There’s something special about a truly isolated horror setting. Enter the Nostromo AlienOutpost 31 in The thing, and the USG Ishimura in dead space. Well, you can add the Beira D to the list as Still Wakes the Deep creates a twisted environment drenched in seawater, oil and blood. Swapping the picturesque English countryside for an oil rig off the coast of Scotland, The Chinese Room has delivered an educational, thrilling and often terrifying horror experience that shouldn’t be missed.
The Chinese Chamber has always been a master of the mundane – and we mean that as a compliment. 2015’s Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture expertly took a completely normal town and infused it with a bit of the ethereal surreal. That same deft touch is applied here in Still Wakes the Deep, a linear horror experience that’s much more focused and all the more entertaining for it.
It’s Christmas, 1975, and Caz McCleary is trying to get rid of the Beira D. There is a mild mystery as to why Caz is on board the oil rig and why he tries to leave it, but before he can jump aboard a helicopter to safety. , something happens. There’s a lot of mystery and uncertainty surrounding the premise of Still Wakes the Deep, and since this is a fairly short experience – about 5 hours long – we recommend going in as blind as possible. There won’t be any major spoilers here, though.
The first thing you’ll notice in Still Wakes the Deep is how it captures the setting in great detail, through both a near-flawless photorealistic presentation and incredibly authentic voice work. When you start the game you get the chance to explore the small cabin rooms of your colleagues, and here we get a snapshot of the time period and the characters, in the most naturalistic way. From the posters on the wall to the ruffled sheets, you can immediately feel the lived-in character of Beira D, and you can practically smell the musty smell of the plaid carpets, and the sting of the salt air through every hallway. . Frankly, we’d like a horror-less version of this rig so we can explore it at our own leisure, taking in every detail. The Chinese Room has spent a lot of time ensuring the Beria D is credible.
It also works hand in hand with the horror. Still Wakes the Deep has a thing or two to show throughout its runtime, but much of the horror is in what you hear and what you assume is in front of you. It’s quite a task to delve deeper into the Beira D before you add in all the scary things that come along at night. The rig has an oppressive sense of claustrophobia that keeps you on edge before the first drop of blood is shed.
You’ll also notice how unapologetically Scottish the game is, with its authentic and natural-sounding accents, which aren’t often found in games. With part of the team here Push Square Hailing from the Bonnie Lands – and even close to town some of the main characters are from – it’s exciting to hear the natural Scottish dialect without it ever being hammered down to Braveheart levels, as is usually the case. It’s a brilliant touch of authenticity that goes a long way to selling the setting.
When Still Wakes the Deep starts to lean into the depths foreign, here you might be surprised by how hard The Chinese Room channels pure horror. It’s filled to the brim with nail-biting sequences, pulpy body horror, and audio design that could do all the heavy lifting on its own if it needed to. Our thoughts immediately turn to the horror movie classics we mentioned as we make our way through the hallways of the Beira D, not only because of the aesthetics of the game, but also because of the pace at which The Chinese Room delivers its scares. However, it is here that we suspect a split for players will occur.
The Chinese Room’s previous games have often been derogatorily labeled as ‘walking simulators’, and in many ways this could apply to Still Wakes the Deep as well. Admittedly, things are a bit more complicated than what you’ll find in, say, Dear Esther, as you’ll find yourself climbing walls, swinging along ledges and even making a few jumps. However, this is a strictly linear experience, with large amounts of yellow paint clearly indicating where to go at most points in the game. There’s even an update on the way to reduce the yellow paint. So the gameplay never replaces the focus on the story and setting, but we would argue that we would prefer The Chinese Room to focus on what it’s good at, rather than pushing annoying gameplay mechanics.
That said, stealth sections are the weakest part of the game, as after a few similar encounters the limited margins for error become overtly apparent and the horror loses some of its sting. It’s pretty hard to die in Still Wakes the Deep, so if you think about it too hard, you start to see the rails that lead you forward. But it is never boring, and while stealth can be mechanically hackneyed, narratively there’s always something to be afraid of. This is also where the visual and immersive features come into play.
First off, the sound design is spectacular. Whether it’s the Beira D’s creaking hull, the constant flicker of rain or even the terrifying screams from the distance, there’s a palpable sense of place and danger at every turn. Even the soundtrack masterfully balances when to stay quiet and when to step in, with an eerie sense of dread. This really is one of those games you should play with headphones.
There’s also a selection of gameplay settings to personalize your experience, such as controller changes, audio customization, impressive haptic implementation, and a quality and performance mode option. We opted for a smoother frame rate rather than a higher resolution, but Still Wakes the Deep is still a fantastic looking game. It also works well for the most part, with the odd framerate stutter between cutscene and gameplay being the only kink in our experience. Disappointingly, however, the game features black-cut loading screens between each area, which, while brief thanks to the PS5, do disappear upon immersion.
Fortunately, you’ll forget most of these technical issues as you’re led to the next set piece. As we’ve already stated, the gameplay isn’t as engaging as something like Alien Isolation, but combined with the visuals and audio it still does a lot to keep you on the edge of your seat. Chases and some underwater scenes are incredibly effective, and there are a few moments where you’ll find yourself squeezing the DualSense as the game tightens its grip around you.
It also has that classic horror game feel of “oh please don’t make me go there”, which is exactly what we love about the horror genre. Whether it’s the oil-filled bowels of the rig, or the direction of a terrifying howl and colossal thuds, The Chinese Room never quite lets up when the tension starts to build, and it always keeps things visually fresh as the Beira D around you changes. – once again mixing the everyday with the surreal.
Conclusion
Still Wakes The Deep may not stick around for long, but it will have an iron grip on you throughout its entire runtime. There is clear inspiration here from horror movie classics such as Alien And The thing, and we loved seeing those inspirations play out in the highly detailed settings and salty-earthy cast of characters. It may not be the most engaging gameplay experience on the PS5, but The Chinese Room cleverly lays a solid foundation in the Beira D and its crew that will keep the visceral horror in your mind long after the credits roll.