shifting narrative, In Other Waters asks questions about the nature of “natural” and “artificial” life, and investigates what it means to be a human in an epoch of extreme environmental destruction. I didn't quite know what to expect from In Other Waters when I started playing the game, but from the game's description, "play as an Artificial Intelligence guiding a stranded xenobiologist through a beautiful and mysterious alien ocean," I imagined that I was getting into something that would be a cross between Subnautica and Shinsekai: Into the Depths. The ambient noise, the music, and the sound effects are paired fantastically together, really giving the impression that Ellery is truly in alien waters. The sonar-like primary viewscreen contains a topographic map of the sea floor over which are placed small symbols that represent things like alien lifeforms, waypoints, and the xenobiologist that you're responsible for, who appears as a small circle at the center of the display. In Other Waters doesn't indulge in action, or most basic game design conventions. Instead, I found myself playing a game that was primarily a text adventure, although that description implies more control over the story than In Other Waters affords you. The entire game is played from an instrumentation console that looks like something that a submariner would hunch over for an entire shift. If anything, it ends up leaving just enough room to the imagination where audiences always have enough information to paint a picture in their head of Ellery's surroundings. While there's nothing particularly hostile about the planet, the sound direction creates a creepy tone that does the atmosphere wonders. Let this sea wash over you. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without consent from NINWR, LLC is prohibited. This is the actual meat of the game, reading Vas' experiences in the alien sea and the descriptions of alien life as she conveys them to you. Gameplay does get more involved than just moving and scanning; Ellery can dive deeper into the ocean, observe her notes, etc. Ellery's AI suit can be used to scan her surroundings - each new scan offering a different observation as Ellery pieces together her environment. Hitting B will enact a doppler radar kind of ripple that highlights markers in the area, which take the form triangles for different waypoints to progress to and other symbols indicating possible underwater life. Her yes/no questions aren't meant to be branching paths, but moments to consider the nature of life. Scan enough of the same object, and Ellery will start renaming, classifying, and deeply analysing anything scanned. The game's description is accurate in that you do indeed play as an AI, but not in the sense that probably first comes to mind when you think of an AI game character. If you’re looking for an interactive balm for your spare time or something to sate a sense of discovery without needing action-packed stimulation, sink into these waters and let them wash over you. Mafia: Definitive Edition (duplicate) (PlayStation 4), Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology (Nintendo 3DS), Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth: Book Two (Xbox One), Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth: Book Two (PC), Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth: Book Two (PlayStation 4), Destiny 2 Expansion I: Curse of Osiris (PlayStation 4), Seven Knights - Time Wanderer (Nintendo Switch), Assassin's Creed Valhalla (PlayStation 4), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition (PlayStation 4). In Other Waters places audiences in a rather creative position: do players embrace the role of the "stereotypical" AI and refrain from answering emotionally, or do players seize the opportunity for human emotion and connection despite playing an AI? but the core of In Other Waters really is in its story, and in the act of exploration. Freely dive into an expansive … Looks can be deceiving, and while In Other Waters does look too simple for its own good, it's a title overflowing with depth. WarioWare Gold (Nintendo 3DS) - Official Topic, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Nintendo 3DS) - Official Topic, SteamWorld Dig 2 (Nintendo 3DS) - Official Topic, Picross e8 (Nintendo 3DS) - Official Topic, Fairune 2 (Nintendo 3DS) - Official Topic. As the AI, there's not much players can do other than guide Ellery and answer basic 'yes' or 'no' questions. Note: review code provided by Terminals.io. As you move Vas around the alien ocean and perform scientific tasks for her, she will communicate with you via a text screen at the bottom of your panel. Placed around the viewscreen are a few sub-displays and icons that correspond to buttons on the Switch's Joy-Cons. by Joel A. DeWitte - April 14, 2020, 12:57 pm PDT Discuss in talkback! In Other Waters is out now for PCs and Switch. The story is well-crafted, but it's questionable as to how much of a game this game really is. A minimalist swimming simulator in which someone else does the swimming. If you enjoy a good story in your games, In Other Waters will deliver that to you, but you'll need to be patient with its slow-pacing and the fact that you'll be spending so much time looking at little icons and lining them up with other icons and lines. Naturally, so much analysis calls for a tight script, and developer Jump Over The Age has done an excellent job at providing quite a well written story. Although Ellery herself isn't controlled, players do guide her via the AI. Final Rating: 69% - A minimalist swimming simulator in which someone else does the swimming. 9.5. There are 3 members online at the moment. In Other Waters (Nintendo Switch) Review. It's an interesting conversation, and the relationship between Ellery and the player is thematically quite important to Ellery's tangible journey. You're more of an intelligent microcontroller, running the machinery needed to help an aquatic xenobiologist, Ellery Vas, navigate an alien sea and collect samples for study. Audio. Other tasks include scanning and collecting samples from the icons which represent alien aquatic flora and fauna through activities that can only very generously be called mini games. Biggest and Best Game Deals: Bow to Azuardo!

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