Submerged

 PC
User Score
5.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 69
  3. Negative: 28 out of 69

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  1. qrpiech
    Mar 7, 2016
    6
    Short, but very emotional and relaxing indie game created by former developers of Bioshock. The setting is similar to Enslaved, but more depressing - the world is flooded, only parts of the highest buildings are visible above water, all covered in plants and seaweed. Your brother is seriously wounded and you need to gather some medicine and rations for him from the roofs of the buildings.Short, but very emotional and relaxing indie game created by former developers of Bioshock. The setting is similar to Enslaved, but more depressing - the world is flooded, only parts of the highest buildings are visible above water, all covered in plants and seaweed. Your brother is seriously wounded and you need to gather some medicine and rations for him from the roofs of the buildings. To get there you use your boat and telescope (to locate interesting objects and mark them on your map). Then you climb up and search for hidden stuff.

    Submerged combines TPP exploration and some light platforming elements, though no skills or good coordination are needed, as it is impossible to fail here. You don't jump, you just move across ledges, pipes and branches and try to get all the secrets on your way to the top. What is more - there is no combat or violence in this game, but it contains some minor scares and sad moments - think of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons or Journey. The story is told without any words - the only text you see is your objectives.

    There are no technical issues with the game and it's optimized well, but you can feel the low budget. The world and character models look fine, but animations are unrealistic and jerky and platforming elements seem too easy and repetitive (thus boring for hardcore players). Soundtrack is lovely, though, as well as the atmosphere.

    If you like exploration games and simple, but touching stories - try it, you should not be disappointed.    … Expand
  2. ConvexFever
    Jan 1, 2017
    8
    This is a very interesting game that I truly enjoyed playing. While the graphics left something to be desired at times, the overall look of the game was staggering in its beauty. This is not a game where you can control the outcomes, and it isn't a flashy combat game. Unfortunately, many people were expecting this type of gameplay going in, which is reflected in the overall rating of thisThis is a very interesting game that I truly enjoyed playing. While the graphics left something to be desired at times, the overall look of the game was staggering in its beauty. This is not a game where you can control the outcomes, and it isn't a flashy combat game. Unfortunately, many people were expecting this type of gameplay going in, which is reflected in the overall rating of this game.

    This is a game that tells a story. Three stories in fact, and should not be seen as anything other than that. When you buy this game (for a fairly reasonable price) you are buying its story; and that story is a phenomenal one.    … Expand
  3. PaleMimic
    Aug 20, 2017
    7
    Submerged is a game created by Uppercut Games Pty Ltd, three gamers who set it upon themselves to make fun games for most if not every platform currently out there. In fact check out their website to find out all about the trio and support them, if you want: https://www.uppercut-games.com/ .Submerged is a game created by Uppercut Games Pty Ltd, three gamers who set it upon themselves to make fun games for most if not every platform currently out there. In fact check out their website to find out all about the trio and support them, if you want: https://www.uppercut-games.com/ .
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Enough about the developers though. Submerged is a game without combat or death or voices for that matter. Every moment of the game is framed by music from award winning composer Jeff van Dyck, who some might know produced the music for Alien: Isolation, several Total War titles and, one game I myself enjoy, Hand of Fate. The soundtrack that plays throughout the game is beautifully calm and brings about a sense of wonder as you travel and explore the sunken city. The city itself is wonderfully detailed, with vines climbing the sides of the submerged skyscrapers and landmarks, and various creatures swimming beneath the water. There is a sense of mystery about the city and a constant question that you will ask every time you travel out on you small boat; “What happened here?”. As you progress you can find boxes and notes dotted about the city that will give a brief hint about the goings on before you came to the city. Collect every note and you will uncover the truth.
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    Mechanically the game flows fairly smoothly. There aren’t all that many complex or difficult things to get your head around, which is great seeing as the game is more or less purely focused on exploration. You, as Miku, can climb the various structures in the sunken city and travel to the very tops of skyscrapers, and take in the beautiful view. You travel around in a small, but stable, wooden boat which make you almost feel like your playing The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker. As you speed through the waves you’ll come across various creatures that have been changed by the strange aura that seems to surround the city. Huge, moss covered whales will swim past you, launching jets of water into the air and green and blue dolphins will leap out of the water whilst chittering and squeaking. Everything feels natural and calm, along with the music it’s a great atmosphere.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Story-wise, the game, doesn’t really have a huge in-depth plot line. Apart from gathering resources to save your ill younger brother, there isn’t really all that much to it. Granted the cities story is a fascinating mystery to uncover, making you almost want to play until you unfold the entire tale.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    To conclude, I’d say Uppercut Games have created a beautiful and original exploration game. With wonderfully detailed graphics, a huge sunken city to explore and a fantastic soundtrack there’s little to not love about Submerged. Good Day!    … Expand
  4. Nebular_Echo
    Nov 13, 2021
    6
    Я буквально уговорил себя не ставить отрицательную оценку. Я очень хорошо воспринял тот потенциал, который заложен в игру, но он остался нераскрытым абсолютно. Тут есть интересный мир, потенциально трогательная история, неплохой визуал, но авторы будто не хотели всем этим пользоваться. У нас есть дети-беглецы в трудной жизненной ситуации, затопленный город, населенный экзотическимиЯ буквально уговорил себя не ставить отрицательную оценку. Я очень хорошо воспринял тот потенциал, который заложен в игру, но он остался нераскрытым абсолютно. Тут есть интересный мир, потенциально трогательная история, неплохой визуал, но авторы будто не хотели всем этим пользоваться. У нас есть дети-беглецы в трудной жизненной ситуации, затопленный город, населенный экзотическими существами, тайна и наша лодка, но сделать мы должны что? Залезть на 10 вышек. Это всё.
    Да, игра не для хардкорщиков и не для искателей глубоких сюжетов, они могут спокойно проходить мимо. Это игра для тех, кто просто хочет немного поплавать по руинам города, поглощенного океаном, почувствовать печаль, одиночество, а за ними доброту и надежду. Геймплейно игра является лайтовой и мирной версией "Assassin's Grind. Black Flag". Такое же плаванье по южным водам среди буйной тропической флоры и фауны и такое же лазанье по стенам в поисках хабара.

    Недостатки:
    - Плохая анимация персонажа, особенно рук и плеч. Скольжение по канату голыми руками. 2д-орнаменты на зданиях.
    - Абсолютно отвратительная механика неба: солнце и луна движутся навстречу, дождь идет из чистого звездного неба, очень кстати размытого.
    - Если вернуться на одну из вышек второй раз, то игра запрет тебя там, т.к. был только один выход - через сюжетный сундук.

    За эти недостатки можно было бы смело ставить 1 балл, если бы не спасительные черты.
    Атмосфера игры хороша, графика приятная, прекрасная озвучка природы. Игра весит каких-то 2 Гб, а выглядит получше всякой дичи гигов на 20. Самым невероятным образом общее впечатление остается хорошее, вспоминать вы будете не ограничения, а вот этот океан и лодку.
    Тронуло, как авторы сумели рассказать историю с помощью одних лишь схематичных рисунков, практически наскальной живописью. Ни слова не сказали, а я всё понял. Это было сильно.
    Кроме того в этой игре нет никакой гадости: я не встретил багов, у меня не возникло ощущения, что разрабы в очередной раз не были знакомы друг с другом, тебе не затирают леволиберальную пропаганду, тебя не оставляют с клиффхэнгером к следующей части, ставя тебя на паузу на 10 лет, тебе не пытаются впихнуть покупку каких-то левых dlc, скинов. А вот просто взяли и сделали, один раз, чтобы чисто и красиво.

    В патче 1.1. дальность прорисовки увеличилась, текстуры стали четче, лодка стала взаимодействовать с бОльшим числом препятствий, а не проплывать насквозь. Но дополнение Hidden Visions, в котором ты должен просто искать бонусы на карте – это полная шляпа. Авторы увеличили количество тупого гринда, будто его тут было мало.    … Expand
  5. Shtirliz72
    Aug 17, 2015
    1
    This is boring hell. Copy-made buildings, copy-made routes on them, most boring gameplay i have seen so far, almost non-existing poor story. Don't waste your time and money.
  6. blubberguts
    Aug 17, 2015
    5
    I had seen screenshots and was looking forward to this game, but it was a disappointment.

    The start is good, city looks pretty, and your boat lands. You lay your brother down and start off to explore the city...what ? I can't jump? I can climb like goat but can't jump? Feels weird. So you explore the city....which consists of finding boxy buildings with bits of moss you can climb,    I had seen screenshots and was looking forward to this game, but it was a disappointment.

    The start is good, city looks pretty, and your boat lands. You lay your brother down and start off to explore the city...what ? I can't jump? I can climb like goat but can't jump? Feels weird.

    So you explore the city....which consists of finding boxy buildings with bits of moss you can climb, and "bumping" into them. The game takes over and puts you on the wall. Hmmmm... you cannot fall. Also, there is only one path to climb each building. No enemies either. And my brother just lies there. All I can do is boat around and climb a preset path. Excitement is rapidly fading. This isn't a sandbox game it's just a game full of big boxes.

    There are three kinds of rewards: Climb the building completely and get rewarded with a look through the telescope to the next kind of building. Also, each building may have a box of health for your brother. It also may have little books on pedestals - if you get one it tells a "story" by showing you a single, brightly coloured heavily stylised image of something, and some grunts in an unknown native language. So what's the story? I don't know; the language is unintelligible and the pictures are so highly stylised I couldn't understand what they meant.

    So. No enemies. No way to die. Only one thing to do - explore. No-one to talk to. (Even your brother just lies there). No rewards except books I can't understand and health kits for my brother that don't do anything - you just "collect" them. Only one path up the buildings, apart from a secret area where a book or health kit might be.

    This game is pretty and that's it. It's kind of fake; what looks like a big city teeming with life turns out to be full of empty buildings (most of which you cannot climb) and nothing else.

    Oh man it was boring. Deleted and uninstalled. Let it submerge back into the depths from which it emerged. It's a terge.    … Expand
  7. Skirmish
    Aug 5, 2015
    10
    Submerged is truly beautiful. Visually of course, but I am finding the combination of the music and the way the story is delivered is really touching.

    I have grown a bit tired of brown hued wastelands. Don't get me wrong, I have been a fan of the Fallout series since the beginning and I find post-apocalyptic worlds really compelling. But Submerged's lush green world, full of life,    Submerged is truly beautiful. Visually of course, but I am finding the combination of the music and the way the story is delivered is really touching.

    I have grown a bit tired of brown hued wastelands. Don't get me wrong, I have been a fan of the Fallout series since the beginning and I find post-apocalyptic worlds really compelling. But Submerged's lush green world, full of life, offers a refreshing alternative.

    I am finding this to be an intriguing experience so far with mystery, and maybe menace, lying behind what seems like tranquility. This game now sits along side Journey (on my PS3) as an example for my non-gaming friends of what games can strive for.    … Expand
  8. esxdri
    Aug 5, 2015
    5
    I was really looking forward to playing Submerged.
    Well, is it good or bad? I might even tell you everything about this game, because it lacks so much content.
    The graphics are nice and I like driving on a boat in the ruined city and finding unusual structures, but that is pretty much everything I like about this game. You spend most of the time climbing half-sunken buildings to look    I was really looking forward to playing Submerged.
    Well, is it good or bad? I might even tell you everything about this game, because it lacks so much content.
    The graphics are nice and I like driving on a boat in the ruined city and finding unusual structures, but that is pretty much everything I like about this game.
    You spend most of the time climbing half-sunken buildings to look for medical supplies that your brother needs and it is highly repetitive and boring.
    This game will take you about 2-3 hours to complete and I am actually glad that it is not longer, because I never felt so bored hoping for the game to end in a long time.
    If you want, you can look for collectibles that reveal the city's story, but that is just more building climbing for a piece of picture. You can also find boosts scattered on the water that help you sail faster.
    5/10 - Visually nice, but repetitive and boring.    … Expand
  9. SuperkenGaming
    Aug 4, 2015
    6
    Submerged
    I’d rather submerge myself before playing this game again
    Submerged is a non-combative exploration game as you can see here, this game looks pretty dated. You start the game out in a submerged city with your little brother The objective to the game is to heal his wound You do this by going out into the city to find supplies on top of various buildings and you get to the    Submerged
    I’d rather submerge myself before playing this game again
    Submerged is a non-combative exploration game
    as you can see here, this game looks pretty dated.
    You start the game out in a submerged city with your little brother
    The objective to the game is to heal his wound
    You do this by going out into the city to find supplies on top of various buildings
    and you get to the top by climbing prince of Persia style, minus the fancy flips and jumps
    And that’s it
    This is the game.
    When you find supplies you are rewarded with a chunk of the origins story, of why what happened happened to get you to the point in the story you begin with
    Its up to you to decipher and this mystery story is actually pretty dark
    also along your journey you’ll find boat upgrades that increase the amount of time you can use a speed boost, you’ll find a handful of creatures and you’ll find the cities secrets which much like main story is finding these cave like paintings of the cities story.
    So there’s 2 stories here, but oddly enough the stories seem pretty parallel
    and neither of the 2 are worth the effort to learn about
    I went into this game excited and left disappointed and cheated of my time
    There is no fun, no pay off.
    The ambient music is good, but really that’s it
    for what it is
    Adventure game:
    6/10
    Overall
    5.5/10    … Expand
  10. Idiota150
    Aug 6, 2015
    0
    Boring as hell with seriously dated graphics. Feels extremely cheap, little effort and money has been spent making this game. Destructoid's (critic) review is spot on. Don't waste your time or money on this garbage.
  11. AuldWolf
    Aug 9, 2015
    10
    I love this game. Not only in that it's one of the more enjoyable experiences I've had in recent years, but in that it's also something of a social experiment.

    I know it's hip to ignore how many peer reviewed, cited studies published in respectable sources like Nature about how gamers have below average intelligence and tend to become increasingly more aggressive with the more video    I love this game. Not only in that it's one of the more enjoyable experiences I've had in recent years, but in that it's also something of a social experiment.

    I know it's hip to ignore how many peer reviewed, cited studies published in respectable sources like Nature about how gamers have below average intelligence and tend to become increasingly more aggressive with the more video games they play that pander to their instinctive urges. I understand that. The defensive circlejerk must be preserved! However, the more defensive a group of people are, the more true something tends to be.

    I'm a rare kind of 'gamer' in that I prefer Myst, Portal, Gone Home, To the Moon, and games of that ilk. I find the Destructoid review especially telling as that's how I feel about the average gamer's video game. Oh, I'm killing crap, I'm being a crazy murderhobo, I'm stealing things, and pretty people are fawning over me and singing my praises. Except the story is paper-thin, the experience is hollow, and it's all designed to make me feel like I have a big dick. What's the difference in fighting a wolf from a dragon? None. The game just makes you feel more powerful when you're fighting a dragon.

    There's been articles about that where developers have explained that none of their dim-witted audience actually wants difficulty or complexity, they want power fantasies. That's why the dragons in Skyrim are easier to take down than most of the other opponents in that game. It's designed to make stupid, unintelligent, lacking people feel heroic, handsome, and perfect. It's entertainment for stupid people. It's the reality TV of video games.

    This, however, is something different. Where I can't tell the difference between fighting a wolf and a dragon in a stupid person's video game, the Destructoid person couldn't see the differences presented by the environment. Their eyes were closed to the game, I found the environments to be incredibly diverse and interesting. And whereas it was just a mindless collection quest to someone without the mind to appreciate a story without words, to me, it was piecing together the history of what happened from small pictographic images.

    And regarding the gameplay and those buildings? Clearly they frustrated the Destructoid reviewer. I can just see that thick brow furrowing. But back in the '80s and '90s, maze games were common. This is just a 3D maze game, it's you versus the obstacles presented by the environment, it's not a power fantasy or about violence and aggression. It's the satisfaction gained from traversing the environment and working out the devious, sly paths through it to find the pieces to the story.

    In a stupid person's video game, you gather a shopping list of quests to go to places, and kill things, and then you return home to be fawned over and swooned at. Perhaps something of a 'story' will be offered, but by and large it'll be a shallow experience.

    In this, you head out and you traverse the environment to find snippets of a story that it's up to you to be smart enough to figure out. And when you return home, the affliction of your character grows worse. It's up to you to fight off the hopelessness of that, and to know what's going on. Your motivation isn't to screw the pretty maiden after slaying the dragon, it's to heal a boy who's sick and on the verge of death.

    So, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not as vapid as all these negative reviews and reviewers, and that I'm drawn to more complicated, deep games. They can go stick their manswords in things, I'll play games that actually task me with using my mind, not my dick. That's just my preference, thanks.

    What can I say about Submerged, then? It's not a violent male power fantasy designed to make you feel as though you're the perfect alpha male. Does that make it a bad game? Hardly. It just makes it a niche game that won't be appreciated by most gamers.

    And as such, the reviews of it will mostly just reveal the amount of intelligence the person who reviewed it has.    … Expand
  12. Xzenor
    Mar 4, 2020
    4
    It's pretty, it's boring...very boring.

    but for real, it looks really nice. it's a sweet style. but holy crap that stuff is repetitive. It's like a lot of reviews already mention, boat, climb, boat, climb, boat, climb, boat, climb... The story made me curious but the slow and mundane game-play made me quit half way..I can't do this, it's too... boring. I'm just gonna YouTube the game    It's pretty, it's boring...very boring.

    but for real, it looks really nice. it's a sweet style. but holy crap that stuff is repetitive. It's like a lot of reviews already mention, boat, climb, boat, climb, boat, climb, boat, climb...
    The story made me curious but the slow and mundane game-play made me quit half way..I can't do this, it's too... boring.
    I'm just gonna YouTube the game to see the story because playing it is not worth my time.    … Expand
  13. Gameguin
    Mar 5, 2021
    10
    This game has fascinating scenery and wonderull texture I really haven't understood why this game deserve under the 80. Please, would you like to explain.
  14. Cyber_Angel
    Sep 4, 2022
    5
    Extremely basic, who knew that "Submerged" is a game about climbing. With beautiful graphics, passable animations and emotional music. But the gameplay is as basic as it gets. There is no skill involved. No reason for exploration apart from meaningless collectibles. No danger to the player, no real meaning to the boat upgrades. The girl just happens to find exactly what she needs soExtremely basic, who knew that "Submerged" is a game about climbing. With beautiful graphics, passable animations and emotional music. But the gameplay is as basic as it gets. There is no skill involved. No reason for exploration apart from meaningless collectibles. No danger to the player, no real meaning to the boat upgrades. The girl just happens to find exactly what she needs so there's no strategy or planning necessary. This is the closest to a technology demo as you can get.
    The ending just throws away everything you experienced without explaining any of it.
    The character cannot even jump over 1 meter wide gap, but instead climbs over half of the building to get to the other side. It just sad.
    You can find games that are better in every field this game tries to dabble in.
    Enslaved: Odyssey to the West has better design of the world and better climbing mechanics, not mentioning a great story.
    Windbound has better sailing and sense of exploration.
    The Last of Us has better worldbuilding and a reason for explaining how it happened.
    Sable has better exploration and requires thinking on how to overcome obstacles.
    I could go on and on. Just not worth the 2 hours of your time.    … Expand
  15. YordanD
    Aug 11, 2015
    3
    Yes, The game is beautiful ... at times at least. From a distance the buildings look good, but up close they are completely flat and the graphics of moss, and other vegetation are repeating patterns. It looks cheap and it is cheap. It's meant to be sold by its trailers that promised something this game doesn't live to be.
    The gameplay is absolutely dull. The climbing of the buildings    Yes, The game is beautiful ... at times at least. From a distance the buildings look good, but up close they are completely flat and the graphics of moss, and other vegetation are repeating patterns. It looks cheap and it is cheap. It's meant to be sold by its trailers that promised something this game doesn't live to be.
    The gameplay is absolutely dull. The climbing of the buildings offers no challenge, you cannot fall, you can only move in the direction where there is a ledge or a ladder never in a random direction. At the beginning it seems as though the game play will become more complicated and challenging. Think again! It's all the same till the end - pointless climbing that gets really annoying.
    You should know that there isn't anything hidden in this game, even the higher buildings which I thought
    will hold some secret are simply models, not real game objects, they cannot be reached or climbed.
    The submerged city is really small, REALLY. You climb 8 buildings and that's it, continuous , uninteresting climbing ( no alternative paths) .
    After all this said, I have to say that at times the game is beautifully looking and the atmosphere is capturing, but only in some specific moments.    … Expand
  16. zyllus
    Mar 16, 2022
    2
    This is an awful boring game of just climbing buildings. The world is flooded and you have a boat with which you travel around the world. There are 12 buildings on which you can climb and get the emergency supplies that you use to heal your wounded brother. Its just boring climbing from one building getting the item then seeing a small cutscene and repeating the whole process again. SuperThis is an awful boring game of just climbing buildings. The world is flooded and you have a boat with which you travel around the world. There are 12 buildings on which you can climb and get the emergency supplies that you use to heal your wounded brother. Its just boring climbing from one building getting the item then seeing a small cutscene and repeating the whole process again. Super boring, won't recommend playing it.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
47

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 6 out of 12
  1. Riot Pixels
    Oct 29, 2015
    37
    Submerged is just not worth two hours of your life.
    Read full review
  2. SpazioGames
    Oct 28, 2015
    55
    Disappointing. This could have been a truly poetic title centered on discovery and exploration, but the technical problems, bad level design, and weak storyline destroy the experience.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Oct 17, 2015
    55
    Good exploration game should have a fascinating world and an above average storytelling – or at least one of these elements. Submerged has the direction right but doesn’t push far enough with it. [10/2015, p.67]
See all critic reviews »