In Other Waters

 Switch
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 8 out of 23

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  1. gerem
    Apr 14, 2020
    1
    Minimalist in the sense that there is minimal enjoyment to be mined from this exercise in the limits of thin, repetitive gameplay.
  2. mavey98855
    Apr 14, 2020
    0
    An intriguing interface belies the fact that this game is a text adventure in which the text lacks any sense of adventure.
  3. sidip
    Apr 14, 2020
    2
    There are worse games out there. I think that's the highest praise I can give.
  4. billspcplay
    Apr 14, 2020
    2
    If Subnautica was a text adventure . . . it'd be a much less enjoyable game. I don't think anyone needed a case study proving that fact, but thanks to In Other Waters, we now have hard evidence.
  5. notherone
    Apr 14, 2020
    4
    It's possible that, at some point after the first 30 minutes, this game gets really interesting, but it would have to be a truly impressive pivot. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's going wrong, but it's fair to say that nothing is quite going right. For all the lovely sound design and eye-catching aesthetic, there's precious little (if any) reward in exchange for your curiosity.
  6. 104
    Jul 19, 2020
    1
    The positive: A visually striking and stylistically powerful interface. Brings new life to the otherwise dead "adventure" game genre. Interesting gameplay mechanics when viewed in that light. Surprisingly enjoyable given the game itself is entirely pacifist.

    The negative: The engine itself is clunky and suffers from serious performance issues on Switch, which was surprising given the    The positive: A visually striking and stylistically powerful interface. Brings new life to the otherwise dead "adventure" game genre. Interesting gameplay mechanics when viewed in that light. Surprisingly enjoyable given the game itself is entirely pacifist.

    The negative: The engine itself is clunky and suffers from serious performance issues on Switch, which was surprising given the only graphics in the interface is vector art. The menu system for reading the background information on species performs shockingly badly. Several glaring graphical bugs contribute to the game's lack of polish, which is particularly frustrating given the game is much more about style than substance. The attempts at non-linearity are themselves fraught with bugs or holes in the scripting.

    And that brings me to the criticisms of the story itself. The plotline is too weak for the adventure/interactive fiction genre; much of the story is more a mash-up of science fiction tropes and cliches, and in many ways the story boils down to a pacifist queer non-cyberpunk System Shock. Given the main character is supposed to be an experienced biologist, the level of rigor expected in the lore documents discussing the native flora and fauna is just not there, and it severely detracts from the believability of the main character. In many ways, the main character is just a Mary Sue.

    The real problem over everything is that the game is capable of being 100%ed in under four hours of casual gameplay. That's all species, all waypoints, the full story. Unfortunately typical for many recent indie games. There is no replay value here either given the quality of the story and gameplay.

    The bottom line: Worth looking at for inspiration if you're a game maker yourself. There are some good ideas here and the game tees up the possibility of a return of similar Zork-like games. The dev would honestly have a good engine for many more interactive fiction games if the performance issues are solved. But I don't think I'd trust this dev again. Sorry.    … Expand
  7. swanben
    Oct 22, 2020
    10
    I really enjoyed this game. Music is wonderful and something I go back to and listen to often. This is the perfect game when you are not wanting something with stakes or stress. It was really nice to play this game after work and between other more intense games. It is a great change of pace, with a nice SciFi plot. The only complaint is that it was short, but honestly, I think any longerI really enjoyed this game. Music is wonderful and something I go back to and listen to often. This is the perfect game when you are not wanting something with stakes or stress. It was really nice to play this game after work and between other more intense games. It is a great change of pace, with a nice SciFi plot. The only complaint is that it was short, but honestly, I think any longer some of the repetitive tasks might have gotten old. Would recommend it to anyone looking for something simple, nice, and calming.… Expand
  8. Tems92
    Oct 29, 2020
    9
    Amazing game! Intriguing mystery, great soundtrack, something to play to unwind and keep your mind working. Some of the controls can be a bit janky but overall, great fun
  9. MadDan
    Apr 8, 2020
    9
    A minimalistic adventure full of mystery, intrigue and adventure. You play as an AI helping a stranded scientist; you sort her inventory, manage her fuel supply, take samples of unfamiliar species, and improve your relationship with her on the journey. Recommend for anyone looking for an engaging sci-fi, story driven experience with great mechanics and gameplay.
  10. TomMonday
    May 6, 2023
    5
    Play Citizen Sleeper, this developer’s more recent title. In Other Waters (his earlier game) feels like an ambitious misstep and is a total chore to play. The two games are the same price; go for Sleeper. Just got fed up mining for Shrillsacs for the ten thousandth time.
  11. SunnyLessie
    Sep 13, 2020
    8
    In Other Waters ist ein liebevoll gestaltetes und (fast schon zu) detaillverliebtes, geradliniges Textadventure mit minimalstisch gehaltener grafischen Oberfläche. Das Gameplay besteht hauptsächlich aus dem Erkunden und der Umgebung und ist, bis auf einige Ausnahmen, sehr ruhig/entspannt, stellenweise repetitiv. Story und Worldbuilding lassen sich über den gesamten Spielverlauf Zeit undIn Other Waters ist ein liebevoll gestaltetes und (fast schon zu) detaillverliebtes, geradliniges Textadventure mit minimalstisch gehaltener grafischen Oberfläche. Das Gameplay besteht hauptsächlich aus dem Erkunden und der Umgebung und ist, bis auf einige Ausnahmen, sehr ruhig/entspannt, stellenweise repetitiv. Story und Worldbuilding lassen sich über den gesamten Spielverlauf Zeit und werden über ein Zusammenspiel aus Logeinträgen, Monologen, topografischer Map und Sounddesign vermittelt, lesefaul sollte man also für dieses Spiel auf keinen Fall sein. Die Story fällt sicherlich nicht in die Kategorie Weltliteratur, erzählt jedoch auf kohärente Art und Weise eine Science-Fiction-Geschichte mit emotionalen Tönen und erhobenen Zeigefinger.
    Insgesamt ist es ein schönes, kurzweiliges Spiel ab vom Mainstream.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. CD-Action
    May 12, 2020
    70
    A calm, almost meditative game with no violence – something there should definitely be more of in the industry. Engages the player’s imagination more than anything else with its modest visuals, great ambient audio and a simple but engaging story. [06/2020, p.56]
  2. TheSixthAxis
    Apr 27, 2020
    80
    With an engaging sci-fi story and its minimalist style, In Other Waters manages to draw you into its mysterious story and brings the alien environments to life through your imagination. There are some performance issues that can detract from the experience, but overall, In Other Waters is a journey worth taking.
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  3. The Digital Fix
    Apr 21, 2020
    80
    Whilst it takes a longer than normal to get used to the controls and can sometimes feel sluggish, In Other Waters is a beautifully designed and wonderfully written exploration game.
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