Parallel Studio’s upcoming game, Under the Waves, offers a unique and calming gaming experience set in an underwater world. As I immersed myself in the depths of the ocean, pursuing a drifting shipping container that revealed a hidden submarine, I found myself both relaxed and slightly unsettled by the game’s atmosphere.
Under the Waves introduces players to the protagonist, Stan, who seems to be grappling with personal turmoil. The demo begins on the third day of Stan’s placement at an underwater living pod, where he seeks solace from the outside world following the loss of his daughter. While the game only lightly touches on his grief during the initial stages, Stan’s unease is palpable. His facial expressions are twitchy, a detail that may be refined as the game undergoes further development.
At the start of the demo, Stan wakes up with a pounding headache and receives a call from his colleague, Tim, who informs him about an issue with the living pod’s oxygen mix. This revelation explains Stan’s discomfort and headache. Tim shares a cautionary tale of a previous worker who failed to report similar symptoms, leading to hallucinations. Soon after, Stan begins experiencing his own hallucinatory moments.
