I mentioned at the start of my Still Wakes the Deep review my irrational fear of water (both in real life and games) and the thalassophobia that comes with that. However, recent real world events are seeing me heading up to Blackpool in a few weeks for survival training as I’ll be helicoptering out to a real oil rig in the North Sea for the day job from time to time. This entails being sat in a pretend heli, dunked in a giant pool, flipped upside down and tasked with getting out. That’s one way to get over your fear I suppose…
I mention this as we’re back in the digital North Sea in new DLC Siren’s Rest, this time ten years after the events of Still Wakes the Deep. Playing as Mhairi, we begin the game 180-odd metres below the surface in a diving bell as she prepares to dive for the wreck of the Beira D Oil RIg that vanished at the end of the main game. She’s here to provide closure for the families that lost people on that fateful day, as well as recover any key information about what happened to the rig and its crew. Siren’s Rest is only a few hours long, but the story it tells is engaging right the way through. We get a lot less foul language this time, but a bit more emotional depth (no pun intended) as well as some closure to the climax of Still Wakes the Deep.
We spent a lot of time swimming in the dark blue waters in and around the sunken rig, and I can safely say the Chinese Room have nailed the sense of calm-but-danger I always picture of being at that depth. In a way, I found it quite cathartic in preparation for my real life adventures, although finding certain aspects of the wreckage might have hit harder for me than it otherwise would have. Mhairi is a competent diver, and remains in contact with the diving bell via an (unbelievably long and flexible) umbilical cord that provides air and communication with her partner Rob who remains at the bell.
Exploring the deep, seeing parts of the wreckage slowly fade into view from the darkness, the atmosphere and sense of dread is around every corner. The Beira D shifts and creaks as we disturb its sunken corridors, rubble falls around us, and frequently our means of escape is cut off, forcing us deeper into the remains. One of Mhaira’s tasks is to photograph any dead she finds, which further shines a light on the fate of some of the crew we lost. In addition to this, we can find little artifacts left over to bring back for the families, from mugs to photos and trinkets. There’s a small emphasis on exploration in Siren’s Rest, with several areas having optional zones to explore to find these items. It provides a nice extra distraction, though isn’t overdone to the point where we’re spending too long hunting around the wreck.
Occasionally we come across an air pocket that allows us to get out of the water onto dry-ish land. These play much like the base game, with plenty of climbing and shimming to get past locked doors and gather more intel. It’s not long before we’re back in the water though (with Mhairi letting out a bloodcurdling scream every time for some reason), and swimming through the dilapidated wreck.
It’s not until the back portion of the 2-3 hour experience that we get much in the way of Still Wakes the Deep style frights or creepiness. The multicolor hallucinations begin to return and…well, our only real encounter with a foe is a short lived and underwhelming affair, easily overcome before the credits roll. I was preparing for some true terrors to be unleashed beneath the waves, but the main threat here is the impending doom of Mhairi herself should she be crushed by the rig or run out of air when not attached to the umbilical cord (though in reality this is more of an implied threat that a real one). I do feel more could have been made of the monsters as with the main game, but also, for my heart health that’s probably not a bad thing.
Conclusion
A too short affair with a real threat at the conclusion of Siren’s Rest means a lot of the game is spent swimming and gathering narrative exposition rather than fighting for survival as in Still Wakes the Deep. Luckily, the story told is engaging enough to pull us through the few hours it takes, and the sense of being at the bottom of the North Sea is convincing enough to be its own threat for those of us who aren’t super keen on the water as it is. I’m not sure if it helped or hindered my preparation for real life though…
This game was reviewed based on Xbox S|X review code, using an Xbox S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
